The abstract I've read is not lengthy; I was stunned to be reminded I paid quite a bit over decade ago for 32 pages, tangible paper and cover, of Paul LaChance, OFM's published overview of St. Angela of Foligno's mystical journey. Who would know the wide resources of the internet then? Yet I have a lasting treasure in substance and essence of which I can reflect upon and share highlights with others, as I shall attempt with you, dear readers. And some day, sooner than later, this temporal booklet, succinct and excellent in pinpointing this 13th century mystic-saint's life, will be passed on. There is something mystical, I think, in holding in one's hands what others have held and intimately, spiritually, absorbed.
The Mystical Journey of Angela of Foligno (LaChance, 1990) contains three sections describing Angela's life: 1) Her imitation of the works of the God-Man; 2) Union with God accompanied by powerful feelings and consolations which can find expression in words and thoughts; 3) a most perfect union with God which no words or thoughts can express.
Since I have books I want to read this Lent that detail her life and her mystical journey and at length, I'll share more of that later on. Some of you may be familiar with her life; I had not been other than noticing when I was in Assisi years ago on pilgrimage, a sign by a path pointing to the direction of "Foligno", as I had heard of this woman.
She was born in 1248, about 20 years after St. Francis died. She was greatly influenced by the saint, as many in her society. She was married, had children, and led a temporally frivolous life prior to a major conversion at age 37. Deaths of husband, parents, and children contributed to her change. But it was a numinous experience after her confessor (and relative), Fra Arnaldo, insisted she begin a way of penance, that caused Angela to dictate to him the 30 steps through which she was led to mystical union with God. He transcribed as rapidly and perfectly he could, her words into Latin.
I can affectionately welcome Angela into my hermitage, Solus Deus, as she definitely qualifies as a "spiritual leper." She had numerous "visions, locutions, ecstasies, moments of awesome presence and dreadful absence" that bring about her being able to speak of the divine experience. (LaChance, p. 8)
She is a teacher of the "perils of spiritual love." As mentioned above, she describes three transformations that God transacts in the soul. At the beginning of her conversion, St. Francis of Assisi appeared to her in a dream and told her to find a good spiritual director. (Over the course of her life, he would appear other times, and he became her mystical mentor for spiritual perfection. At one point, the saint told her, "You are the only one born of me."
In Angela's first, meaningful confession via Fra. Arnaldo, she felt God's mercy in a true sense of the lifting of guilt for past sins. From this point, Angela began a period of trials and effort in what could be termed "purgation." Through increased reality of Christ's crucifixion, Angela had knowledge of her sins as well as the mercy of God's forgiveness and healing. Through these phases, her visions increased, focusing her on Christ's crucifixion, being at His feet, entering into His pain, into His Heart, is shown His wounds, including drinking and being purified by His blood pouring from His side.
By step 17, Angela surged in quantity and quality of faith. While the mystical experiences and the effect on her led to this point, she had made the transition to a consciousness that she had entered into "the transcendental realm." (LaChance, p. 10) Her degree, her quality of contemplation improved.
"Lifted to a new level of perception [through] the symbol of the cross which unified and recollected her powers, she was now inwardly still enough to receive new, hitherto inexperienced, inflow of divine life. In fact, she confessed that through visions, 'beautiful dreams,' and meditations on the Scriptures, she was given 'increasing sweetness in her soul from God' and 'took delight in such divine favors from God' that 'she forgot all worldly attachments but even herself.' When describing the visions which occurred in this step, Angela speaks of being 'led' into them." (LaChance, p. 10)
The amount of time in such absorption in God was but a moment or two; yet her psyche was affected after that it made her shriek when she'd hear the name of God, or she'd grow ill and weak when she'd she paintings of Christ's Passion. This extreme effect on the body is not atypical in what are not typical experiences for most. It has to do with the contrast of the temporal to being opened to the mysterium tremendum of God.
This (at 19th step) was Angela's first experience of the sweetness of God. She was awakened and no longer was satisfied with part of God; she wanted Him in totality. She told Christ, "I want neither silver nor gold; even if you gave me the whole world, I only want You." Jesus soon had a response to Angela's passionate desire to find Him. He told her to hurry, that as soon as she dispensed of her possessions, the entire Trinity would come into her.
She had doubts about what she heard within, but her spirit was touched. She could not wait for Him to fulfill this promise. Angela had crossed over into temporary mystical union with Christ. It would morph into union with God with powerful feelings and consolations but yet would be expressible in words and thought.
[I will continue writing of the next steps of her life, in the following blog post. Remember, this is but an overview. I look forward to reading more in depth about her, as well as to invite this kindred "spiritual leper" to befriend and guide me. Her spiritual journey, the mystical and intense aspects of it, take some absorption--and to consider--if any of us are intent in our spiritual seeking of Christ and ultimate union with God. Her specific experiences and progression are following the three ways of the spiritual life: purgative, illuminative, unitive. Yet it is a boon from God that she dictated her steps, and that Fra Arnaldo wrote these as well as her temporal and mystical life transformations as unfolded in her daily life, in her village of Foligno, Italy, where she lived and died in 1309. Amazing that she wasn't beatified until 1701 and not canonized a saint until 2013. St. Angela of Foligno has staying power!]
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