Religious Ecstasy - Pt. 1

Religious Ecstasy

God calls each of us to religious ecstasy, though the phenomenon is not common. We cannot achieve it through the mere power of the will. Like all the good things in life, it is only achieved through the grace of God. “Grace” is an unmerited gift from God. We do not earn it. In the case of religious ecstasy, also known as mystical union, it is achieved through extraordinary grace. There are steps that we can take to make us more receptive to grace - and religious ecstasy - which will be discussed in the next post.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit." Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.

Although we can’t earn grace or bring it about through human effort, we know that everyone is given sufficient grace. Grace is given abundantly to everyone and through the use of free will we can choose to either accept or reject grace.

There are many things we can do to make ourselves more receptive to the grace and extraordinary grace of God. If it is God’s will, we can receive the gift of religious ecstasy.

Religious ecstasy is the polar opposite of drug-induced euphoria. Religious ecstasy comes about through prayer and the worship of God. Drugs are a shortcut to euphoria, which usually draws users away from God. The popularity of drug usage is a phenomenon of the modern age where we tend to worship ourselves through self-indulgence and pride and sometimes give lip-service to the worship God.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

2014 Spiritual progress tends toward ever more intimate union with Christ. This union is called "mystical" because it participates in the mystery of Christ through the sacraments - "the holy mysteries" - and, in him, in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. God calls us all to this intimate union with him, even if the special graces or extraordinary signs of this mystical life are granted only to some for the sake of manifesting the gratuitous gift given to all.

Mystical Theology is the study of the processes of purification an individual must pass through in order to achieve religious ecstasy. The peak of the study of mystical theology was during 1500’s when two Doctors of the Church, St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, wrote extensively on the subject and developed the inquiry as a science.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia:

The contents of mystical theology are doctrinal as well as experimental, as it not only records the experiences of souls mystically favoured, but also lays down rules for their guidance, which are based on the authority of the Scriptures, on the teachings of the Fathers of the Church, and on the explanations of theologians, many of them eminent as mystics. Its rules and precepts are usually framed for the special use of those who have occasion to direct souls in the ways of mysticism, so as to preserve them from error while facilitating their advancement.

…As for the history or development of mysticism, it is as difficult to record as a history of the experiences of the human soul. The most that can be done is to follow its literature, mindful that the most extraordinary mystical experiences defy expression in human speech, and that God, the Author of mystical states, acts upon souls when and as He wills, so that there can be no question of what we could consider a logical or chronological development of mysticism as a science. Still, it is possible to review what mystical writers have said at certain periods, and especially what the Carmelite saint, Teresa of Avila, did to treat for the first time mystical phenomena as a science. Before her, mystics were concerned principally with ecstasies, visions, and revelations; she was the first to attempt a scientific analysis of the process of mystical union brought about by contemplation.

The development of Moral Theology started at the beginning of the Age of Faith – coinciding with the fall of the Roman Empire – and reached its zenith at the end of the Age of Faith (one thousand years later). It is noted, however, that Christian mysticism is present in scripture and has been present in the Church from its very beginning to this day.

The hubris of the modern age, dismisses religious faith, and leaves the discussion of such profound experiences to be exiled from mainstream thought only to be relegated to the blogosphere.

When an individual experiences the phenomenon associated with religious ecstasy, he should consult a spiritual adviser in order to discern whether the experience comes from God, or whether they are demonic in nature.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia “mystical writers treat at length the deceits, snares, and other arts practiced by the Evil One to lead souls astray in the quest for the mystical union.”

To read the next post in this series, click here.