Tell me who is worse, those who mistakenly believe they can love others as Jesus did and try to love the world in this way, or those who believe we're not capable of loving others this way and so do not try.
Checking on the original purpose of this prayer and what prompted Leo XIII to write the prayer? Is this Archangel Michael the same as the entity invoked in occult rituals on Sundays?
or how did Christ find you?
Hello there, I’m wondering what traditions people find interesting or they personally follow.
For example I am partial to the ancient Syriac Aramaic mystics such as Aphrahat and Ephrem. But I find much from the mystic traditions of the early Lutherans, of the Spanish Catholic mystics, of the eastern Christian traditions that reached china and India.
There are so many regions and flavors of Christian mystical traditions and I’m interested in learning yours!?!?’
What is the place of hope in existentialism? When we look at the world today, it is easy to see fragmentation. Climate crises, geopolitical instability, and a pervasive sense of alienation can make it feel as though the very structures of our shared reality are fracturing.
It was precisely this condition that French philosopher and Christian existentialist Gabriel Marcel diagnosed when coining the phrase "the broken world" (le monde cassé). Marcel observed a world characterized by functionalization, where individuals are reduced to their social or economic roles. In this critique, Marcel’s concerns regarding "technical efficiency" deeply echo those of Martin Heidegger; both thinkers warned that a purely technological mindset treats the world and its inhabitants merely as resources to be mastered, calculated, and manipulated.
In popular culture, existentialism is often equated with the darkness that this broken world produces - a philosophy of angst, absurdity, and the cold isolation popularized by thinkers like Sartre. But Marcel, as an existential-phenomenologist, radically contradicts this assumption. He demonstrates that existentialism does not have to end in despair. Instead, it can provide the precise tools needed to navigate a broken world with profound, defiant hope.
In this session, we will explore Marcel’s unique philosophy through his phenomenology - his method of looking at concrete, lived human experiences rather than detached, abstract theories. We will focus on his crucial distinction between a problem (something external that we can solve with technical efficiency) and a mystery (something we are personally entangled in, which transcends mere logic). For Marcel, true hope is not a naive, passive wish that things will simply "work out." It is an active and engaged existential response to a world that tries to reduce human existence to a series of technical problems. It is an act of communion and presence, rooted in what he calls the ontological mystery. That is, a deep, experiential realization that being itself cannot be fully captured by a broken world.
In preparation for the group, please read the following chapter "Hope and Existentialism": https://academic.oup.com/book/61728/chapter/541574012
>Although existentialist thought is often associated with a negative diagnosis of the human condition in such thinkers as Camus and Sartre, there is a more positive strand focusing on uplifting aspects of experience, directly challenging the alienation, loss of meaning, and invitation to despair that has come to be associated with the movement. This vision of the human condition is to be found especially in the work of French philosopher Gabriel Marcel. This chapter considers Marcel’s phenomenological analysis of what is called ontological hope, distinguishing it from ordinary cases of hoping, as well as from optimism and desire. It examines the choice between hope and despair and introduces related themes of communion, intersubjectivity, and the search for the transcendent. The chapter argues that Marcel’s thought illustrates the reserves within the human personality and community that help individuals respond in a positive way to the existential challenges of modernity.
We will also watch a short video on the topic to support our discussion. Let's pursue the question: how might a phenomenological approach to hope alter how we live, act, and connect when the horizon looks dark?
This is an online discussion group hosted by Cece to discuss Gabriel Marcel's ideas and the place of hope in existentialism.
To join this meetup taking place on Friday May 22 (EDT), please sign up in advance on the main event page here (link); the Zoom link will be provided to registrants.
Look for other sessions in this series on our calendar (link).
All are welcome!
I've meditated on this phrase many times, but still haven't figured out who they are.
Maybe they are You, maybe they are Me, maybe they are Oneanother. Made up names for made up things.
I once asked aloud, "why does a name matter?"
Now I don't have one to call upon.
God may not be cruel, but he can have a cruel sense of humor.
The Christian Tradition, especially the Platonic stream of thought within the tradition feels incredibly underrated.
There are innumerable mystics who have sought and found deep spiritual connection with God directly, and written extensively on various and lesser known topics, such as:
The herbal healing and precious gem healing capacities of St Hildegard (not to mention her other extensive spiritual works.)
The Astrological efficacy (not overriding free will) of Marsilio Ficino
The non-dual experiences of Meister Eckhart which was subsequently assumed by Bl Henry Suso and other Rhineland mystics
The writings penetrating the spiritual meaning of Scripture from Origen and Clement of Alexandria, not to mention their discussions on the spiritual value of vegetarianism.
The Centering Prayer of The Cloud of Unknowing and Thomas Keating and Basil Pennington.
The contemplation, moral philosophy, and poetry of Boethius.
I could go on, but the tradition of Christian Platonism is one that needs to be desperately revived in our lives and in the lives of our respective church communities.
In Mark 14:34, Jesus tells His disciples, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.'
Gethsemane is perhaps the most profound reminder that feeling crushed by sorrow is not a lack of faith—it is deeply human. Jesus felt the weight of agonizing silence, yet the Father was there, preparing the path for redemption.
If you are walking through your own dark night right now, feeling like the silence of God is too loud to bear, please remember: His silence is never His absence. He hasn't left your side.
How has the Holy Spirit comforted you when you felt completely isolated in your pain? Let’s encourage each other today.
Hi,
Enjoy the lesson in this Satsang! Blessings, Jenny
82g. Love can even be felt towards God like that towards one's own child.
It gives a radiance to the eyes, It makes true fellowship possible (the social foundation of the faith and of all of Western Civilization), I see it quite literally as the personality of the truth, when I see someone else with the Spirit living in them I know immediately, it is like seeing a long lost brother, that is how wicked the world is, a relief it is indeed to see a brother and sister in Christ, the Holy Spirit is an advisor, the verses that say He intercedes for us with groans too deep for words during prayer and guides our speech during times of trouble speak on this, I have personally experienced other gifts of the spirit, such as telepathy (especially when dealing with people far from Christ), and insights on situations and people in my environment, I have come to understand it as a kind of Holy intuition, it upsets wicked, godless people, I have found that the deeper I get to know the miraculousness of the Holy Spirit, the deeper I know Jesus, let me know what you think below
I’m curious about everyone’s experiences, specifically physical and sensory experiences, shifts in perception, etc. but also any kind of mystical experience. What did it look, feel, sound like? How long did it last? Was it sensory at all or strictly extrasensory?
Just wondering if there is any Martinist Order that requires members to be practicing Catholics? Does the Vatican have an official declaration on Martinism or Elus Coens?
Hi all, I just came across Christian Mysticism recently and have some questions about the beliefs.
Do you believe Jesus to be God or a mystic/enlightened person?
Is the resurrection historical or just allegorical for the spiritual journey within oneself?
What parts of the Bible are historical and what parts are allegorical?
If you do go to church, what denomination do you attend?
What schools of meditation or contemplative prayer do you find yourself practicing in your daily life and how has it benefitted your spiritual journey??
