Christian mystic is a term used to describe William of St. Thierry (ca. 1075-1148). Mystic is a slippery, vacuous word. For the record, it’s not a synonym for people who do weird things in the name of God. Christian mystics are people who seek direct experiential union with God. They do not simply want to know about God; they aspire to know God deep in their souls, in the realm of personal experience.
William became abbot of St. Thierry in France in 1119. He brought much-needed reform to the monastery yet grew tired of ecclesiastical duties, so he resigned his post to pursue a more contemplative life. Younger monks sought him out for counsel and direction in cultivating a spiritual life. William wrote Meditations in response to these numerous requests from novice monks. As I read his Meditations, the close interplay between Scripture and prayer predominates in his writing. His motive in coupling Scripture and prayer is not merely informational; it is formational. He seeks through Word and prayer to be conformed to the likeness of Christ. His deep immersion in Scripture becomes the catalyst for full engagement in prayer.
One such meditation centers on the verse, “We love because God first loved us” (1 John 4.19). We love in response to God’s love for us. He writes, “You love us so that we might love you, not because you needed our love but because we would not be what you created us to be, except by loving you.”
Why not read 1 John 4.7-21 slowly and reflectively as a prelude to today’s prayer? Meditate on its words and be on the lookout for phrases that stand out to you. Listen for God’s word in Scripture. Ask God to speak to you through his Word: