The Journey of the Mind to God Bonaventure,

Overview Mystical: focused on gaining spiritual union with God Mystical: focused on gaining spiritual union with God Experience of oneness Experience of oneness Beyond language or ordinary experience Beyond language or ordinary experience Assisted by reflection, images, meditation Assisted by reflection, images, meditation Not a constant experience in this life Not a constant experience in this life Taste of heaven Taste of heaven Christ crucified: main image Christ crucified: main image

Stages 1. Seeing God through vestiges in creation 2. Seeing God in vestiges in creation 3. Considering God in God’s image imprinted on human person 4. Considering God in image reformed by grace 5. Considering divine unity in its name “being” 6. Considering Trinity in its name “goodness” 7. Rest: passing over into God

Stages 1-2 Start with human senses: most basic way of knowing Start with human senses: most basic way of knowing See evidence of God in created world See evidence of God in created world Beauty Beauty Order Order Goodness Goodness

Stage 3 Turn from outer focus on world to inner focus on self Turn from outer focus on world to inner focus on self Human person made in image of God Human person made in image of God Genesis 1:27 Genesis 1:27 Must reflect something of God’s nature Must reflect something of God’s nature As through a (dim) mirror As through a (dim) mirror The mind has trinitarian structure The mind has trinitarian structure Memory recalls eternity and changeless truth (cf. Plato) Memory recalls eternity and changeless truth (cf. Plato) Intellect understands by light of truth Intellect understands by light of truth Will chooses by knowledge of perfection (cf. Platonic forms) Will chooses by knowledge of perfection (cf. Platonic forms) Desires what is best (made for God; cf. Augustine) Desires what is best (made for God; cf. Augustine)

Stage 4 This image of God has been damaged by sin This image of God has been damaged by sin Drawn away from God by concupiscence (disordered desire) Drawn away from God by concupiscence (disordered desire) Need grace, Christ as “ladder” in human form Need grace, Christ as “ladder” in human form Affections must be healed and re-ordered Affections must be healed and re-ordered Scripture is especially useful Scripture is especially useful Mind becomes a house inhabited by Divine Wisdom Mind becomes a house inhabited by Divine Wisdom Is made a daughter, spouse, and friend of God Is made a daughter, spouse, and friend of God

Stage 5 Now the mind is ready to ascend: look to God “above” Now the mind is ready to ascend: look to God “above” What can one know about God? First, simply that God is What can one know about God? First, simply that God is Eternal Eternal Simple (one) Simple (one) Pure actuality (could not be anything else) Pure actuality (could not be anything else) Ground of all that exists Ground of all that exists

Stage 6 Goodness of God Goodness of God Trinity: communion of persons Trinity: communion of persons “Goodness is diffusive of itself”: must give itself away “Goodness is diffusive of itself”: must give itself away Dynamic, self-giving Dynamic, self-giving Cannot be solitary Cannot be solitary God is the highest good = most self-giving God is the highest good = most self-giving Must be intrinsic to God’s own being Must be intrinsic to God’s own being God is love God is love Vision of God possible through Christ (can now look at the mercy seat) Vision of God possible through Christ (can now look at the mercy seat) God is joined forever with humanity in person of Jesus Christ (still human and divine; does not discard his body) God is joined forever with humanity in person of Jesus Christ (still human and divine; does not discard his body)

Exodus 25 Then you shall make a mercy-seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its width. You shall make two cherubim of gold; you shall make them of hammered work, at the two ends of the mercy-seat. Make one cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other; of one piece with the mercy-seat you shall make the cherubim at its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy-seat with their wings. They shall face each other; the faces of the cherubim shall be turned towards the mercy-seat. You shall put the mercy-seat on the top of the ark; and in the ark you shall put the covenant that I shall give you. There I will meet you, and from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the covenant, I will deliver to you all my commands for the Israelites.

Isaiah 6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’

Stage 7 Ends in rest = mystical union Ends in rest = mystical union Like 6 days of creation Like 6 days of creation Only possible through Christ crucified Only possible through Christ crucified The mercy-seat above the Ark The mercy-seat above the Ark How to do this ascent? How to do this ascent? Grace, desire, prayer, God Grace, desire, prayer, God “darkness, not clarity” “darkness, not clarity” Fire: consumes passions and affections Fire: consumes passions and affections Dynamic image of God Dynamic image of God Death to self, look to Christ crucified Death to self, look to Christ crucified