Nondual Christian Wisdom

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Beyond human knowledge and understanding - Angela of Foligno

 

 

"The joy of the saints is a joy of incomprehension; they understand

that they cannot understand.

(p. 239)

 

No matter how far the understanding of the soul is able to stretch

itself, that is nothing in comparison to what it experiences when it

is lifted beyond itself and placed in the bosom of God. Then the soul

understands, finds its delight, and rests in the divine goodness; it

cannot bring back any report of this, because it is completely beyond

what the intelligence can conceive, and beyond words; but in this

state the soul swims.

(p. 208)

 

And immediately upon presenting himself to the soul, God likewise

discloses himself and expands the soul and gives it gifts and

consolations which the soul has never before experienced, and which

are far more profound than earlier ones. In this state, the soul is

drawn out of all darkness and granted a greater awareness of God than

I would have thought possible. This awareness is of such clarity,

certitude, and abysmal profundity that there is no heart in the world

that can ever in any way understand it or even conceive it. Even my

own heart cannot think about it by itself, or ever return to it to

understand or even conceive anything about it. This state occurs only

when God, as a gift, elevates the soul to himself, for no heart by

itself can in any way expand itself to attain it. Therefore, there is

absolutely nothing that can be said about this experience, for no

words can be found or invented to express or explain it; no expansion

of thought or mind can possibly reach to those things, they are so

far beyond everything -- for there is nothing which can explain God.

I repeat there is absolutely nothing which can explain God. Christ's

faithful one affirmed with utmost certitude and wanted it understood

that there is absolutely nothing which can explain God.

(p. 213)

 

.... the soul sees, knows, feels, and comprehends God as invisible

light, incomprehensible and unknown good. Comprehending, seeing,

knowing, and feeling God, the soul, according to its capacity,

expands in him and becomes filled with him through love... The soul,

then, experiences and possesses God's sweetness more from what it

does not comprehend than from what it comprehends, more from what it

does not see than from what it sees, more from what it does not feel

than from what it feels, more finally, from what it does not know

than from what it knows. It seems to me that this is the reason that

no matter how perfect the soul, even if it is as perfect as that of

the Blessed Virgin, it comprehends nothing of God, the ordainer,

uncreated and infinite. From looking at what it sees, feels and

knows, it sees, feels, and knows that it cannot see, feel, and know.

(p. 294)

 

~ Angela of Foligno

 

 

Love,

 

Mazie