Experiencing union

(Quotations from Nicholas of Cusa)

The humanity in Christ Jesus {fills in} for all the deficiencies of all human beings... For the maximumness of Christ's human nature so works that in each person who adheres to him by formed faith Christ is this same person by a most perfect union with each one's individuality preserved. Through this union the saying of his is true: "Whatever you have done for one of the least of mine you have done for me." And, conversely, whatever Christ Jesus merited in his passion those who are one with him also merited, but different degrees of merit are preserved, according to the different degree of each one's union with Christ through faith formed by love... Because he is all fullness, in him we obtain all things if we possess him.
(p. 185)

Great, indeed, is the power of faith that makes a person Christ-like so that one forsakes sensible things, strips oneself of the contaminations of the flesh, walks reverently in the ways of God, follows joyously in the footsteps of Christ, and willingly takes up a cross in exaltation... Note well that as one's flesh is successively and gradually mortified by faith one ascends by steps to union with Christ, so that one is absorbed into him by a profound union, so far as it is possible on this path. Leaping beyond all the things that are visible and worldly, one reaches the complete perfection of one's nature.
(p. 200)

Next, the believers, continuously ascending in more ardent desire, are taken up into simple intellectuality, and leaping beyond all sensible things, they pass as if from sleep to wakefulness, from hearing to sight. And, there, those things that are seen cannot be revealed because they are beyond all hearing and beyond all instruction by voice... For there, incomprehensibly heard, as the end of all speech, is Jesus, blessed forever, the end of all understanding, because he is truth, and the end of all sense, because he is life, and the end, finally, of all being, because he is being itself, and the perfection of every creature, because he is God and human....

Such things are shown in stages to one who ascends to Christ by faith... For if the faith is great, it unites the believer with Jesus so that the believer rises above all that is not in union with Jesus himself...

See how great the power of your intellectual spirit is in the power of Christ... But because this takes place only through the conversion of the intellect, which the senses obey, to Christ by maximum faith, this faith must be formed by uniting love... Without love faith is not living but dead and not faith at all.
(p. 199)

None of the wise of this world can grasp true happiness since they do not know you. None can see anyone happy except with you, Jesus, inside paradise... For everyone of happy spirit subsists in your Spirit, as the vivified in the vivifier... And thus in you the finite is united to the infinite and to that which cannot be united, and the incomprehensible is seized by an eternal fruition, which is a most joyous and inexhaustible happiness.
(p. 278)

©1999 by Deb Platt


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