The State of Unknowing

The state of unknowing
To go beyond our concepts,thoughts and words into the state of “unknowing”, is central for the desert Fathers and Mothers,and the early Church Fathers (and Mothers).It is also the focus of the work of the 14th century anonymous English monk.“The Cloud of Unknowing”and “The Privy Counseling”,which have been essential for many contemplatives since then.He points out the fact that it is impossible to find God by reason,it is only possible by love.This is mysticism.“This is the tradition of “mysticism as a love affair between the bridegroom and the bride,between Yahweh and his people.It is here that the deepest significance of Western mysticism is to be found,” says William Johnston in the Introduction to his translation of “The Cloud”.St. John of the Cross is a considerable theologian teaching about “The dark night”,the “nothingness”,the “place” where we lose ourselves (our false selves) to be united with God.It was during the hardest passages of his life,he really came in touch with the enormous love that flows from God through darkness.The first glimpse of the “unknowable” God is revealed in Exodus 33.20. God says to Moses:“You cannot see my face,for man shall not see me and live.” This is the passage where Moses climbs the mountain and finds himself in a cloud of darkness.He can’t see God,but he knows God by unknowing:He knows God in darkness! He knows with the inner eye!And he returns from the mountains with a new insight,even written in stone.
When Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray,he says:
”When you pray,go to your private room,shut yourself in,and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place,and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6,NJB).
Thomas Keating will say that “our private secret room” is the place where even the one who prays doesn’t know what is really happening.This is to seek God beyond the words and thoughts and reason.