The Mystery of Christ
Beginning with the profound mystery of Christ, for "as a magnifying glass concentrates the rays of the sun into a little burning knot of heat that can set fire to a dry leaf or a piece of paper, so the mystery of Christ in the Gospel concentrates the rays of God’s light and fire to a point that sets fire to the spirit of man." [1] This is the heart of the Gospel: Christ is the lens through which the infinite power of God’s truth and love is focused into a transformative force that ignites the human spirit. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Christ becomes the mediator of divine grace, setting our souls ablaze with supernatural life. As Scripture says, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" (Luke 12:49). This teaches us that Christ is not merely a historical figure but the living channel of God’s presence and power.
Now consider the mystery of the hypostatic union, for "in Christ God is made Man. In Him God and man are no longer separate, remote from one another, but inseparably one, unconfused and yet indivisible." [1] This is the foundation of our faith: Christ is both fully God and fully man, united in one Person. He is the bridge between heaven and earth, making the divine accessible to humanity while remaining fully divine. As John proclaims, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us" (John 1:14). This teaches us that Christ’s dual nature is central to the Christian faith, for through His humanity, we encounter His divinity.
But how do we encounter Christ? It is through faith, for "it is faith and not imagination that gives us supernatural life, faith that justifies us, faith that leads us to contemplation." [1] Faith is the cornerstone of the Christian life and the gateway to mystical experience. While imagination may play a role in prayer, it is faith that unites us to Christ and opens the door to divine intimacy. As Paul writes, "We live by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). This teaches us that contemplation is not about conjuring mental images but about resting in the reality of Christ’s presence through faith.
Yet we must beware of dividing Christ, for "if in our contemplation we so separate the humanity and divinity of Christ that we 'pass beyond the humanity,' to 'rest in the divinity,' we will tend to divide Christ into 'A Man' and 'A Divine Person.'" [1] This is the error of Nestorianism, which separates Christ into two beings. The Christian faith insists on the unity of Christ’s Person, where His humanity and divinity are inseparable. As the Council of Chalcedon declared, Christ is "one and the same Son, the same perfect in Godhead and the same perfect in manhood." This teaches us that authentic contemplation must embrace the whole Christ, recognizing that His humanity is the means through which we encounter His divinity.
And what is the object of our love? It is not Christ’s attributes but His Person, for "we do not love Christ for what He has but for Who He is." [1] Christian love is not directed toward abstract qualities but toward the ineffable mystery of Christ Himself. As Peter confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). This teaches us that our relationship with Christ is deeply personal, rooted in love for His unique identity as the God-man.
But how does Christ dwell in us? It is through grace, for "the real mystery of Christian agapé (charity) is this power that the Person of the Word, in coming to us, has given to us." [1] Christ’s personal presence within the soul forms a transsubjective union of love that transcends mere intellectual or sensory experience. As Jesus promised, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23). This teaches us that the Christian life is marked by an intimate, personal relationship with Christ, who becomes our “other self.”
And who forms Christ in us? It is the Holy Spirit, for "it is the Spirit of God that must teach us Who Christ is and form Christ in us and transform us into other Christs." [1] Spiritual transformation is not achieved through human effort alone but through the work of the Holy Spirit. As Paul writes, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). This teaches us to rely on grace rather than our own ideas or efforts in the journey of sanctification.
Now let us turn to the mystery of living in Christ, for "to live 'in Christ' is to live in a mystery equal to that of the Incarnation and similar to it." [1] Just as Christ united divinity and humanity in His Person, so too does He unite Himself to us, making us participants in His divine life. As Paul declares, "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). This teaches us that the Christian life is not merely ethical or moral but deeply mystical, rooted in our union with Christ.
And who are we in Christ? We are a new creation, for "dwelling in us He becomes as it were our superior self, for He has united and identified our inmost self with Himself." [1] Through faith and charity, our inmost self is united to Christ, transforming us into a “new creation.” As Paul writes, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). This teaches us that our true self is found in Christ, who elevates and perfects our humanity.
But what does this new being look like? It is a mystical union, for "a 'new being' is brought into existence. I become a 'new man' and this new man, spiritually and mystically one identity, is at once Christ and myself." [1] Through this union, we share in Christ’s divine sonship and nature, becoming participants in His life. As John writes, "To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). This teaches us that the Christian life is marked by a radical transformation of identity.
And where does this transformation take place? It is within the Mystical Body, for "the Holy Ghost, Who is the life of this One Body, dwells in the whole Body and in every one of the members so that the whole Christ is Christ and each individual is Christ." [1] Each member of the Church is united to Christ and to one another, forming a single reality. As Paul explains, "For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13). This teaches us that our transformation into Christ is not an individual endeavor but a communal reality within the Body of Christ.
And who animates this Body? It is the Holy Spirit, for "the Holy Ghost, Who is the life of this One Body, dwells in the whole Body and in every one of the members." [1] The Spirit makes the whole Christ present in the world, working through each member of the Body. As Paul writes, "The body is not made up of one part but of many" (1 Corinthians 12:14). This teaches us that the Spirit is the source of unity and life in the Church.
But how do we allow Christ to form in us? It is through surrender, for "enter into the darkness of interior renunciation, strip your soul of images and let Christ form Himself in you by His Cross." [1] By letting go of reliance on mental images and self-effort, we allow Christ to form Himself within us. As Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). This teaches us that spiritual growth requires detachment and trust in God’s work.
And what is the goal of this transformation? It is to become like Christ, for "perfection consists in imitating Christ and reproducing Him in our own lives, but it is not enough merely to imitate the Christ we have in our imaginations." [1] True perfection lies not in creating a self-made ideal of Christ but in allowing Him to form Himself in us through grace. As Paul writes, "Until Christ is formed in you" (Galatians 4:19). This teaches us to seek Christ as He truly is, not as we imagine Him to be.
[1] Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation