What is an awesome similarity between various top exploring scientists today and most traditional canonized mystics?

As most Saints are mystics (as least according to teaching of St. Teresa of Avila on the nine grades of prayer), perhaps the answer below to the question above may help us appreciate our true mystics even more:

Apparently, an awesome similarity between them (i.e., various modern top exploring scientists and most traditional canonized mystics) is that that they have both been called by God to explore or connect with the mysterious, often invisible, world and report back to us their great discoveries, the former regarding its physical dimension and the latter concerning its spiritual realm.

Historically, our view of the universe has been profoundly influenced and even formalized by paradigm-shifting physicists. For example, today many individuals, including even theologians, are still unconsciously espousing (a) Aristotle's dualistic view of the universe (which separates the world into two non-intervening compartments, the spiritual and the mundane), and/or (b) Newton's view of the universe as a vast Deistic clockwork machine (without mysteries and miracles, or any of God's personal interventions). Yet, at the same time, many others begin to consciously integrate their worldview with Einstein's exploration or connection, like that of countless canonized mystics, which has discovered the universe as a gigantic burning bush, full of mysteries and the unknown.

As we know, the modern scientific community begins to flourish leaps and bounds when they treat their top exploring scientists seriously (even as their canonized mystics), e.g., Einstein, Heisenberg, Stephen Hawking, as well as various explorers in engineering, molecular biology, electronics, space and computer science. Perhaps we modern Christians should begin to take our traditional canonized mystics seriously (even as our top exploring scientists, according to the science of the Saints), if we want to grow spiritually as never before.

As we may have been unspeakably discouraged by countless false mystics in history, a healthy balance is much needed today. And this is where the Church - as the spokesperson of the Holy Spirit -- comes in, to help us discern the true mystics from the false ones. As always, time and collective wisdom (given to the Church by the Holy Spirit) remain the two greatest factors of the Magisterium to test a person or an event. Before her canonization of a mystic or public endorsement of an event, we should always, with all due respect, hold a wise distance from the teaching and witness of any person or event. But once an historical verdict is made, we as members of Christ's Mystical Body should, as much as we can, embrace the saintly wisdom and experience of such a holy person or event of God. Otherwise, we would only be stifling the Holy Spirit (cf. 1Thess 5:19-23).

References:

Aumann, Jordan, O.P. Spiritual Theology. Huntington, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitors, Inc., 1980.

Barbour, Ian G. Religion in An Age of Science. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers: 1990.

Capra, Fritjof. The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism. New York: Bantam Books, 1977 (1975).

Daniélou, Jean. La Trinité et le mystère de l'existence. Paris: Desclée De Brouwer, 1968.

Fortman, Edmund J., S.J. The Theology of Man and Grace: Commentary. Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Company, 1966.

Griffin, David Ray; Beardslee, William A.; and Holland, Joe. Varieties of Postmodern Theology. New York: State University of New York Press, 1989.

Haight, Roger, S.J. The Experience and Language of Grace. New York: Paulist Press, 1979.

Hawking, Stephen W. A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes. New York: Bantam Books, 1988.

Hopper, Jeffery. Understanding Modern Theology 1: Cultural Revolutions and New Worlds. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987.

Knox, R.A. Enthusiasm: A Chapter in the History of Religion. Westminister, Maryland: Christian Classic, 1983 (1950).

Lossky, Vladimir. The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church. Crestwood, New York: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1976.

O'Connor, Edward, C.S.C. The Catholic Vision. Huntington, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1992.

Redfield, James. The Celestine Vision: Living the New Spiritual Awareness. New York, NY: Warner Books, Inc., 1997.

Russell, Robert; Stoeger, William, S.J.; and Coyne, George, S.J., eds. Physics, Philosophy and Theology: A Common Quest for Understanding. Vatican City State: Vatican Observatory, 1988.

Schreck, Alan. The Compact History of the Catholic Church. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Servant Books, 1987.

Ware, Timothy. The Orthodox Church. New York, NY: Penguins Books, 1981 (1963).

© Grace Institute of the Holy Eucharist/John Cheng, Toronto, October 1,1998.