A Brief Commentary On The Cloud Of Unknowing | A Word Of Prayer

The light doth now return. 'Tis the season of the Incarnate Word accompanied by the promise of His Second Coming.

Here is a brief commentary on three chapters from a work of the English Patrimony. The chapters offer guidance on prayer in the Logos, the Eternal Word, embracing a chosen word, and, trusting in the need for grace, giving that word complete focus and pouring into it genuine intention, to allow in one's heart and mind space for God to speak and act and transform us, guiding us according to His divine will.

The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord; he will not desist until the Most High visits him, and does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment. Sirach 35:17

Over the past few decades, many self-proclaimed gurus discovered the Cloud of Unknowing and have tried to reshape it into a Catholic take on Transcendental Meditation, such as Centering Prayer, or have infused it with elements of Buddhist mindfulness. However, the Cloud’s teaching is entirely Catholic and cannot be reduced to a trendy mechanical technique by which so-called spiritual guides seek to market it and profit financially. And profit they have! Many sincere seekers have been asked to pay for enlightenment and have paid heavily. Known to this blogger are many who have survived mind cults who still suffer the residual effects of systems of control that once robbed people of their identity.

St Matthew 7:15-20 | Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.

Comparisons with heterodox and evil systems aside, the author of the Cloud asserts a way of praying that is true to the Church's teaching, a way fully configured to the Divine Logos.

The Cloud of Unknowing, edited by Evelyn Underhill [1922]

HERE BEGINNETH THE EIGHT AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

How and why that short prayer pierceth heaven

AND why pierceth it heaven, this little short prayer of one little syllable? Surely because it is prayed with a full spirit, in the height and in the deepness, in the length and in the breadth of his spirit that prayeth it. In the height it is, for it is with all the might of the spirit. In the deepness it is, for in this little syllable be contained all the wits of the spirit. In the length it is, for might it ever feel as it feeleth, ever would it cry as it cryeth. In the breadth it is, for it willeth the same to all other that it willeth to itself.

In this time it is that a soul hath comprehended after the lesson of Saint Paul with all saints—not fully, but in manner and in part, as it is according unto this work—which is the length and the breadth, the height and the deepness of everlasting and all‑lovely, almighty, and all‑witting God. The everlastingness of God is His length. His love is His breadth. His might is His height. And His wisdom is His deepness. No wonder though a soul that is thus nigh conformed by grace to the image and the likeness of God his maker, be soon heard of God! Yea, though it be a full sinful soul, the which is to God as it were an enemy; an he might through grace come for to cry such a little syllable in the height and the deepness, the length and the breadth of his spirit, yet he should for the hideous noise of his cry be always heard and helped of God.

See by ensample. He that is thy deadly enemy, an thou hear him so afraid that he cry in the height of his spirit this little word “fire,” or this word “out”; yet without any beholding to him for he is thine enemy, but for pure pity in thine heart stirred and raised with the dolefulness of this cry, thou risest up—yea, though it be about midwinter’s night—and helpest him to slack his fire, or for to still him and rest him in his distress. Oh, Lord! since a man may be made so merciful in grace, to have so much mercy and so much pity of his enemy, notwithstanding his enmity, what pity and what mercy shall God have then of a ghostly cry in soul, made and wrought in the height and the deepness, the length and the breadth of his spirit; the which hath all by nature that man hath by grace? And much more, surely without comparison, much more mercy will He have; since it is, that that thing that is so had by nature is nearer to an eternal thing than that which is had by grace.

Commentary

AND why pierceth it heaven, this little short prayer of one little syllable? Surely because it is prayed with a full spirit, in the height and in the deepness, in the length and in the breadth of his spirit that prayeth it.

• full spirit: complete attention and honest intention.
• in the height and in the deepness: confidence and humility.
• in the length and in the breadth of his spirit that prayeth it: heart and mind, all one's being.

We are assured that persistence will be met with mercy by God. This consolation is no mere trite comfort nor self delusion. God enters into our hearts and minds through a window we offer Him that He may shine His light, His eternal light, to elevate nature - gratia non tollit naturam, sed perficit - and thereby guide us into His perfection.

We are given insight into the character of God. The everlastingness of God is His length. His love is His breadth. His might is His height. And His wisdom is His deepness. This should invite humility and an abundance of joy in the one who trusts in God, who loves God.

And much more, surely without comparison, much more mercy will He have; since it is, that that thing that is so had by nature is nearer to an eternal thing than that which is had by grace.

HERE BEGINNETH THE NINE AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

How a perfect worker shall pray, and what prayer is in itself; and if a man shall pray in words, which words accord them most to the property of prayer.

AND therefore it is, to pray in the height and the deepness, the length and the breadth of our spirit. And that not in many words, but in a little word of one syllable.

And what shall this word be? Surely such a word as is best according unto the property of prayer. And what word is that? Let us first see what prayer is properly in itself, and thereafter we may clearlier know what word will best accord to the property of prayer.

Prayer in itself properly is not else, but a devout intent direct unto God, for getting of good and removing of evil. And then, since it so is that all evil be comprehended in sin, either by cause or by being, let us therefore when we will intentively pray for removing of evil either say, or think, or mean, nought else nor no more words, but this little word “sin.” And if we will intentively pray for getting of good, let us cry, either with word or with thought or with desire, nought else nor no more words, but this word “God.” For why, in God be all good, both by cause and by being. Have no marvel why I set these words forby all other. For if I could find any shorter words, so fully comprehending in them all good and all evil, as these two words do, or if I had been learned of God to take any other words either, I would then have taken them and left these; and so I counsel that thou do.

Study thou not for no words, for so shouldest thou never come to thy purpose nor to this work, for it is never got by study, but all only by grace. And therefore take thou none other words to pray in, although I set these here, but such as thou art stirred of God for to take. Nevertheless, if God stir thee to take these, I counsel not that thou leave them; I mean if thou shalt pray in words, and else not. For why, they be full short words. But although the shortness of prayer be greatly commended here, nevertheless the oftness of prayer is never the rather refrained. For as it is said before, it is prayed in the length of the spirit; so that it should never cease, till the time were that it had fully gotten that that it longed after. Ensample of this have we in a man or a woman afraid in the manner beforesaid. For we see well, that they cease never crying on this little word “out,” or this little word “fire,” ere the time be that they have in great part gotten help of their grief.

Commentary

The Author reminds us to invest intentions, our complete intentions, in a single word. One might say our whole heart, our whole identity. The importance of such simplicity is not in its simplicity as a sound per se, as in TM. Unlike a TM mantra, the word has meaning.

Similarly, the word is not some magical tidbit meant to harness power. It is not an idol; it is an icon, and like an icon it is meant to orient and open the soul to the grace of God. We are cooperators with grace. We are not God's equal. Rather, we receive that which God offers - His very life - and we offer our love to God Who is Love.

Let us recall that each one of us is a "word" in the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ. We are spoken into existence. Man is created in the image and likeness of God. In Christ, through baptism and the other sacraments, we are being restored to likeness with God. We are "words" spoken by God; we are inclined to return to Him. We are echoes of His Word, Jesus, the perfect image of the Father. We are held in being in the Holy Ghost.

Job 34:14-15 | If God were to withdraw his Spirit, all life would disappear and mankind would turn again to dust.

The Infinite Now

What is 'being present to' God? How is it that we may be present to God? How is God present to us? He seeks us! He pursues us to enter into communion with us.

1. God is present to us in and through His word, Holy Scripture. To hear Holy Scripture is to hear God's voice.
2. He is present to us in the ordained priest who acts in His Name.
3. He is present to us in and through His Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist.
4. He is present in the congregation gathered in His Name.

HERE BEGINNETH THE FORTIETH CHAPTER

That in the time of this work a soul hath no special beholding to any vice in itself nor to any virtue in itself.

DO thou, on the same manner, fill thy spirit with the ghostly bemeaning of this word “sin,” and without any special beholding unto any kind of sin, whether it be venial or deadly: Pride, Wrath, or Envy, Covetyse, Sloth, Gluttony, or Lechery. What recks it in contemplatives, what sin that it be, or how muckle a sin that it be? For all sins them thinketh—I mean for the time of this work—alike great in themselves, when the least sin departeth them from God, and letteth them of their ghostly peace.

And feel sin a lump, thou wottest never what, but none other thing than thyself. And cry then ghostly ever upon one: a Sin, sin, sin! Out, out, out!” This ghostly cry is better learned of God by the proof, than of any man by word. For it is best when it is in pure spirit, without special thought or any pronouncing of word; unless it be any seldom time, when for abundance of spirit it bursteth up into word, so that the body and the soul be both filled with sorrow and cumbering of sin.

On the same manner shalt thou do with this little word “God.” Fill thy spirit with the ghostly bemeaning of it without any special beholding to any of His works—whether they be good, better, or best of all—bodily or ghostly, or to any virtue that may be wrought in man’s soul by any grace; not looking after whether it be meekness or charity, patience or abstinence, hope, faith, or soberness, chastity or wilful poverty. What recks this in contemplatives? For all virtues they find and feel in God; for in Him is all thing, both by cause and by being. For they think that an they had God they had all good, and therefore they covet nothing with special beholding, but only good God. Do thou on the same manner as far forth as thou mayest by grace: and mean God all, and all God, so that nought work in thy wit and in thy will, but only God.

And because that ever the whiles thou livest in this wretched life, thee behoveth always feel in some part this foul stinking lump of sin, as it were oned and congealed with the substance of thy being, therefore shalt thou changeably mean these two words—sin and God. With this general knowing, that an thou haddest God, then shouldest thou lack sin: and mightest thou lack sin, then shouldest thou have God.

Commentary

"This ghostly cry is better learned of God by the proof, than of any man by word." This paragraph is profoundly beautiful. Let's translate: "And feel sin as a lump, not knowing exactly what it is, except that it is part of yourself. Then cry out from deep within: “Sin, sin, sin! Out, out, out!” This heartfelt cry is better taught by God through experience than by any person’s words. It’s best when it comes purely from the spirit (ghostly, of one's ghost), without specific thoughts or spoken words, except on rare occasions when an overflow of spirit forces it into speech, filling both body and soul with sorrow and the heavy weight of sin."

"Heartfelt cry" could be rendered soulful cry, coming from one's very spirit, one's soul. The Catechism helps:

For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.—CCC, no. 2558, citing St. Therese of Lisieux, Manuscrits Autobiographiques, C 25rr 

The joy of Mattins and Evensong is akin to being present to a feast of prayer and living music, with symphonic works, chamber groups, soloists, instrumental and vocal works, and so on. That is, the music of the choirs of angels before the throne of God.

Some folk may find the Office tedious or overly complicated, and yet each Psalm and Lesson and Prayer and Hymn and Canticle allows us to be immersed in God's word and respond in a dynamic relationship wherein we are receptive and/or actively engaged as we find the sacred texts grafted to our hearts, enlivening our intentions or allowing us to rest in what is brought before us. Some might suggest that what is being described is Lectio Divina or a form of it, and they wouldn't be wrong for saying so.