2023/03/20

83. Information Named Mystery

The Japanese Zen tradition is deeply embedded in Japanese culture. As a Japanese, I find that the Zen experience is about seeing nothingness through practice, that is, coming into contact with informationlessness. A person is already a mass of information from the beginning of embryonic development steps, i.e., a fertilised egg. And a cluster of information welcomes the person at birth. People seek information, grow up absorbing information, use it and live amid it. So, even though people might be aware of the existence of "informationless information" deep within themselves, they avoid it instinctively, so to speak, and pass by it. Zen practitioners, however, are brave enough to pay attention to this inner "informationless information" and try to get close to it. Zen is not mysticism. By sitting in silence, they put the functioning of their brain, which integrates the five senses, in abeyance and try to get in touch with the reality of "informationless information," which lies even deeper inside the voice, the sixth sense, which draws the words from the unfathomable bundle of memories. Hence, they must not be drawn to the information named mystery. 

On the other hand, the Christian looks at the Eucharist, which is the reality of God. When Jesus said, "A little while, and you will see me no more; again a little while, and you will see me" (John 16:16), he was referring to the risen body of Christ in which God is present (cf. Blog № 79), i.e. the Eucharist. The ultimate desire of the Christian who trusts in Jesus' promise: "Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name" (John 16:23), is to be given the Eucharist. 

Now the Eucharist is the "image" of Christ, the risen human person, the holy humanity of Christ and the God who is with the Christian and becomes one with them by being eaten, making them brothers and sisters and mothers in Jesus and making them united. He is the very one to whom the Christian should say, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). Therefore, Jesus said: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment" (John 16:7-8). Then, he taught that "concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more" (John 16:10). He is saying here that it is righteous for Christians to no longer see Jesus after he has gone to the Father. 

The Eucharist, which Jesus himself prepared for the Holy Spirit, is the body of the risen Jesus and becomes the sign that the Holy Spirit has come in the name of Jesus. The Christian looks to the Holy Spirit and remains in front of the silence of the Eucharist, the reality of the divine informationlessness, and accepts that they no longer see Jesus Christ. Hence, the Christian has nothing to do with mysticism. We must not be drawn to the information named mystery.

Maria K. M.