Yet another sideways cross has been discovered and is in the process of being hacked. Whether the nothing Catholic hermit should burn the kindling or grind it for use as spiritual mulch, is to be determined.
This sideways cross has to do with the nothing's mission and messages. When nothing sees something clearly, and then explains or delivers the "message", and when the recipient of the message does not comprehend or goes off in the same wrong direction as before--nothing has a sideways cross of trying to repeat the message to get the person to comprehend or change. Then the sideways cross grows into frustration or ruminating over the ensuing situation.
The nothing's motive is love and concern and to deliver a helpful message, and usually and best when the person asks for assistance in their issue. Sometimes the message is delivered because God desires it to be stated to those who can do something about a situation.
Nothing ponders its own reaction and tendency to construct a sideways cross based upon the recipients' reactions to the message. Jonah had a message to deliver, and he became frustrated when the recipients in Ninevah did as the message asked, and God did not punish them.
Nothing more so ponders Jesus and how He delivered messages to people in groups and individually. First, as a deliverer of messages, He did not repeat the message over and over if the person/s could not comprehend. For different groups, He had different ways of explaining the concept/message He was delivering. For His disciples, He often repeated the message using different parables, but even with them He did not keep talking about it, trying to explain it over and over, becoming frustrated. Jesus did not create sideways crosses for himself as a result of others reactions or His own reaction to their reactions.
Consider the young man who asked Jesus how he could enter the kingdom of heaven. (Hmm--would that mean He wanted to know how to find the stairway to heaven?) Jesus told Him to obey the commandments, which the man said he had. Then Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and follow Him. The young man turned and walked away. (Were some of those "possessions" some sideways crosses? Seems like that is a real possibility!)
Anyway, nothing sees that Jesus was asked a question, a request for assistance in understanding something, and so He simply answered. At other times in Scripture in similar situations of being asked for help or in Jesus explaining spiritual realities to people, He gave more explanation, using examples. But He didn't obsess over it or beat anyone over the head with words.
And He didn't fret when the people just couldn't get it, or didn't want to follow His explanation-- or follow Him, for that matter. Jesus did not try to explain again to the young man exactly what was necessary, and He didn't run after him when the young man walked away. He didn't send messengers to repeat what he ought to do, or become upset when ignored. Mostly, it seems, He would go on to the next person/s--and He would go off to pray! He would even pray, raising His eyes to Heaven in the midst of message deliveries.
The only indication we have of Jesus' take on how people were living and not so much comprehending the spiritual realities, is when He looked over Jerusalem and wept, when He wept at the situation regarding Lazarus' death and the mourners, and all the ins and outs of that scenario, and when He asked the disciples how long must He remain with them in order for them to comprehend better what He was trying to teach them? But it was a question, following an exclamation of those of little faith!
The important aspect nothing considers, is that Jesus kept focused on His mission and continued to deliver messages, but He delivered them with simplicity and directness, and that was that. He didn't argue with those who didn't agree; He gave His reasoning and asked questions that often displayed the weak point in others' faulty thinking. He moved on, walked through midsts, and went off to pray. He took action in the Temple, but often in His mission the messages were verbal and nonverbal.
Consider His messages to Pilate and Herod.
Consider St. John the Baptist's messages. They were courageous messages, direct, and no begging people to heed, no chasing after with additional explanations or repetitions. And what messages people were not ready to heed or comprehend (due probably to their own sideways crosses awkwardly in their way), there was no beleaguering encore. While the Baptist preached the message of repentance, and repeated that, he did not dally. He gave quite the hard-hitting truthful message to Herodius and Herod, and he lost His head for that one.
Jesus and His forerunner did not, however, shrink from their messages. St. Paul did not, either. The list could grow of those who freely followed Christ who delivered messages and how they did it, and how they did not allow themselves to drag sideways crosses of reactions to how people either received or not, or acted upon or not, their messages.
Nothing must finish off this sideways cross. Twice now, someone has reacted to nothing's insights by pulling back, stiffening, tightening the lips. Nothing's sideways cross to such a reaction is just as much a reaction, and this time nothing will walk through the midst and move on, not to discuss spiritual matters with this one unless asked a specific point--which is doubtful to happen. A kind greeting will be best. And always, prayer.
Photo: The Mary Garden of Agnus Dei Hermitage, a month or so ago--already many changes made in growth, new plantings, and changed perspective! Today the hermit will plant at least two roses, possibly three, and plant eight perennials. Then the plant material remaining are two dozen ground cover plugs. But the earth for them must be better prepared. So like our souls, all this preparation, new growth, perspective, changes, plantings of insights. Even the stone stairway will eventually be lush with creeping thyme--perhaps next spring's project!
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