Monday, October 6, 2014

Catholic Hermits and Sunday Obligation: Excellent Blogpost


Just came across for second time, a blog on Unam Sanctam Catholicam, Sunday, November 12, 2012.  How did hermits meet the Sunday obligation?

It is well-documented plus reasonably thought and presented.  This blog is not written by hermit, but the blogger has certainly broached a topic that has been a conundrum and weight on this Catholic hermit's mind, heart and soul for awhile.  In the past three weeks, the answer has been given and validated repeatedly by God through various others.  And, deep peace has settled within.

Now, am offering more to His Real Presence, in whatever ways He wills, as to any aspect of the eremitic vocation, lived out by this "nothing" but very Catholic, avowed and professed, hermit of nearly 14 years.

The past two days, The Lord has allowed the most severest of spinal headaches in recent or distant recall.  Last night, thought perhaps had an artery or vein leak...some aneurism.  Was content and in peace, and the thought of quietly passing all the more seemed a grace.  Yes, the hermit vocation has now become just that accepted and beautiful since the conflict that this hermit had allowed to brew within.  How many ways did The Lord need to tell, to show, to affirm that His ways are not our ways and not even the notions of the very learned priests of His days on earth or of ours?

Considering the history of hermits in the past 2000 years (including John the Baptist and various hermit prophets) and prior, of Old Testament hermits even if not termed thus, it all makes sense now--the judging by others and even by self, and the concerns of this or that way and posture and fitting in or not...not being as others or even as this hermit thought ought be.

Had already come to the understanding that this particular "nothing's" Catholic hermit vocation was following more along the lines of those who were in remote areas, suffered much, and remained quite physically hidden and far from parishes and Mass attendance.

The reality of His Real Presence in Scriptures, as the Sacrament available and accessible day and night to hermits, settled in the other morning.

God provides!

Another devout Catholic friend, across many hundreds of earthly miles, called yesterday.  It all made sense to yet another.  And the less frequency of human contacts via phone is another indication of how God may and can inform our daily living out of the eremitic life.  It all depends upon what He chooses and wills, hermit by hermit.

Odd as it seems, the friend laughed and agreed that it is as if this "nothing" who kept insisting on trying to fulfill what it thought the proper and necessary Catholic obligations, was instead causing Divine intervention in more and more ways to block the doors being pushed.  As a result, the more and increasingly bizarre the events utilized to try to get through to this hermit:  Not what God wants and wills, at least not at this time.

How patient and merciful is His Real Presence with us in our various and individual vocations!  It has been a strange and bumpy road these fourteen years as a Catholic hermit.  May this hermit be far more resilient to future vocational wishes He desires!

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one a other as He has loved us!

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