Wednesday, October 15, 2014

The Proof of the Pudding


Yesterday, made a call to the counter top people.  Had noticed after the very good installers left, that they had forgotten to shim the sink so that it would perfectly meet the counter top.  Three times had been told that they would do this:  once from the man at the company a few weeks ago, once from the template man, and once from the installers themselves, on site.

Each time this nothing Catholic hermit was willing and ready and able to simply put in the little shims that would make the back sides of the sink quite level so that there would not be any gaps.  Each time, was told no, that the installers needed to do that so that they could adjust when they placed the heavy counter on top of cabinets and sink.

But, somehow they forgot or decided it was good enough.  Thus, the counter tops meet exactly, are flush with, the sink to the front sides, but to the back there is a gap which they filled with silicone caulk.  In speaking with the company, they were not wanting to return to make it better or best.  They did ask for photos, so sent those via internet.   The response was that it was acceptable as is, and not to be concerned:  water will drain from the sink.

Within, though, there was quite a bit of remorse, given all the work done on this project and trying to do all for God, and to do it well and correctly.  A level has been as an additional appendage in the past weeks while working on cabinets.  And, what stung the most was the reality that this hermit was right here, and bringing up the subject, and pointing out the sink not exactly level, and was assured that they wanted it that way so they could better make the final adjustments.

Took the photos to Don at Lowe's.  He has always been honest and also is somewhat of a like-minded person regarding having things done correctly and to the detail.  He said it was within the range of very acceptable.  When this hermit brought up the question of perhaps stressing out over something that should not be, he said he thought so.  Again, he commented that the gap was very minor and would not affect anything other, even though he agreed it could have been absolutely perfect.  Just was not to be.  The opportunity was missed.

Now, why? This question was posed to His Real Presence, for by then was accepting and even chuckling over how the weariness from the day before and all the work efforts, had resulted in increased physical pain.  This pain never helps the mind to keep all in perspective.  Yet, it did seem kind of strange that out of three times of being told not to shim the sink, that they would do it, it did not happen.  So easily could it have been shimmed, and the costly efforts of cabinets and counter tops (of which remain six more years in payments) would have resulted in near perfection if not perfectly level.

The answer came soon, from His Real Presence.

Consider the soul.  Consider this hermit's soul.  Consider this Catholic hermit's soul. Consider this nothing Catholic hermit's soul.  It could be perfected if just a bit more attention, a bit more shimming, a bit more leveling, a bit more detail, a bit more time, a bit more communication, a bit more effort in just doing what would help it be perfected.

That is the message of the sink and counter top imperfection--barely noticeable if at all to anyone else, but known to this hermit.  And this is the soul, and deep within, this hermit notices the imperfections and knows the simple remedies of acts of the will that no others may ever know or see, but His Real Presence does.

The proof of the pudding of any consecrated religious hermit (or perhaps any soul desiring God), is not what others are doing or think ought to be done, or what ought to be this or that in a hermit rule of life or hermit vocation.  The proof of the pudding is not in what a parish priest or a monastery monk or abbot think or how they live their lives, or what is their spiritual progress or status, nor in what they think is the hermit vocation.  The proof of the pudding is not in what other hermits consider to be valid or legal or credible or  proper according to recent developments such as Canons adopted in 1983 or in past developments evolved over centuries and centuries, or in different rites of the Church, or of the East or the West.

The proof of the pudding in a soul is if that soul buckles down and tends to the inner details, and communicates with His Real Presence in what must be done and how it is to be lived, and in what ways to grow and to learn and to love.  No one else can do this for the soul, nor can the soul look to others as supporters or as naysayers.  No one other than the soul can know if that soul is doing all that it can of its God-given will, to seek and love His Real Presence and to have an abode welcoming and open and ready for His Real Presence to fully reside therein.

The effort of the soul must come from the soul, from the soul's will--a will that His Real Presence offers freely to all souls, and offers yet more graces when a soul is seriously desirous of His Real Presence beyond all else in life and is willing to do all possible (which is actually quite a lot due to His Real Presence's presence!).

The proof of the pudding will come some day, perhaps before the soul's body passes from earthly existence into the eternal of heaven.  Maybe the soul and His Real Presence only will know the proof, will see the proof.  Or, perhaps others will be shown while yet on earth or after.   The point is, others cannot determine the proof of the pudding of any soul, nor can they judge that soul in process, nor can they do for the soul what the soul must do for itself, even if in other ways than what other souls are doing what their wills are doing within their own souls.

This nothing Catholic hermit, this soul, is buckling down.  Am done with the politics of the temporal and the confusions of others and others' ways of interpreting the temporal or the spiritual.  The politics and confusions only create more politics and a politics of confusion, at that.  Gone is any expectation that a priest or monk or lay person or other consecrated religious hermit can do what really is simply up to the soul itself to seek, listen, and then do based upon sound wisdom and guidance from the writings of the souls and the spiritual assistance allowed to cross the veil, that His Real Presence provides and blesses upon each soul who asks for the help.

This soul has asked and receives.  But this soul's God-given will is going to have to do the work, make the effort, and seek His Real Presence with a desire for spiritual perfection and not expect others to make the adjustments or to level the path for it.  His Real Presence then can perfect such souls when and how He wills.  But the soul must desire and love and make the effort, buckle down.

This is so, in the simple added example of one who needs to lose weight.  It is known what foods to eat or not eat, what exercise to include.  One can go to a dietician who might say, or have other ideas; but the person in point knows what to do, and no other can actually do it for one or in one's place.  The proof of the pudding is in the pounds lost and remaining off the body.  It is the same for souls needing His Real Presence, desiring as He desires of us, to have union with and in us, and us with and in Him.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another for God Is Love!

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