Today this consecrated Catholic hermit is living up to its moniker as "nothing"--as in doing nothing, or not much. Yet even though we may feel or think we are doing not much of anything of value or importance, we exist in His Real Presence. We remain. Remaining in His Love are Words the Word of Life repeats often in the Gospel of John.
It is a very good command, piece of advice, admonition, or whatever we can attempt in trying to depict God's Words to us. Truth, it seems, might be the best. He speaks Truth: Remain in My Love.
So this hermit is remaining in His Love today while otherwise not doing much of anything physical...other than breathing, thinking, writing, reading, drinking, eating, existing in this tiny cell of Te Deum Hermitage.
Just plum tuckered out, am. For the last few days have been working the earth. Some spots have quite a bit of sandy soil with small, gravelly stones. There has been a dearth of rain other than some sprinkles, so the hose has been put to good use, and the well water is holding--well, rather well.
This morning did read the fifth homily of Pseudo-Macarius. He continues to exhort, with lots of Scriptural backing, the good and the why and the wherefore of detaching from temporal loves in order to love God above all else and to, thus, remain in His Love.
A friend emailed, saying she found it a bit disturbing to read and understand because if people all detached from temporal loves, wouldn't it be rather an unloving and non-interactive existence? So she was going to re-read the sermon. Good!
There is such good in this sermon, such truth! And, when reading it, one begins to experience the validity of the Scriptures and what Jesus means in His Words. When we detach from our temporal attachments and loves, it is to attach to God's Love. Thus, in His Love, remaining in His Love--the Father and Christ make their abode in us, and the Holy Spirit binds and flows the love, both and all.
So we love with His Real Presence's Love, not our temporal loves, not our temporal attempts at what we think might be love, and not with attachment to our or others temporal loves.
It seems very important for us to grasp this truth about loving God above all else and detaching from temporal loves. There is nothing really wrong about it, or askew. At first this hermit thought perhaps Pseudo-Macarius was going to explain that detaching from temporal love and attaching to God's love, was for those called to consecrated life or holy orders. But no, Macarius is preaching the Living Word of God, and he cites Jesus, through and through. This is for everyone: Love God in Himself.
When we remain in His Love, when we love Him above all else and detach from the temporal loves that do indeed hinder us from His Love, then we lose our willfulness toward what we have attached ourselves to, in love, of the temporal--and we become at home and attached into the Love of His Real Presence.
Maybe it is kind of like a projector, and God projects His perfect love through us to all else, once we detach from trying to project our imperfect love of temporal persons and things and places. Just let go, and remain in His Love. Let His Love be the attachment. Then all else will flow with perfect love, and we will lose our will into His perfect, loving will.
Consider how it might be to have His projection of His perfect Love reflecting in and through us, like light, casting love onto others, things, and places as if they are images on the screen of life past, present, and future. How could we then find enemies repulsive? How would we then have concern over our daily existences and temporal cares? God's perfect love does not fear or worry; His Love is peace, wisdom, truth, goodness, beauty. Remaining in His Love projects Him, not us.
Temporal loves hinder us because of attachment to self, self-love. When we become His Love, the self dissolves into Him, and His is the love; He is the attachment--the only one we ever needed or need, forever. His Love flows and fills, then, the spiritual, as well as overflows the temporal for as long as our temporal parts are in the temporal.
Perhaps there is a section to share from Pseudo-Macarius' 5th sermon out of 50. Might share some bits of the treasure in another blog post.
God bless His Real Presence in us, and us in Him! Let us love one another--through, with, and in Him. Detach from our temporal loves, and attach to His Love. Therein is perfect love and our freedom from all temporal hindrances. In His perfect Love, the projection and perception change all.
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