Have many thoughts on the Church and the spiritual life, on His Real Presence, His Living Word, and the eremitic vocation in the consecrated life of the Church.
But have been keeping the body, mind, heart and spirit in silent prayer, in the solitude of Te Deum Hermitage, as well as hard at work. Am trying to get the exterior painted before the cold of winter. Have two extension ladders set up on south side of hermitage, and admittedly the back and neck are riled into sickening pain. Omnia pro Deo, this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit intends, from deep within. Yes, offer it all for God: the prayer, the pain, the effort to make all things fresh and new for someone else who will be living here when the hermit runs out of funds. All is well, is well.
The mower would not start yesterday. First time ever, and perhaps the problem is connected to changing the mower blade and undoing the spark plug. The plug is back in, but perhaps the motion somehow affected the power connection. Added more oil, to no avail. Nearest neighbor boy responded to the hermit's request for assistance. Got the mower going one time, but it soon stopped with grass too tall. We raised the height, but the mower simply would not catch into full mode. It would turn over now and then, but not rev to usable power.
And, that is exactly how this hermit feels its spiritual life is going, currently. Just kind of trying to get it up to full power, but somehow it does not turn over completely. Sputters and succumbs to some unknown reason of perhaps weariness or little issue that is not uncovered enough to correct. But am working on it, praying, and am aware of the sputtering. Awareness is helpful.
Best to not dwell on the weakness or weariness or whatever it is causing the sputtering. Just keep in mind that His Real Presence, the Virgin Mary, the Guardian Angel, and those who pray for the hermit will at some point bring the awareness into change, into deeper conversion.
Various factors can hinder our spiritual progression, or the speed of it, or the best possible scenario of our spiritual acumen. Not to worry too much nor to obsess over it, not to get frantic--any more than this hermit is over the lawnmower not starting. Simply ponder a bit and review the possibilities, and then try this or that to see if it comes to full functioning mode.
That is all. In the meantime, the hermit is on its second-to-final day of a birthday gift for its Protestant cousin. Had to assure the cousin that this is not some "Catholic" prayer or devotion. It is a spiritual bouquet of sorts. Each day the hermit emails the prayer intention specific for the cousin for that day and also a chapter from a book of Scripture. Later in the day the hermit emails some reflections of how the Living Word of God sustains and connects with the cousin's life pertaining to the day's prayer intention.
It is fun, powerful, and engaging to do this. In this particular spiritual gift, we are praying/reading 1 and 2 Thessalonians. The cousin admitted to not reading along, and that is all right. In the past, with this gift using Psalms or other books of the Bible, when the other person reads and prays along with the hermit each day, it does seem to be more effective.
However, who knows for sure what is effective or more effective--although His Real Presence, our angels, and the Queen of Angels knows? The main thing is for the hermit to give its all as best it can, to the process. Off and on throughout the day, the Scriptures and thoughts of the cousin come to mind and heart--while up high on the ladder painting under the eaves, or while pushing the mower back into the pole barn.
God bless His Real Presence in us! Let us love one another, little children! God Is Love!
No comments:
Post a Comment