This nothing consecrated Catholic hermit does not want to leave off with any self-motives or impressions that this Holy Week or this most glorious day of Easter is anything less than monumentally invaluable or lacking in serious propensity.
Today is one of true rejoicing. Jesus has risen from the dead, is free from the earthly persecutions to his Word made Flesh, God made Man, physical time span on earth. He has salvaged our souls from the ongoing sins we commit even when we do not want to sin even in the slightest of offenses.
Jesus restores our hope in heaven and the reality that death is not the end but the beginning of eternal life and union with God.
There is something peaceful and joyful going on within this hermit, though. And it has to do with realizing how content and delighted is my soul. In a deep and profound way, I sense Jesus here with me and me with Jesus--right here, in this hermitage, day and night, moment by moment. My moniker as the Joyful Hermit, previously a bit tongue in cheek at times, is now more hitting the mark.
Praise be to God! And the circumstances are not what I'd have expected, for in some observational modes one might think that a hermit ought be more austere, more serious, more intense, more studious, more penitential, more whatever else. I used to be, for sure. Perhaps it was what I thought I should be or a necessary phase, a rite of passage, maybe?
Yet now, amidst even more serious intensity of the world about and the dire and serious prayer requests coming in daily, there is a calm assurance and balancing of the harsh realities of human suffering and strife. There is a balancing with and from the peaceful and joyous faith in Christ that His Word is Truth, Beauty, Goodness, that He is Light and Salvation, the Way, the Life.
I rather suspect I am going to enjoy the upcoming readings from the Acts of the Apostles and from John, more than ever imagined in my life to date.
As St. Julian of Norwich discovered in her aha moments of personal spiritual revelation from God: All shall be well and all is well.
On this most Blessed Easter, this hermit prayerfully and rejoicingly wishes all readers and their families and friends a most glorious day in the Lord, in the Body of Christ, in life and in resurrection.
May Divine Union be yours, and eternity in heaven the ever-hoped-for reward!
God bless His Real Presence in us!
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Ah, a side note. The little cell phone just rang its harp music ring tone. My cousin far away with her husband and adult children and a granddaughter there were singing in the background a hale and hearty "Happy Birthday"song.
"Is it your birthday today?" my cousin asked when the happy choristers had concluded.
"No, but perhaps I will not live to my birthday so it is a good thing to be sung to in the present moment. After all, we do not know the day or the hour," I quipped. We had some chuckles, and rang off with my love to all assembled there celebrating Easter.
Now I will rise and celebrate by being up high on a ladder, continuing the mudding of a 17' drywall-wrapped beam. It evokes the aspect of rising, of resurrection, and then a teen is coming this afternoon--on Easter! He is coming to this tomb of a hermitage to assist for a few hours as a kind of service gift. My daughter's friend responded to her plea for any teens wanting to help, and this young Presbyterian man is the friend's son.
Of course, he will be given renumeration for his kindly help in lifting up an old hermit with help in lifting cabinets and countertops off the truck and into pole barn.
I was quite surprised he would choose Easter Sunday afternoon to come, but then again, Jesus arranges circumstances in ways we'd not expect--just as the odd turn of confession on Holy Thursday with the priest needing more to divulge and share than the penitent.
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