Been a busy couple of days here for this illegal-but-God's Catholic hermit, at Solus Deus Hermitage. I decided to go ahead and remove the existing drywall from the upstairs' St. John the Baptist Bathroom. By doing so on the wall with the sink plumbing, I realized the reason for an odd drain pipe configuration: the pocket door! Yes, the pocket door clearance--or the "pocket" within the wall by which the door slides into hiding--could not also house a plumbing drain pipe.
So now I need to order a drawer base that is configured to be 3" more shallow than the 21" vanity sink bases that will be on either side of the drawer base. Plus, I will need to cut the angled drain pipe before the angle begins, and extend it 3", probably using a 22 1/2-degree ABS pipe elbow, and then attach the angled piece.
It is not as complicated as it seems, writing it out. I also need to figure out why two outlets (that need to be changed to GFI outlets due to being in a bathroom near where sinks will be, do not have power in them. All else electrical in the bathroom is functioning.
The hermit's body needs plenty of rest breaks. Work is slow, but it does not matter. To me, this is simply exercise and ora et labora: pray and work. And, exercising the mind probably is a positive aspect, as well; but I hammered into a wall that will be behind a floor-to-ceiling storage cabinet was not using the "noggin."
At the time, the mind was far from the body, not even sure what praying about--when suddenly I realized that I really do not need to remove that section of drywall. I now can either patch it or go ahead and remove it, and put in some better insulation material than what I'm finding. Now a moisture resistant stone-wool product is made that is far better for use in bathroom areas than the traditional fiberglass insulation.
But off and on today I've been considering a commentary by St. Cyril of Jerusalem--wanting to re-read it and share it with you readers. Has to do with today's Gospel in which Christ's identity and purpose, His mission, are the topic.
I find it marvelous to read of Jesus asking the disciples, how people were identifying Him: Jesus! "Who do people say that I am?" (Mark 8:27). The disciples responded with the various identities that people were ascribing to Jesus: John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets. Then Jesus asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter told Jesus, "You are the Messiah"
After warning the disciples not to tell anyone about Him, about His being the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus began teaching them how [Jesus] "the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and rise after three days" (Mark 8:30).
Peter took Jesus aside and tried to say it wasn't so, began to rebuke Jesus for what He'd said of what was to happen to Jesus. Yet, Jesus was firm and rebuked Peter soundly, saying, "Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do" (Mark 8:33).
From Jesus' example, I all the more appreciate the various more negative identities given me regarding my Catholic hermit vocation. These have helped me recognize that a hermit vocation is temporal, and being a "hermit" of any type or label is an identity of which one can become far too attached. Identities such as this can become a distraction, as well; and temptations tend to creep in when we become distracted but also attached, by our identities, or of what and who we and others say or think we are.
Rather, I prefer to embrace my earthly existence regardless of what I identify as, or what others call me, for whatever ways of suffering may come in my being a follower of Jesus, and how I view and appreciate and bear that or those sufferings. How do I react when rejected by the "elders," the "chief priests," the "scribes"? (The "elders" could compare with the CL603 hermit/s; the "chief priests" with the bishops, the "scribes" with those writers who consider themselves regulators and interpreters of canon laws.)
Yes, my focus turns from those aspects of suffering by the actions, decrees, or words of others, to Jesus, and to how in any way I can follow Him and identify with Him, in my hermit life--as illegal or fraud, counterfeit, Catholic, bad or good--as God's hermit, in actuality. What is to be my reaction to rejections, to persecutions, to being detracted and discredited, to whatever sufferings of any kind--to even being "killed" in some aspects or symbolic fashion?
I turn to Jesus and His life example in how to react. I also turn to this commentary by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, early 4th c. Bishop and Doctor of the Church, for additional considerations as to our reaction to Christ's cross and sufferings, and how to make His cross our own.
"We should not be ashamed of the cross of the Savior but rather make it our glory. 'The message of the cross is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles' but for us it is salvation. For those who are perishing it is foolishness, but for us who are being saved it is the power of God.' (1 Cor 1:18-24). For it is no mere man who died but the Son of God, God made man....
"Not by force did he lose his life; not by might was he sacrificed, but by his own will. Hear what he said: 'I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up again' (Jn 10:18)....
"He came to his Passion of set will, happy in his exploit, laughing at his victory, satisfied to be saving us. He was not ashamed of the cross because he was saving the whole earth. It was not some poor man who was suffering but God made man who entered the combat to win the prize of patience....
"Do not rejoice in the cross only in times of peace; preserve the same faith in times of persecution. Do not be a friend to Jesus in times of peace alone, only to become his enemy in times of war. You are now receiving forgiveness for your sins and the spiritual gifts lavishly bestowed by your king so, when war breaks out, fight valiantly for your king.
"Jesus has been crucified for you, he who was without sin.... It is not you who bestowed this grace on him for you first of all received it. But you offer thanks to him who paid the price by being crucified for you on Golgotha."
So I sacrifice whatever hermit identity that seems of value, of temporal importance, of legal status or of approval by the elders, chief priests, and scribes. (This can include also of the Pharisees who are above common people and are focused on church laws--but also see to it that the common people (such as me, a "common" hermit?) adhere to the laws made.
I by my own will and desire, sacrifice approval and designation, whatever status or public acclaim or promotion of self or by others as anything other than how Jesus and the likes of St. Paul and the other disciples lived and died--following Christ. But even Peter and Andrew would not allow their bodies to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus; Peter asked to be crucified upside down and Andrew nailed to a cross in shape of an "X". They deemed themselves unworthy to even be crucified in the same fashion as the Lord.
I love the reality of which St. Cyril writes: to make the cross of Christ my glory. And to allow myself to be sacrificed, to be demeaned and criticized, to be as I truly am--nothing, a nothing Catholic hermit, a lowly bride of Christ, an illegal hermit, a nothing hermit of God not as the legal hermits approved by the bishops, not in the consecrated Life of the Church--but only a nada hermit consecrated in the Life of Christ. And for this reality of my blessed nothingness in God's ALL, I rejoice and offer thanks to Christ from Whom I receive the grace to be through, with, and in Him Who died for me and forgave and forgives my sins.
So I am a nothing illegal hermit of Christ, of God, of the Holy Spirit. I am one with all who simply live out our various vocations on earth, in the Church, for our temporal lives--the anawim, the poor beneath the stature of those with legitimate identities of distinction, recognized by law, through lawful means and honor.
I lay myself down by my own will in Christ's will, to preserve my faith in times of peace and times of turmoil, and of--if I could but win the prize of patience! That would be quite something, indeed! And to win the crown of unconditional love--love of God in Himself and to love others as God loves--would be more than I can begin to fathom! Union with His Real Presence!
Now to get up and see about this mortal, pained body removing a bit more drywall from St. John the Baptist Bathroom....
God bless His Real Presence in us!
No comments:
Post a Comment