Catholic Hermit Kneels in Prayer

It has been a most challenging few days.  Am having on-going battle with Lowe's simply for two orders to be placed, return calls that employees promise.  Still no correct action, but a woman in kitchen install sales says she will call me back no matter if she has answers today or not.

It took a major meltdown on the phone to get that assistance.  At least it saved me from driving into civilization to have a well-justified upset at their customer service desk.  Another thought if need be, is to make a placard to carry, stand across the street from the store, and call for justice.

So this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit is quite human, of course.  The pain in the body is high which helps the emotions to be raw and real.  I did explain that to the woman who finally says she will advocate for me.  It would have been five minutes or less for Nicole in cabinets to simply go on her computer and order (for fourth time it will be)--finally--a correct height cabinet so the microwave will be at code height.

It would have taken five minutes for the manager or whoever he designated, to order the kitchen sink replacement for the one I paid for that got damaged when the countertops were removed.  Each employee involved in what would have been simple actions over two days ago now, would have saved multiple phone calls, emails--had they just done what needed to be done.

The excuses that they have customers all day--I reminded them that I am a customer who has been essentially in line for days, waiting patiently, up until awhile ago when the time arrived to let the feelings and situation be known in a more demonstrative way.  A shame, yes, that matters come to this.

So am trying to get the bodily pain under control and to turn to some task in here that I can possibly work on.  It will be to paint another coat of woodwork paint on bathroom trim and to paint the bathroom door.  I have it on sawhorses in what space I could create inside here, amongst tools and building supplies, unmounted countertops, and bathroom sinks in boxes that cannot yet be installed due to needing more tile for that counter.

I have been asking the Lord if all this is necessary--if this is what He has planned for me this day, and to be spending my time on earth in this manner and circumstances.  (I think I have cracked a tooth on a popcorn kernel last night: added pain.)  The answer I hear back from my query is to persevere, to pray, to put it in perspective.

To pray for the employees who, yes, have been rude in not returning calls, not following through: this is a major aspect of what is to be my life's purpose.  Patience?  Mercy, I have been so very patient for months and now three years of dealing with the kitchen issues.  So I think the virtues that most need my attention must be fortitude and temperance.

Plus, I must not let the devil distract me (as the employees are evidently distracted from follow through) from the many prayer requests that I have from others--serious, major, emotionally devastating issues in their lives!  

I WILL NOT BE DISTRACTED BY THESE RIDICULOUS DISTRACTIONS TO SERIOUS PRAYER NEEDS OF OTHERS!

This prayer of St. Paul addresses this day, this present moment.  I am not going to get down on the rough bare floors in here on knees that are painful, although it might seem a good penance.  At this point, I consider that God does not want me in foolish drama to cause my body suffering that would hinder the work I need to do.  My liver is flared up again, and I must press forward physically.

However, I will pray this prayer with my mind, heart, and soul on inner knees and also inwardly prostrate before the Lord, as each Word is so appropriate!  What a beautiful prayer, prayed humbly with great faith!  God knows even the most ridiculous yet needing-to-be addressed trials that can snag us from grace, peace, blessedness--from our focus on the spiritual work God has for us, for Him and others.

"I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that he may grant you in accord with the riches of His glory
to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self,
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

"Now to Him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine,
by the power at work within us,
to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

Catholic Hermit, More Demonic Interference

Can't write the details now, but there have been an onslaught of demonic assaults, mostly of temporal interference and near disasters.  On the lower range, there a trifling matters like driving into civilization to pick up repaired laptop, only to return to desert exile and have it not repaired.  Had calamities with ceiling issue but worked literally through that.

Was rear ended on way to civilization, shortly after made a call to parish administrator who had not returned call the day prior, saying three people from my past, very holy souls, called out of blue and buoyed me to return to Mass despite the parishioners having turned to coldness, gossip, shunning from one weekend Mass to the next, just like that.  The consensus is that if these Catholics choose to act like pagans and not as Christians, or cannot even try to fake being Christians, that is up to them.  I am not an occasion of sin to them.  They choose it.  I will come to Mass.

I have learned that there is no running from the devil.  We will find out if the priest will still come bless this place and give my suffering body the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.  It has been awhile since this great help.  The priest was very agreeable prior to Mass, but quite awkward after.

Rejoice!  My good Catholic friends who each called within 12 hours, and one I'd not spoken with in ten years or so...well, they said hold fast to the Faith.  Do not let the interference hinder.

I recalled what Jesus had told me four years ago, including that I would feel very alone but am to remain strong.  Not easy!  He showed me parishioners, mostly women but some men, and some priests.  He said they would criticize and misjudge me, but I am to pay no attention to them.

But I had let them get to me, from whence I came.  And here, it is tempting to simply not return despite how good is the Mass with a priest who is in his vocation, very solid.  Yes, of course, it is quite understandable that people would take the low road when it comes to anything different to them.  I understand how the devil uses people, also.  Don't ever doubt that reality, dear readers.

In Civilization yesterday, after being rear ended, which did not harm Precious Blood, my used pick up truck, there was next such a near miss of what would have been a horrible accident akin to the one 32 years ago that provided a crucifixion and life of pain.  A huge, black truck pulled around me at a turn, cut in front of me wildly, and I was stunned that by God's grace alone, I was spared.

Then I return to the hermitage thinking my laptop repaired, when not, and got a call from cabinet installer.  He cannot come today and knows not when he can.  Stuff is packed up, boxes stacked, no room to sort through to find now some medication that I thought six weeks ago had plenty.  Then, the kitchen was to be non-functional for a total of five days.

There is more, but of the same type of mishaps and issues with whatever I attempt here, in small ways but chaotic and hindering.  Now, who does that kind of stuff, and why?

The devil is not happy that I am persevering.  I continue the prayers, I will proceed with getting the hermitage blessed, for that will be positive and cleansing at deep levels for the temporal space, the spiritual aspects, and even for this consecrated Catholic hermit living here.  If the parish priest hesitates after he previously was quite pleased to be asked, then there are the hermit priests even if of the other "lung" of the Church, as is said of the Eastern and Western Catholic Church who had their division centuries ago.

The devil was involved in that chaos.  Nothing new with the devil, is there?

I am praying to get my sense of humor revived after the obstacles started to weigh on me.  At least I have meds for the bulk of the physical pain, and although the living conditions are most difficult over time, physically so, there are always so many praise worthy events and thoughts, that one simply turns the tables over on the devil and those who are being used as pawns.

As for the parishioners, it will be interesting to find out how long they choose to do the cold and shunning routine.  Like the little grandson who at times misbehaves as can occur with a young child, his mother tells him it is his choice to behave like that, or to be pleasant and have a good day.  I will do my best to smile and say little pleasantries going and leaving; but I will be worshipping with the Body of Christ, in person, unless my body pain is too much from time to time.

We must never give in to the devil.  We must not run from the devil.  I did that before, and the devil has an amazing way of showing up again.  One must not draw the red line and then change it, move it.  This is spiritual warfare.  Rejoice and be glad!  The Lord is more powerful!  Regardless the near misses yesterday and the hindrances, nothing is insurmountable.  Persevere!  Have fortitude!

  

Catholic Hermit Forges Forward

The body is quite tired as painting above the head and scrunched under eaves, trying to remain on steeply slanted porch roof, rather exacts all the energy physically.  All the while, the mind prays and the heart grieves.  The soul is in and out and all about, and in that soul is His Real Presence, making His abode.

Yesterday afternoon the prayers turned to some levity, as the term "human Mass-o-meter" came to mind.  It is actually a painful experience when the needle shoots to "horrific" and then "hell."  But the experience hits the gong of "bliss" when all is well and nothing untoward going on.

Alas, the advice given is this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit must not at all return to that parish for Mass.  The blessing is that the body and voice did not call out or scream; the voice is always one of the last of physical faculties to be returned.  That is something for which this hermit yesterday was quite grateful.

In reflection this morning, the grieving for the parish and parishioners and even the priest, needs to turn to an appreciation and gratefulness that they are content in their fish tank parish.  They swim about in lovely surroundings and are well used to one another and how it is in the tank--all things kept at an equilibrium of basic survival.  There are no waves, no temperature shifts, no challenges.  They all are cohesive, and what they do not sense or realize helps them not know what they are missing or what could be for their spiritual lives and their souls.

Most of all, though, they do not realize just how very rich is the Mass in the spiritual realm, and that all care must be taken to please Jesus and to follow Him intimately, through and through.

And, this brings this hermit to today's thoughts that it does not follow Jesus intimately at times, and more and more times, as surely as well as it ought and should and could.  So the eremitic vocation comes to mind, and when the hermit must get its painful body up and dressed and atop the porch roof, back to its painting of tedious little siding shingles, it will pray and ponder and ask Jesus some questions regarding its own living out of the hermit vocation to which this soul was and is called.

And, today's intention for the spiritual friend far away bodily, is that of the Gift of the Holy Spirit: Fortitude.  From The Catechism of the Catholic Church comes this definition:

• Fortitude (courage): with the gift of fortitude/courage, we overcome our fear and are willing to take risks as a follower of Jesus Christ. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or physical harm. The gift of courage allows people the firmness of mind that is required both in doing good and in enduring evil;

God bless His Real Presence in us!  May we accept the Gifts of the Holy Spirit as well as any spiritual gifts that come our way, and appreciate them even if painful in some instances, and blissful in others.