Does This Catholic Hermit Know the Father and the Son?

The following words of Jesus are found in the Gospel of John 15:

"I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact the hour is coming when everyone who kills you 
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you."

What we read, in faith and truth, of Jesus' words to us are helps along life's pathways.  As Christians, it is not easy to not fall away, just as it was difficult for those in Jesus' time to not be tempted to fall away.  They were Jews--his disciples--and Jesus was reared a Jewish boy and man, as well.  He also is the Son of God, the Messiah--bringing the Good News of salvation and securing our redemption:  His Real Presence.

But he was expelled from the synagogue which was, what would be our Catholic Christian equivalent today--expelled from parishes.  And He explains that those who kill not the body necessarily, but try to kill the thoughts, the emotions, the spirit within us and our very souls, do so because they think they know best, know what is right and legal in their worship and liturgy and rules and church laws.  

So by silencing or shunning or running out people from the synagogue-parishes-congregations--those who consider themselves leaders and the righteous ones think they are saving the church, saving the faith, upholding the correct processes of liturgy, protecting the laws and precepts (many of these simply made up by people thinking they are doing the right thing, over time).  They think by ridding out those who are enigmas to them, those who are different or perhaps simpler and in essence quite spiritual, they are doing God and the church a favor and are effectually protecting the correct worship of God.

We can save ourselves a lot of questions and wondering as to why people act this way, if we read and heed Jesus' reason and answer.  "They do this because they have not known either the Father or me."

 No wonder the Jewish rabbis, scholars, and everyday synagogue-goers despised Jesus.  How dare he say that they do not know God?  As for knowing him, yes, they surely thought they did.  Is he not the son of Joseph, that carpenter from Nazareth?  So what?  He blasphemes by suggesting he is God's son!  Probably some of the folks thought Jesus just a rabble-rouser, someone stirring up controversy to get attention or always going against the grain.

But the reality of what Jesus gives as the reason for the persecution runs true today as it did when He was alive as a human on this earth.  People (can be us!) who tend to persecute, criticize, demean and judge as not up to snuff according to the laws and rules of churches or of the way the majority or ones in leadership positions deem correct--the problem is, they (we!) do not know either the Father or Jesus.

So there is something more to knowing God the Father and Jesus the Son, than following the rules and laws made by humans in their attempts to clarify or better control and manage the growing church over the years.  Their intentions were no doubt honest and good--maybe even holy.  But over time, amidst the meddling and muddling, the simple commandments of the Father and the Son and the messages of love imparted by the Holy Spirit, got in the way of knowing His Real Presence.

There is that aspect of knowing someone on the outside and not the inside. Knowing runs deeper than externals.  Knowing is intimacy.  Knowing involves the soul, the heart, the mind, the body, in love with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

And there are degrees of love which come under the general categories of:  temporal love and spiritual love.  Or, some holy people have categorized the degrees of love in four categories beginning with eros or erotic, sensual love, and ending with agape, or deep, spiritual love of God and others.  Some begin with love of self and end with love of God in Himself.

Regardless the terminology and degrees delineated or the levels of love, knowing the Father and the Son is critical and key to remaining in His Love and His indwelling us.  Knowing the Father and the Son in the spiraling and entwining love of the Holy Spirit, has less to do with externals and all to do with the inner dispositions of our thoughts, emotions...our wills and our souls.

So if we find ourselves somewhat or a great lot estranged from the temporal aspects of church worship and rules and laws, and if we find ourselves not embraced by those Christians who genuinely strive to protect and uphold (or even add to) the laws and rules and rites and rituals but have somehow slipped into deprecating, persecuting, fearing, distancing from, or shunning those who seem oddly out of step or not abiding by the laws in the way some decipher and interpret them:  Do not be disheartened.   

Do not give up on an intimate, loving, following, knowing of the Father and the Son.  Keep praying to know His Real Presence, more and more!  Accept the suffering that is part and parcel of intimate, deep, and abiding love of and with and from and through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Remember that Jesus even explains why He tells us the reason for not quite fitting in with those who know a lot but do not know either the Father or Him, deep down in.  He says He is telling us so that we will know and remember that He told us, when their hour comes.  Hour of their judgment, hour of their death? And what seems so good about His telling us is that we can have compassion and mercy.   

These people (could be us!) who do not really know either the Father or the Son--think they do.  And they are only acting out persecuting others who know the Father and the Son more intimately, because those who do not know Him within but know the externals, truly think they are upholding God's laws and are protecting the Church (synagogue, congregation, parish) by trying to silence, rid out, or correct those who to them seem so very wrong.

We will remember Jesus explained all these realities to us, when (and He does not say "if" we will be killed, but that they will kill us) these others' hour comes.  Jesus lets us know that we all will have our hour--those who want to know the Father and Son and do know Him, and those who do not know either, not really.

Now, this nothing here has much to ponder in these Living Words of God.  How well does this Catholic hermit really know the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit?  To what level and degree of intimate, holy love does this nothing who is only anything at all when in His Real Presence, KNOW God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit?  

Forget the piddling, temporal self-and-other-hurtled criticisms, doubts, detractions, put-downs, and ravings.  Not approved by others, not a with-it parent, not in the mainstream, not credible as a person, not valid as a consecrated hermit, not relatable as a parishioner?  Not a success with finances, not successful in pain management, not a success in career or vocation?  None of the barbs and snares of those in the world (as well as our own negative self-world and the secular church world) helps us KNOW either the Father or the Son. 

Focus on love of God above all else; focus on KNOWING His Real Presence in deep and abiding love that comes in every present moment of existing in the reality of God's intimate love of His creatures and creation, and especially His beloved, created souls--created in the image and likeness of Himself.

And accept all the suffering of picking up the crosses daily, and following Him, and notice that Jesus also says we will be expelled and even killed (and killed in all sorts of ways, not just the easy way of physical death which releases us from the trials of the temporal world and the more temporally-geared-but-well-meaning folks).  

But we are not to fall away.  Hang in with His Real Presence!  Do not lose our faith; do not lose our being Christians and members of His Church--the Body of Christ with His Real Presence as the Head.  Get to KNOW the Head of Christ, and then we will know and love the Body, too, no matter what they (us!) do because they (we!) do not KNOW the Father or the Son--not well enough, or so it seems most of the time.

Desiring and praying to KNOW the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit takes us nearly there.  What remains is remaining in His Love.  And that is a rather huge remainder.  By His grace and His Love, it is accomplished easily, in faith and love.  All things are possible to those who love God above all else.

God bless His Real Presence in us and us in Him!  Little followers of His Real Presence, let us know the Father and the Son.  Let us love Him intimately, deeply, and in Him love one another.

Catholic Hermit: Being a Branch

The Gospel of John (14) holds this truth for us--

"Jesus said to his disciples:  'I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you."

Had not really noticed so very much the line that the Father takes away every branch that does not bear fruit.  Is that not stark?  It is, indeed, and Jesus says it and means it.  The Living Words that prick us sharply and deeply, are as true as those that give us those good feelings we so enjoy.  Yet His Living Words which are that other edge of the double-edged sword, are uplifting and helpful, if we perceive the truth, beauty, and goodness in all His Living Words.

This nothing consecrated Catholic hermit does a heart-soak in the line:  He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit.

Now, is it the fault of the vine if a branch here and there does not bear fruit?  An apple tree in the hermit's orchard area, has lost a branch.  For awhile it was hanging on by some branch-threads.  The hermit took some twine and wrapped a type of sling around the dangling branch--a significant branch in size and leaves and blooms, promising fruit had it not been for, no doubt, wind damage.  But the branch was too much injured, and the sling did not provide enough support to promote healing.  The hermit had to prune it to a stub, close to the apple tree's main trunk.

Had this hermit gotten around to using that branch and the other main off-shooting branches, as leaders in an espalier effort, the branch would have been secured to horizontal wire and supported, such as an espaliered apple tree would have.  But the hermit did not get around to it, and the winds came, and the branch was taken away.

Two of the hermit's adult children have been taken away, and with one of them, her two little girls, as well.  Like the apple tree branch, the relationships of the two adult children were not bearing fruit--not for the hermit, anyway.  These two offspring of the hermit have grown into adulthood and now have resentments toward the hermit, for various reasons mostly unknown to the hermit.  

Is it their unresolved hurts from childhood, from a divorce, from a chronically pained parent?  Is it spiritual differences?  Is it their living lives more out in the world and devoid of God and church (for now) and the hermit's life of striving to love God in Himself and desiring to remain in His love?

Or consider the former spouse whose earthly birthday was today.  Had to let God take that branch away, some 30 years ago.  What suffering and hardship unfolded in that branch removal--but also such deep-in new growth and fruitfulness! That branch had other desires than being on the same Tree-Vine as this branch desires, loves, strives, hopes to be.  (Being a branch that remains in Him is not a painless experience in the heart-wood of temporal life.  We are all vulnerable branches especially if we do not remain in Him.)

Regardless, like the apple tree branch that has been taken away, part of the reason is due to the hermit's actions or lack of actions, and part is due to unavoidable circumstances (the winds blow where they will); but all is ordained by God, for He takes away the branches that do not produce fruit. The branch was not producing fruit for the relationship--not for the hermit nor for the adult children, and ultimately not for God.  So He took those branches away.  And this hermit must let the branches go.  A branch on the tree cannot hold onto other branches that are broken and severed, no matter how much string is tied in attempts to keep them on the trunk.  

What we must realize is that new branches form, often from the stub of a removed branch, or near it.  So there is hope in all situations surrounding branches God takes away from our temporal and spiritual lives.  We must simply do our best to keep uplifting the branches around us as well as to be receptive to and desirous of being the best possible, fruitful branch, ourselves.

But as Jesus reminds, there will be persecution and trials from the world and those of the world, for remaining in His Love--and remaining in His Love always bears fruit of love for others.  So we might love to bits and pieces others--family members, strangers, and even those who have chosen to be our enemies.  

(Enemies who choose to dislike or turn against a branch--imagine that!  Sounds so silly and senseless, for why go to such effort of turning away from or attacking, either way, a branch?  Yet it does occur, sure enough.  It occurs as easily as a hermit who was tired out and chose to tend to other work and put off espaliering the apple tree.  It occurs as easily as winds blowing where they will, and of branches that are for various, temporal and spiritual reasons weak in some way or other.  These reasons could include our choosing to turn away from He Who is Strength and Power and Fruitful Love.)

When God takes away branches that are not bearing fruit, we should strive and pray and hope and do all possible on our parts to not be one of the branches taken away.  The remedy in our lives of being a branch--what is it?  We must listen to His Living Word--not only the Word of His Spoken Words but the Word of His Word as Truth and Life.  His Word Is the Way.  He Is the Word.  

We must remain in Him, as He remains in us.

We will then be a branch that is not taken away, even though some branches close or far from us might be taken away.  We will be pruned as needed, of course!  We must learn to welcome that, as it will help us produce more fruit.  But to be a branch that is taken away--that seems hopeless if not for the reality that new branches may grow close to or out from the stub-edges of the removed branch.  We can do nothing without Christ.  We must remain in Him due to His being in us, mere branches though we be.  All power can flow in us; all fruit can grow from us--the "us" as in "He is in us" and "we remain in Him."

"I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me, you can do nothing."

There is also hope for those branches that are taken away.  Not only is there hope in the potential for new branches to sprout, but also--such as with this hermit's apple tree and the branch taken away--the branch withers and dries out on the burn pile.  Once the fiery flames reduce the removed branch into ashes, the ashes will be used to enhance the soil of some trees that grow all the better due to soil with ashes. 

"Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned."

We ought not ever forget what happens to us or to any branch who does not remain in Him.  We will be taken away.  We will be taken away from others who are being fruitful branches because they remain in Him, the Trunk, the Vine, the Truth, the Way, the Life.  The branches who remain in Christ also have His Words remaining in them.  They bear yet more fruit.

For those who remain in Him, He promises that if we ask for whatever we want, it will be done for us.  What ought we ask?  
This hermit asks that the branches that have been taken away from it--any family members, friends, strangers, and enemies--sprout anew on the Trunk, the Vine, and become branches once again.   This hermit asks that the ashes from the branches taken away--that their withered, burned branch-ashes assist in the renewal and strengthening of all branches and that they all become one with His Real Presence.  

This hermit asks that in being a branch, it submits to whatever pruning necessary to remove its unfruitfulness and detrimental flaws.  (This hermit branch is not without blemishes!)  And the hermit asks, also, that being a fruitful branch be always its desire, and to ever remain in Him and He in it; and that being a branch glorifies the Father, bears much fruit, and is His disciple in this temporal earth and in all eternity.

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little Branches, let us love one another!  Remain in His Love! Pray we be Branches always in Him, bearing much fruit.  Pray for Branches He takes away.  Pray for forgiveness for our sins that have in any way contributed to those Branches not bearing good fruit. Pray that out of ashes, Branches may sprout anew, and that we all be fruitful Branches together, remaining in Him now and forever.

Jesus and Me - Glen Campbell - LIVE & Studio versions

Awoke this morning with this song playing in the heart, the words singing in the mind.  What lifts us up to His Real Presence, might also lift up someone else.  We can take our temporal bodies, minds, hearts--and because of Jesus' love and mercy, the choice to uplift and lift up, is ours.  Ask God for His power, grace and abundant faith.  Be lifted and uplift.

Glen Campbell's life story is in this song.  Perhaps it is why there is such appeal:  redemption is ours, also, for the asking. In today's Gospel reading at Mass [John 14], Jesus states His own love of the Father: ...the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me."  

How often do we stop and say within or without, silently or aloud how we feel about Him?  I love you, God!  I love you, Father!  I love you, His Real Presence!