Catholic Hermit's Field-Breaking

Well, just a note of reality therapy from this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit to any readers who read the previous post.  I got myself all worked up and enthused by the big boot-kick the Lord delivered through His Thoughts given centuries ago to Hosea the Prophet.

And then I got off the mattress and walked around, went outside, even, to see if the 1/2" cove molding I'd purchased to finish building out the trim around the French doors would work, to find it does not.  Plus, the trim I re-installed after switching out the slider for French doors, looks "off" because rather than trying to trim the siding that has to remain installed, I trimmed the trim wood to fit within where the concrete board siding had been.  So now the trim around the doors is not even.  It is off a bit, and of course my eye notices it easily.  Perhaps others will not especially when it is painted.

But the 1/2" cove does not fit properly to finish off the building out of trim.  The old farmhouse hermitage has 2x4" exterior wall construction, and the new, classy French doors I got from Craig at the lumber yard on a steal-deal, are the newer 2x6" exterior construction.  Thus I have to build out a bit of trim around the doorway.  Hmm.  I may have to rip some trim on the table saw, or use some other trim I have, but that might look odd given the fact that the rough side of the trim white board is up, not the smooth side, and all other trim I have on hand is smooth.

But what is the main glitch to this morning's desire to cooperate with the Lord's boot-kick of breaking up a new field for myself, at least physically to get into work mode again, is the awful headache, the right shoulder pain flaring from the two past shoulder surgeries, the right thumb at base by palm flaring up from drill-whip injury last December, and the low back radiating over to the liver area causing sickening pain, not to forget the pain down the legs and the feet as if on fire.

So today the breaking up the new field very much includes attitude and mind-set.  I am sure this is all intentional by the Lord--His Mind trying to get my mind out of the way so that He can replace my thoughts with His.  Breaking up new ground is not so easy if the mind is not His or at least if our own thoughts are not sublimating to His Thoughts.

And His Thoughts are always on that which is holy even if very much involving temporal details.  His Thoughts are always steeped with love and mercy.  So it is with mercy that the Lord Thinks, and I must get back up off this beckoning mattress and dig up some other trim options, something less than 1/2" and either small enough that smooth finish will not be so noticeable.

There are always options, and if the physical pain becomes too intrusive, then it is that the Lord's Mind Thinks this suffering servant ought to turn to simmering the neighbors proffered apples with some rhubarb from the gardens.  Break up that field--a far less physically demanding task.  The main Thought from the Lord is no doubt, today with the body as it is, that this hermit can also be sowing justice and reaping fruits of piety.  I can proceed in those aspects, yes.

Smile and laugh therapy time is at hand, also, in living out the Order of the Present Moment at Te Deum Hermitage!  Boot-kick the field-breaking in some interesting fashion or other!  Just wanted to share that while words expressed can sometimes make it seem easy, the reality can be challenging.  Breaking up a new field for ourselves takes spiritual effort and lots better if we remember Jesus is bearing the yoke with us.

Catholic Hermit: Contributing All We Have

I am struck by today's Gospel reading for Mass, from Matthew 12.  The last line of the verse and parable regarding those who gave from their surplus compared to the widow who gave all she had to give, is powerful.

We may look at it literally and feel frustrated, for in our daily lives we cannot be irresponsible in this our society, and give away everything, our last penny, when we have family to rear and care for, bills to pay, mortgages, medical costs and housing costs, transportation requirements, and income taxation.

But when we peer into the intent and spiritual aspects, we discover that Jesus is asking us to give all we have, as in the whole effort and desire.  To contribute all we have is rooted in our intention and desire, and very much in our love of God and others.  The example He used in the parable of the woman giving her last mite, her last bit of money, grabs the attention and makes the point more visually and experientially than if He had gone into a discourse in giving all we have of our whole selves--body, mind, heart, and spirit.

Jesus explains this latter to a different audience, later in His public ministry and by the very nature of his efforts and life on earth--right down to his death by crucifixion.

But it is in contributing--that word contributing-- and also contributing all we have that we each can come up with any number of ways we can give all we have, at least spiritually through the fulfillment of the law, of which God's law of love is the fulfillment of all other laws.

Love God in Himself, and love others as ourselves.

As a consecrated Catholic hermit who is in tough financial circumstances right now, giving money has not been prudent.  But I am trying to give all I have, to contribute all in other ways.  How, you may ask?  I will give some current examples.  You will come up with many of your own ways to contribute all, with ease and a little consideration.  In fact, perhaps this exercise in contributing all we have might open our minds to new possibilities to give even more than we thought possible!

When a family had a need to sell their home due to job loss, we can stop much of what we are doing and help them prepare their home for a buyer.  We can negotiate deals with store owners for new appliances needed to help in a competitive home sales market.  Use the means of our current culture.

Since I have a Lowe's card to save either 5% per purchase or for higher purchase amounts, 6 months of no interest, no payment, I purchased an appliance for them.  They will pay off at the end of 6 months.  Adding the new appliance as well as negotiating a longer term of payment for a downdraft, duel fuel stove than another store initially offered, got the kitchen pretty much in perfect condition.

I helped install the appliances, giving my all even to climbing over a cabinet to squeeze in where the male family member could not, and then climb out.  Was not easy and took my "all" physically!  Then there were the stressful times, such as of one member not wanting to install a new utility sink that particular day, with a house looker coming later.

I contributed all I could in negotiating a deal from finding some minor scratches on a new sink of which the store reduced it significantly along with the family member's military discount.  Why not install the new sink?  So I did.  I needed the practice for more of the same, as I may need to hire myself out for such tasks in future.

When tempers started to flare with another situation in which I offered tips on selling a home by owner (have done this with 11 transactions and learned the hard way on some of the tips), I certainly contributed the learned experience.  But that insulted the home owner.  Can we sometimes contribute too much?  Well, no, but we must contribute in a wise way.  This nothing hermit forgot to ask, "Do you want to hear my painfully-learned tips on what to do when selling by owner?"

In reviewing the tone of Jesus' parable, I see that He nuanced that the poor woman contributed all she had in a most humble and quiet way.  When you are down to your last mite and are willing to give it (and note she was giving it to the church, to the temple, to God in essence), certainly one would be humbled down to the nub and would be contributing out of faith, hope and love.  Love is the fulfillment of the law.

A servant or slave working hard to do what the master needs to have done, might hear things or feel a part of the effort or goings-on.  But the servant or slave does not opine or speak suggestions unless the master asks or unless the slave asks the master.  Consider that Joseph was asked to help the king, and Daniel was asked to interpret the king's dreams.

In other instances, though, such as with Elijah in today's first reading, he told the widow with her son who had only enough for a final meal, to bring him a cake first.  It is all a matter of discerning and knowing our place, our role, and what it is that the Lord wishes of us when contributing all.

He wants our full attention, our hearts, our minds, our bodies, and our WILLS.  Elijah knew what he was to speak, what to teach, what to prophesy--when and in what situations. But always Elijah contributed all he had.  He belonged to the Lord completely.  (Of course, the widow was in a most receptive mode to whatever Elijah might say or ask of her because she was humbled down to her last meal and thinking she and her son would die after that.)

We know of so many examples of similar types and personages from the Scriptures; and our greatest example is Jesus, Himself.  Look at Me! he told this nothing hermit just a few weeks ago, after all!

In my little personal examples of just a few instances, I had not cash-at-the-ready to give.  But I had my willingness to help others, and to keep working despite bodily pain and weariness, despite some stress with those undergoing a time of trial, and also knowing that I was to practice the fulfillment of the law:  God's law of love.  Yes, I had and have and will have love.

Love does make all the difference.  And there are immediate challenges when we begin to fulfill all the laws covered in and by the Law of Love.  I cannot say I did all that well, but I contributed all I could and all I had...at the time.  Looking back just a couple days, just a couple hours, I can see ways in which I could have loved far better, more prudently, more humbly as a servant would.

But it is a start.  And it is a good start in considering as many facets as the Holy Spirit can open up inside my mind and heart, to know concrete ways in which I can contribute all I have.  This is a free-will offering, for sure, and it does include contributing monetary resources of course.  There are items I could sell if necessary, and it might become necessary to do so.  I usually always viewed the parable of the widow's might so literally, regarding monetary contributions--but even now exploring more the giving all of my body, mind, heart, and spirit in temporal, tangible ways, does not preclude giving of things, of objects, of money.

Of course, the other afternoon when back up on the extension ladder which I tied into the house through an upstairs window and was painting the last coat of trim paint on the gable, I pondered how with one misstep or a gust of wind, or the ladder swinging out from the top as could only tie at the bottom of it--I'd be potentially contributing my physical life or at least bodily functionality if I fell.

And so?  I am giving my all in the work effort because of the prayer effort involved.  I considered that as a consecrated hermit, I have no earthly spouse, am not responsible for or needed by anyone directly, even if might be initially missed a tiny bit by a handful of folks.  I told the Lord that I only want heaven, and that my body up there is better than hiring someone else to be up there and have them take that risk.  The praying went on from there, onto many topics, persons, situations, and then into nothing to be recalled in particular.

In prayer, we can contribute all we have.

In virtues, in faith, in hope--we can contribute all we have.

In love we can contribute all we have because Jesus Christ has taught us at all levels and ways, about His Love.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children (or big ones), let us love one another, as God Is Love!

A Hermit's Thoughts on Being a Guest

Was reminded of a locution, twelve or so years ago:  "Be a guest."  For the past couple of days the words resurfaced--no doubt this hermit's guardian angel as messenger of His Real Presence, sent to remind of aspects this hermit has not so well been living for quite some earth time.  

Below are flow-of-consciousness-type thoughts shared in emails with a spiritual friend.  They are rambling thoughts, in part, and also answer some questions and comments from the friend, over the course of our e-conversation.

"Had the idea with that locution, or it seemed, that "be a guest" was to be considerate as a guest would be, and to realize that as guests, we are temporary and "borrowers" of anything that God has created, done for us, or is providing.  So we develop a behavior and mentality of gratitude for all, like guests ought to do, at least!  

And to be more demure, perhaps--not create arguments with our Host (and Hostess, Mary), and to go along with what others desire, while also expressing for what we hope and would like, when asked, or even if not, if it is not presuming or out of line or demanding.

"To simply be polite, as a guest would (or should), is another aspect.

"The point may be to LEARN more how to behave as a guest in this world and life and among people, and then learn to be considerate and thoughtful, more and not less.  So the natural self, or being ourself, would be a very nice and thoughtful self, and more compliant with God's world and His allowing us to be a guest here on earth, and a guest in His abode, which He has made inside us.

"'Be a guest' had to do with that, and learning the behaviors and thoughts at least interiorly--at least to ponder it--and to train ourselves in a better way of viewing God and HIs Creation, and of being a guest among many guests, even if others do not realize they are guests, too.  We are all guests here.  

"So consider, also, as personal example, terrible complaining.  Now, would one do that if a guest in someone's house here on earth?  Would one feel lonely and betrayed?  No.  Would one not brush teeth daily, or shun certain foods offered us, or be picky in any way?  Would we demand help with projects?  

"Guests do ask for things, though, of the host and hostess.  Where are the glasses, or for a drink of water?  A towel?  Would it be all right if we left for the afternoon, but will be back for supper?  Apologize that weI might not get in until late? That kind of thing.  Is there something the host or hostess would like us to do to help out during our stay?  Can we help with dishes?  Does the host or hostess mind if we read this book on his or her shelf?

"See?  It is just a different perspective when we place ourselves in this life as guests of His Real Presence and His Mother.  We'd ask permission a lot more.  There was a package in the mail, and it was from friend in SoCal. She sews beautifully and has good financial means, and she delights in gifting and wrapping everything to perfection. [This hermit[ noticed of the two, wrapped packages, in the smaller box a potential for something edible.  Decided it would be an Advent Gaudete gift, and to open it then and there!  Was ravenous, having forgotten to eat while focusing on insulation board and figuring out wall placements upstairs in the hermitage.  

"Sure enough, there was a candy bar tucked along with some work gloves in the small package. Downed the Payday: sugar and peanut energy.  Then realized had not even asked God if He'd mind the opening of the package before Christmas, as an Advent gift.  Instead, [this hermit] told Him what was going to do. 

"Am always seeming to be telling His Real Presence, not asking.  Even if would ask within, "Do You mind if...this or that?"   Would be better than not asking anything at all, and just going and doing, or telling Them.  I think this hermit would stop some unguest-like actions, if would learn to ask God as the Host, and/or Mary as Hostess.  

"Surely His Real Presence, by bringing to the conscious mind the years-past locution, wants this hermit to re-ponder "Be a guest"--mostly for attitude and perspective shift that will then concretely improve active beingness of body, mind, heart, and soul.

"In practicum, [for the hermit's spiritual friend's current visitor to her home], it would be rather fascinating to experiment being a guest while at the same time doing for a guest.  For one thing, if we observe someone who maybe is not the best guest, we can learn what not to be as a guest, and then change it to how we should be as a guest.  And then reflect upon it with God as our Host and Mary as our Hostess, for our stay here on earth.

"Back to being a guest ourselves, we would offer thoughts, actions, things to God, or we would offer to others as if they are our hosts and hostesses, through God.  Something like that.  So you are offering your guest supper this evening, even if he might not have the knack of being a guest in the way God would like us to be:  thoughtful, helpful, thankful, non-assuming, asking permission, checking in with the host's plans and schedule before making his own plans.

"You [the spiritual friend to whom hermit is writing] are right that God would want us to be ourselves--as even guests ought to be themselves...unless evil selves.  But being a guest of God is surely some different than being a guest of a human.  Being a guest of humans is not being a guest of One Who Is Eternal Perfection.  

In general, though, the locution ["Be a guest"] is a lesson to teach more how we can better act and react, how we can better perceive others and the world around, and the world we are in, especially our inner world.  

"Guests have their personalities, but it is how they treat their Host and Hostess and the other guests, that is probably the point He was making.  It is a marvelous locution to ponder, though, and one to learn by and from, and to stretch us in positive growth.

"The shepherds were guests; and on another socio-economic spectrum, the wise men were guests.  Angels were guests.  All are guests of baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and even of the animals in their stable.  Their behavior and words were no doubt different than when on the hillside tending sheep, when in their Persian houses with servants, but not probably too different for the angels when they are glorifying God, for they glorified Him in the manger and as messengers to people of the birth of Christ.

"Yet, [this hermit] does not often consider its angel as a guest, always visiting me--a boarder for life who is trying to remind [this hermit] to glorify God, to adore Him, in every present moment. Plus, the guardian angel is a constant guest trying to protect and guide in temporal matters, yet all according to God's will.  So even difficult phases of life are ordained, and we are guests and yet hosts and hostesses of our guardian angels, if we view it as such from a personal perspective.  But from God's perspective, we are the guests, and the angels a constant messenger inviting us to "Be a guest."

"We cannot expect or even look to other people to be guests, or for them to grasp the concept of being a guest of God's on this earth.  But [this hermit] was told to be a guest,, and it has not much practiced or been a guest.  

"In a current situation [in the hermit's life], am asked to go into civilization and help someone paint woodwork, on the weekend.  Traffic is more then, and thought about going a day earlier.  But a guest would arrive when the hostess asks, or has in mind, not necessarily when the guest decides to arrive.  Of course, we might kindly ask if another time is all right, explaining our reasons.  

"But for the most part, with human hosts and hostesses, we may do well to practice considering them to be as God, as we are told to see God in others.  Still, when and as God is our life's and being's Host, then the stakes are much higher and different than dealing with imperfect humans!  And this must be remembered when we are human hosts to others...."

Thus concludes some of this hermit's thoughts on "Being a guest." Hope you readers ponder aspects and develop your own thoughts on the topic, and that you find "being a guest" a marvelous exercise in spiritual reality and life.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  May we love one another as guests of His Real Presence, as children visiting His Abode for He has come to make His abode in us, and we in Him.

Manual Labor, Prayer, Progress

Today two very nice young men arrived at the Te Deum Hermitage.  They came to install the counter tops after nearly a year of having ordered them and appliances.  Who would have thought it would take 11 months to finally have one small room gutted, plumbed, wired, floored, insulated, drywalled, ceiling in, and cabinets set, plus sink and appliances in place to come to the counter top installation?

The rest of the hermitage is in shambles, yet, but a conversation with the dear and prudent financial advisor this morning resulted in renewed verve (and nerve!) to keep at this process.  He asked if it was moving now to the other side of dilapidated, and yes, there is progress, and the worst is over.  However, the finances are running dry quickly, and that can be stressful particularly when eight days were spent in bed with a sick headache, not knowing if an aneurism, tumor, or the back pain out of control.  It usually is the latter, and again, although the worst headache thus far and relentless, the nothing Catholic hermit finally had relief yesterday and is "back in the saddle."

The two young men worked all day.  They did have to add some shims, but they said the cabinet install job was definitely above average.  How positively positive!  For a son-in-law, a daughter, and an old hermit with bad back, shoulder, wrist and neck--all novices at cabinet installation--the above average rank seemed a grace from heaven.  Well, surely it is!  Praise God!

Now there are six more years of payments for it.  And, yet to do:  Get shims under the fridge, set the pantry cabinet for the fourth time, plumb the faucet and dishwasher, paint the ceiling, nail in kick plates, nail a finished cabinet piece on the back of a cabinet that is showing, cut and nail in crown molding at ceiling, install knobs and pulls.  That is plenty.

The work goes slowly as rest breaks are necessary, but with praying while working, the soul is really never at rest in a certain sense.  However, prayer is at another level, total rest.  Praying while working takes the soul out of the actual labor and into the Sacred Heart.  One goes deep within to where His Real Presence has made His abode:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

So when out mowing (going to get a rare rain after much drought, or so forecast), when Luis shouted behind without seeing him, this hermit jumped and brought the mower to a halt.  It was a blessing to be startled like that, for the soul had been deep in prayer for a friend in another part of the country and for her adult sons and their families.  The young men had concluded the counter top install and were ready to depart.

Back to mowing, and the prayers shifted to Fr. V. who had emailed from Nigeria last evening.  He commented on this hermit's having shared with him finding a Nigerian confessor at the parish, but that the young priest recently ordained, was not equipped to handle this vocation or aspects relating to it that interfaced the confession content.  Fr. V. did suggest Mass and confession but once a month and only if this body was able to make the long drive to the Catholic parish.  He also asked for prayers for his family, specifically, for the divine protection.  But we shall see what is his response with the news of the little monastery nearby.

There is great concern here for Fr. V's well-being, his family, and the young men in his religious community's seminary.  They have several thousand who apply each year and can only take a couple hundred.  (What a shift from the seminary numbers in this country, be it diocesan or religious order seminaries.)  The concern is the Ebola virus that is plaguing the West African countries.  The return to mowing the rest of the grounds here, turned to prayer to Our Lady of Good Remedy whose feast day is shared with Bl. Dositheus the Elder, hermit of the Kiev caves (Oct. 8).  May the Divine Protection blanket all of Fr. V's family, his seminary and fellow priests, and all of the people in Africa and around this earth, who are at risk of any number of illnesses but especially this deadly virus!

The hermit priest yesterday reminded this hermit of how he prays the Jesus Prayer while working.  They are of an Eastern Church so lean heavily to the writings of St. John Chrysostom.  Their chapel was filled with beautiful icons.  As he and the other priest and monk at the monastery do their tasks, they pray:  Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

While this hermit prays spontaneously and goes deep within the soul to the inner abode of His Real Presence, today there was an inclusion of the thought of penthos, of contrition, and the Jesus prayer.  At a hermitage two hermitages ago, and the one where this nothing Catholic hermit resided when first making profession and vows as a Catholic hermit, the Jesus Prayer was scripted on the wall above the stairway, to be read each time one descended from upstairs to down, to begin anew.

Manual labor, prayer, and progress each provide, and in sum total, a glorious effect on the soul.  If done with humility and also a good attitude, the soul hums along with the efforts.  Today this hermit declared that mowing is now the most favorite of the manual labor.  Admittedly, it had been putting off mowing for a long time and dreaded mowing most of all tasks, until the attitude needed to rise as prayer to His Real Presence, and most certainly, with expressions of affection and praise along with the penthos and petitions.

Penthos:  to weep, mourn, have contrition for ones sins; and in New Testament usage, to grieve and mourn ones past mistakes but with determination to make changes and improve.