Christian Catholic Mystic Hermit: Elucidating Morning Locution

 "Your eradication as a person."

Morning locution, elucidating: "Your eradication as a person."

That is what is of value in recent, constructive and constructing incidents and situations. The person must at some point be eradicated; the soul thus becomes increasingly prominent.

This is what the Holy Spirit is explaining in a concise statement of mystical fact. My self as a person is being eradicated.

(The soul remains significantly present and growing in ways beyond my ken.)

I grasp the reality of what is being explained: why the recent culminating incidents that could seem insulting, hurtful, are not at all. They are simply part of this marvelous process of my person being eradicated.

The understanding is immediate, illuminating, glorious; and I am most grateful. While most will not, would not, understand the beauty of this statement of truth from God through the Holy Spirit, I know my late mother would, and does now, where she is, near and dear. It is what my late spiritual "da," Rev. F., would understand immediately; he'd smile and likely is smiling now, as well.

It's definitely a tremendous positive; I don't intend for anyone to feel concern, Rather to consider the joy and wonderment at how God guides the soul through detachment, as Jesus Himself spoke of the seed that must fall to the ground, be crushed, die, in order to have new life. This is life of the soul and spirit, not of the more limiting temporal.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Love in His Love!

Christian Catholic Mystic Hermit: Correspondence, Thoughts on Dying to Self and Into Christ and His Mystical Church

 

I suppose God has a reason for calling us into the Catholic Church of today.  My role is that of a distant, suffering body, hooked up as if being perpetually transfused, to the point that I mostly do not think about it, autonomic transfer of the power of pain in union with Christ's sufferings mystical yet real, now that of concern and upset at what they have done to what He instituted and gave, Himself the Head, and us as followers and lovers of HIM: His Body. The Gospel today is riveting!  We must consider living this Living Word with full abandonment of ourselves even unto physical death. But it seems to me, from my lived and dying experience, that it is the emotional and mental dying that is far the more difficult and agonizing than a physical death.  However, there are a variety of types of physical deaths, and we in effect often, or some of us, die the death of a thousand cuts, so to speak.  Rejection at any level or degree is a dying to the one rejected, if they recognize it. Some do not.  The ego can be very strong in some to the point that they can be greatly rejected but not recognize it and go merrily along, taking death breaths from false lungs. Just consider these Living Words of Jesus Himself.  (This is why I am increasingly intrigued if not desperately yearning to be close to the apostles and early disciples, followers, of Christ before us humankind brought our corruption and taint by our own creating what humankind tends to do and want.  I am thirsting for the Living Christ, His Living Word, and His Own Church of which He was and could be Head if human-made hierarchies of powers that be would step aside as self-heads and allow Christ His Rightful Headship of His Church, and all of us who love Him and want to follow HIM more dearly and purely in HIs simplicity and truth, the Body of Christ in true a form as He deems, no twisting even of the verse of loosing and binding.  Man has taken great liberties indeed on that one.  This is the Church, the mystical Church of Christ as Head and simple, humble humankind lovers of Christ willing to die to ourselves can be His Body as He willed and intended, in truth, beauty, and goodness, in Divine precepts not human.  That's where the progression and passageway has brought me, albeit my hanging around far too long in the temporal, fearful of admitting the truth of what is not and allowing my mind, heart and soul to be brought to Christ Head and What Is.  But I'm there now, in His Church Mystical and True, perfection other than myself who is yet dross.) Let's just wallow in these words that are not so comfortable, from Mark: «Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it." What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? What could one give in exchange for his life?   I have to ask myself first, do I wish to come after Him?  Yes.  Then I must deny myself.  Admit and know that I am nothing.  Nada nada nada.  I must take up my cross.  But what is my cross?  I will need to think and pray about what is my cross, for Jesus knows, and the Holy Spirit can tell me; I need to listen to the cues and clues. Do I wish to save my life?  Well, I want my soul saved, not necessarily my life. But yes, I want to be saved in Christ for eternity, so if that means my life being saved, my soul life, then yes; and for that I must expect to lose myself, lose my sense of self--but not for my kids or others who may not understand or appreciate me, but I must lose my life for the sake of the Gospel.  That is different and maybe harder?  Does that kind of losing my life for sake of Gospel come from the action of the HOly Spirit, or does it happen from the Holy Spirit through others as instruments of my losing my life, dying to self or such as dying to the temporal Catholic Church?  Losing my life in that death has come over time but most often through the actions and reactions of others who felt a threat, perhaps, at my speaking truth to the corruptions and wrong doings, bit by bit as I was shown them.  Or, death to self when I tried to progress in a lesser understood vocation, or death because the devil seems quite ready at hand to have at me in odd ways, or of those who lack experience perhaps in phenomenon, such as the mystical ecstasy at Mass really seemed to grind at some priests and the bishop's ability to trust God and have faith, or also to simply read about phenomenon.   Regardless many aspects can bring our deaths, bring us to losing our lives, our temporal lives, death of our understanding of religous lives, perhaps, for we must die to our indoctrinations and traditions of what we were told or thought in a temporal system and be opened wide to faith in the Holy Spirit to show us His mystical Church which is His reality and truth of Him as Head and souls as the Body. But our deaths must come for Christ's sake and for the sake of His Gospel. This will take some asking and prayer and waiting for answers to understand in some type of tangibly understood image or thought what kind of dying will be for Christ's sake and for His Gospel's sake.  All I know now is that it is very spiritual and not temporal, that type of dying for Christ's sake, so it is not if one would be a martyr for the temporal Catholic Church.  It has to be for the spiritual of Christ, for His mystical Head and Self and Body, not the tangible system and. structure of Catholic Church we think of when we say or read the words Catholic Church or even "the Church."   I had to die to that temporal church in order to find Christ in His Mystical Church.  Now though, I must grow and thrive in His Mystical Church--that is, HIS Church without humankind's altering, adding to, creating or making up, and not positions, prestige, power, possessions, politics, and privilege some personages hold, any personages.   That is what is not, and not what Is His Church, HIs Real Church, His Church that is eternal and in eternity. The last two questions I must ponder, also, especially what could I give in exchange for my life? I need to answer the questions not in terms of the temporal Church or temporal body but Christ's Mystical Church and my spiritual or mystical "body" and "life." Also, I can ask Jesus to progress me in this matter, as He has been trying for years. But I have to die to myself and die to the temporal Catholic world of which there is a strong hold due to the judgment of others and the power of the temporal rules, and the sense of being a heretic or other such labels if one progresses through the passageway and comes to this point of Jesus' words, and DIE in these rich spiritual and mystical realities that bring life to the soul as never conceived by our minds, ever, prior.  And why not?  Because I remained in the temporal humankind-created church, not wanting to be rejected by humankind, when all along it is His Real Presence Who matters and His Mystical Church, His ChristHead Church and our souls the Body. Well, I may have to die a bit in body if not given the medication that always works for the sinus crud. Our sicknesses when we are old settle in our bodily weak points.  So much for dying bodily. I'm 80% or more dead just with my age.  I want and need to do this spiritual mystical dying.  Letting go of temporal church fraught with humankind's taint and twisting is a big help toward then dying spiritually and mystically, also.  But that has to be in the realm of the Spirit and Christ and God.  Such a death, mystical and spiritual, I don't know if we can fathom or grasp.  I will pray, let go of the other, and wait.  God will provide!  Wonder if I'll even recognize that I'm dying mystically and spiritually or have died? Well, what are your thoughts on these lines pertinent for your temporal and spiritual lives? I know the late Karl Keating went through the passageway, but he did then fill in with Buddhism and New Age. That is not the same as what Jesus is saying, or what is the mystical death for His sake.  One would not fill in with some other temporal religion or ideology.  The death has to be spiritual and mystical and leave one in that realm of Christ spiritual and mystical, HIs Head and Body, real, true, mystical and no temporal detritus or humankind taint or manipulation. Love in His Love, and God bless His Real Presence in us!

Christian Hermit, Mystic, Beloved Soul of God: Dead to the World in All but Body

I'm trying hard to just get up from bed today, and I pray to be able to ignore the sharp pain in my spine at the area where the two-year-old new fusion ends at the L-2 and L-1--not worry that I've done something or perhaps the deep tissue massage therapist did (unlikely her) that will cause me to have to undergo more spine surgery.  Praying I've done nothing in lasting damage.  The knee is painful but have on brace;  will try the back brace up high as I can get it--see if that helps the sharp pain.  The disorientation seems better with the pump med release increase but need it increased more so that I can better get up; still have to augment with oral medications.

This Arachnoiditis is a grind to endure, a progressive grind, but a relatively slow grind.  

Called the financial advisor, also a good friend and fellow Catholic--but truly and mostly a very good soul, a marvelous Christian.  Going to sell an investment that I was never that keen on due to what to me is an immoral place and pathetic form of entertainment per a Las Vegas hotel investment. Sure, they put on entertaining and decent shows, but all else is decadence in my view of matters.  Going to pay off someone I'd said I'd gift due to the years of help and putting up with my pain and moaning and the downcast and frustration that goes with rather debilitating pain. it is best to do what will attempt to meet the needs per the others' perceptions.  And the perceptions might also be accurate, and perhaps even more should be paid than this extra amount.  But I need to get it off my mind and done rather than my original thought to do it in segments of smaller payments, which I call Penance Payments, for any and all aspects of which I've been a burden and said or done things that the other was hurt by, even if, of course, I did not have bad intentions.

I just don't seem to be able to express thoughts well or maybe too well at times, or easily trigger other as I increasingly have little filter, or maybe haven't had a filter for years with the pain and fatigue that goes with it.And surely knowing this, I could discipline myself, bridle the tongue, just listen and not comment, don't make suggestions or try to help with ideas. Just listen in silence or have a little statement of encouragement, such as, "You are doing great (or well or as best anyone could, etc), and you will figure it out, I know you will.  You will succeed!  I'm so proud of you!"  That would be better than concrete suggestions or agreeing if the person is upset over someone or a situation involving others.

But mainly sometimes people are just ready for me to die or be out of their lives, give them a rest. And in fact, I am actually as if already dead in most temporal regards except this body of pain and the responsibilities of trying to get up and function and tend to upkeep of this temporal dwelling place where my body lives mostly on the bed.

I keep asking God to please help me see and know what are the lessons He mentioned to me in a dream last week, a spiritual, lucid dream the likes of which I've not had in some time--as it is harder for me to perceive and listen and be aware given that I have become more adept at distracting my mind with all types of distractions temporally in attempt to get away from the body of pain.

Perhaps one lesson is to let go of people and not have any expectations, especially those whom I love most--family.  To leave it as "love and prayers", as I mentioned to one who more directly expressed not wanting contact.  That does not mean I cannot love and pray, for I can love others without them loving or liking me, even if it baffles me how especially family persons can decide to dislike someone over what are essentially, idiosyncracies or thoughts or words, I suppose, that trigger and get twisted by the other, and before long I am on the outs when my intention is to be supportive and helpful and to love even if tough love can always be part of love.

So I have this lesson to learn:  love and pray.  Do not share thoughts or suggestions.  And also, stay clear.  When someone does not even want a gift, that is a fairly strong message of having had more than enough of me, when I am barely in others' lives at all--except, I suppose, residing in their heads as an annoyance or trigger point.  I consider a relative who has since being a child, she says, disliked her mother.  No amount of years of talking with her, trying various therapy techniques including mirroring and cajoling, using opposition,  discussing Christian principles of which she would identify herself as Christian.  No amount of explaining her mother's personality and upbringing and career and talent in art--nothing seems to dislodge the dislike and the sense that her mother lives in her mind and might continue to even after her mother passes.  

All I can and ought and must do is:  Love and Pray.  That is what I will do on the other side--that which I hope in God and pray will be the case!  That I will love and pray, and also experience God's love for me regardless if there is any other loving that goes on by others for one another on the other side.

Another lesson is likely:  Patience. I am impatient to have Jesus come back for me and take me with Him. I feel as if I've made such a bungle of my life and not succeeded in anything I'd hoped to do that would be helpful to others and as a parent, to be a very good parent which was my hope and goal, also.

Another lesson or lacking is:  Discipline. I have always lacked discipline it seems to me.  Or maybe the more recent situation has made me realize that I definitely now lack discipline. But I think in the past, too, discipline has been not strong in my existing and going about daily life.  Yet I have discipline in some ways, such as in the very slow progression of trying to do manual labor--or whatever will force me out of bed and try to bring order out of disorder in my immediate surroundings.  

However, with too much pain now, and fatigue, and being brought low in what seems more than being humbled but being that crushed seed yet without germination to grow--I am barely functioning, and I'd not know how to get this all finished and sell and then go where and do what? Succumbing to being fully bed-ridden except up to get something simple to eat in bed or bathroom--I'm not quite mentally there because of the temporal mess I'm in that would not be possible to finish and sell or even get rid of stuff that I no longer can use, such as most of the clothing in the closet--items with waists. The pump bulges and I have to leave open the fly and wear suspenders to keep up anything with a waist to it, and I have one pair of baggy overalls that I've purchased, but am not quite ready to get another to have two to switch off, and wear those exclusively. It's akin to wearing a bag or sack, this lightweight version of overalls made in China by underpaid women in sweat shops.

So I must focus on keeping the payment promise, and once that is easily done, focus on Christ and my love for God, and my love for others which includes letting them go live their lives without my being in them other than as we do with those who have passed--maybe think of them now and then in memory, good or bad. And that, too, is a choice.  I tend to choose to remember those who have passed on with good memories and to appreciate all the more with the passing of time and my gaining perspective in my own life, in understanding the trials or personalities they had in life and why they had them, and express gratitude with thoughts or sometimes a spoken word in the solitude and silence here.  But thought is as good if not better than sound, than verbal or written, as I'm coming to grasp. Thought and heart is what will be on the other side, when I am officially allowed to be taken from his earthly body and from this temporal world--and just look in on it and on those for whom I pray and love--family, friends, strangers, stinkers--and love and pray without anyone hearing or reading words or thinking about me and of course not seeing me.

This is more what dying to self is all about, which likely is the main lesson God wants me to learn before I'll be able to be taken away by Jesus and go with Him to where our souls go--the souls who love and try and believe in God and repent of our sins, flaws, weaknesses and maybe even our human idiosyncracies.

God bless His Real Presence in all of us!

Catholic Hermit: Follow Naked, the Naked Christ

The Lord has spoken, in this consecrated Catholic hermit's consideration of His hermit having a pet. 

(I love the verses in 1 Samuel in which the young Samuel continues to be awakened, hearing the voice of God calling his name.  Samuel being young and inexperienced in locutions or the Lord speaking directly to him, goes to the priest Eli, thinking it is he who called him in the night.  Finally Eli realizes that it is the Lord calling Samuel; he instructs the youth to answer if called again, saying, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.")

So it is that I have, over the years, when faced with a decision or even when not, repeat this line in my inner senses, asking the Lord to speak to me, and that I am listening.  When we ask the Lord to help us in discerning the aspects of our lives, not only may we ask the Lord to help us, to speak to us, to show us in whatever ways the Lord may choose, our major effort then is to listen.

Listening is not easy in the temporal world, and it is definitely not easy in the spiritual sense, as our thoughts and feelings are so aroused and integrated with many of the decisions we face.  Yet, when we persist in prayer and do all we can to still our thoughts and feelings, or at least to list pro's and con's, and seek some input from others, we can then in the silence of our more stilled minds and hearts, hear God's answer in the stillness of our souls.

A few days ago someone had contacted me, wanting counsel on a dilemma faced.  I wrote back, mentioning first of all:  Die to yourself!  Then I analyzed the person's situation, in the way I tend to do, pulling out all bits of realities that may be cluttering the person's viewpoints, and sparing no effort in being honest even to the details of what may be emotionally affecting the person's thoughts and feelings regarding the dilemma.  Yes, in this I risk the person being upset, for often we humans do not want to do deep cleaning and seeking of our inner "houses".  So easy for us to want to stuff feelings down, hide away realities, deny truths and avoid the dying to self of which we Christians are called in following Christ.

The person contacted me, explained dies to self daily in giving of self to family.  Yes, I had prodded the inner recesses, and I soothed some, for there also was a temporal reality in which the person felt there was not time to literally clean out a lot of clutter that had accumulated in their abode over the years, and especially, as I pointed out, in the several years of some major health calamities that their family faced and lived through.  So there are quite valid reasons involved in decisions, and I pointed out the factual aspects, and that it is quite fair enough to make a decision based on the external realities--but that the person knows when asking me for counsel, that there will be a thorough examination so that the person may get to all facets of what may be troubling the person.

The person understood, and we were able to discuss that of dying to self, and of course, that I am called to do that, myself, often.  But in the person's case, other factors helped make the decision needed to be made.  Ironically, though, since our communication, circumstances have changed, and the person has taken steps that were part of the examination of facets of the dilemma the person faced.  Someone is helping to get their abode tidied despite a few days remaining before a type of deadline.  God handles all aspects of our lives when we ask and then listen.  Input from others is helpful in deeper examination of our dilemmas, as trusted others will be honest with us.

Yes, some people seek out those who will tell them what they want to hear and who will support them no matter, not wanting to stir the waters or in some cases, poke a bear!  Each of us, if we tend to be ones of whom others now and then seek counsel, must ask the Lord and listen, what is our role and duty according to His will.  Mine is to die to self even in this role of any seeking counsel:  honesty, intelligence, thorough examination, critical thinking, non-judgment, Scriptural backing, but reality therapy...!  They dying to self on my part includes being willing for those seeking my counsel, to react with upset, denial of the realities exposed, or even deciding to not seek counsel of me again.

We must consider the rich young man who asked Jesus for advice and counsel, with a question as to how he could get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  The young man was not able to accept the reality of the answer nor to do--at least at that time--what Jesus said was needed.  The young man walked away; Jesus watched as he walked away, but Jesus did not call after or chase after, nor did He dilute the reality of what would be needed.  Essentially, Jesus tells us we must die to ourselves, be able to part with the temporal possessions as well as the mental and emotional baggage:  all hindrances.

We must be willing to, able to, and in whatever situations that do arise--over time we must act on removing the hindrances, much as the person who contacted me is now getting help to remove the temporal clutter that had accumulated.  And there is no judgment by God nor should be by us; there are reasons why our possessions in, of body, mind, and heart pile up or accumulate.  And we then have situations present themselves, in which the Lord is asking us, allowing us, the opportunity to address the situations, the dilemmas, and to remove or give away or die to ourselves in some aspect or other, or to walk away from doing so, if we are unable yet or unwilling...at that time.

We do not know from Scripture if the young man who did not follow Jesus nor felt able to get rid of his "possessions" at that time when he asked Jesus what he needed to do to enter the Kingdom of God, that the young man did not later on, or in bits and pieces over course of his life, give away his "possessions" and without hindrances follow Jesus.  After all, we may follow Jesus even if we have many hindrances we are lugging along with us.  After awhile, we become weary or the hindrances too great of obstacles, and we may drop them off, one by one or many or eventually all or nearly so.  What we do not die to in this life, of which the mental and emotional attachments may be more challenging and burdensome than the temporal--we carry with us when we pass over.  Our choice!

So it is, that with my own dilemma of somehow having a latent need, or perhaps it was more a broader, hidden aspect and attachment, an inability to see a reality or accept a current reality--the Lord has definitively helped me let go, die to self, face the reality, make a choice in line with His will for me and of which He did not push nor dictate.  The Lord simply gave me some signals, in the end, as to my idea, my desire for having a pet in the hermitage and in my hermit daily life.

No.  I will not have a pet, nor will I ever in what earthly life is left for me, have a pet.  The Lord has for me a narrower path.  This path He increasingly narrows in my spiritual progression as a Christian, as a soul, a child of God, a victim soul of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a parent of adult children and grandparent of three adolescent and teen grandchildren, in addition to my consecrated Catholic, eremitic life.

And I accept.  It was not without some mental and emotional pain.  Two persons gave input, suggesting a cat not a dog--unless I have allergies, which I do, and of course cats are not going to provide enforced walking as they do not take to leashes and hiking!  But the one person then was supportive, recognizing the functional and emotional reasons I had openly admitted as would be helpful.  But at the same time, the young woman (and her husband) who have these non-shedding, hypo-allergenic, larger breed pups, texted last night, as I lay in bed again, plenty of burning pain after having been up for awhile, making myself stay up and also increase stamina for sitting despite the pain that causes.

She texted that if I did decide against having the puppy, she would refund 80% of deposit.  Earlier in the day I had found out that there is a family who would really like the puppy, but of course there was no pressure on me.  I had wanted to know if a back-up person, for I have taken this decision seriously and a huge part of it was if the Lord wanted of me or feels of me Himself, that I am capable of the narrower path, the stricter separation from the world, the deeper silence of solitude, the higher points of the hermit vocation ideal, of the following of Christ in a type of utter nakedness.

What comes to mind is the ancient Christian ascetics motto:  Nudum Christum, nudus sequere.  Follow naked, the naked Christ. 

God did take pity on me, by my not having me "pay" a price in addition to facing a deep and intensely painful reality of His desires and expectations for me to detach all the more, to let go of connections to this temporal life as well as roots going way back to childhood.  There was a beloved dog.  I was the one to find him hanging, drowned--and the shock of that was immense for a child of a pet who had filled in some aspects of emotional blessing in the three years "Mel" was my faithful pal and enforcer of my tending and responsible care.  (Way back, I was very spiritual, always symbolic, so the pet's name well thought out by a little kid. Mel was named for Melchior, one of the three wisemen for whom I named him on Christmas Day, 1961.)

The main issue this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit has been contending with, the Lord needing me to expose from deep within and in the present moment, is facing and accepting my now consistently higher level of constant pain, the likely cessation of my intestines functioning, and the reality of God calling me to a higher ideal and level of all that is entailed in the hermit vocation, as well as my deeper commitment in following Christ, stripped to my core.

(However, I emphasize that there is nothing written in church documents or would be, that a hermit ought not have a pet.  A hermit having a pet may be a blessing in various ways, depending upon the hermit and in what phase or degree of unique way the Lord is leading the person, the hermit.)

The Lord is my comfort, my constant companion, my ALL.  In fact, throughout my forage into all the positives for my having a pet, the reminder of what has been an innate and Holy Spirit inspired utterance for fifteen years, kept playing in my mind.  My Love, my Love, my only Love!  The cross, the cross, and only the cross!  The Holy Spirit also reminded me that my hermitage is truly that of Solus Deus:  God alone!  This is not the first named thus of a hermitage.  My very first hermitage 20 years ago, had the "Solus Deus" sign hanging on my porch, a sign I will hang here but not visible to public.  I have learned what "hidden from the eyes of men" means within and why this phrase is included in what the Church desires and wisely challenges Her hermits to grasp, become, and remain.  Being hidden, for a hermit, is another dying to self.

(I plan to write about narcissism in hermits, and of how various pernicious disorders may arise when vices go uncorrected in anyone's soul, but how it is especially detrimental to hermit purpose and progression.)

So it is that this hermit will not ever have a pet.  Yes, I had an unexpected emotional reaction when I accepted the Lord's answer, when He nudged the seller to persist a bit, for I suspect they preferred the puppy to go to the family--and of course I think pets are best with more than one person, although I have pointed out the good of service and therapy animals.  To help with my sadness, as there is always some grieving in death, of which dying to self is very much a death, a loss, a letting go of some part of ourselves, I focused on the family last night, who would be--children especially--ecstatic with excitement that they were getting the puppy after all!  To focus all the more, I put into my imaging, my eldest child and her husband and two daughters, and I visualized their joy and excitement as if they were the family hearing the puppy news last night.

I'm praying to recognize my angel's efforts--doing all possible to help me get up and be more mobile physically.  However, I'm also willing to accept that the pain has me debilitated from fatigue.  Tomorrow I meet with the priest, and will find out who he has in mind as a spiritual director. It may work out or not; but we hermits ought remain open to trial and error in all aspects. 

I also will discuss with the priest who is older, wiser, and some knowledgeable of the mystics and more spiritually acute than others, how he views traditional, privately professed hermits as opposed to the publicly professed diocese hermits.  I realize readers continue to inquire, and there is contradictory information being promoted online, elsewhere, including created notions and terminology as if fact.  I will ask if he thinks I should also meet with the bishop, as well, to clarify what seem to be misconceptions and contradictions being promoted and created, online. 

(Perhaps he will think privately professed Catholic hermits ought sign after their names, "erem.cpp" or "erem.tcpp" or some such created designation to distinguish us from the "erem.dio" that has been created and promoted by someone or other in the past few years?  I jest, as attempts to advertise, identify, distinguish, or promote ourselves by creating initials, akin to what religious orders do of necessity due to different charisms and orders, to identify themselves, their group, is not a hermit tradition or practice, nor is it necessary whatsoever for any hermit, no matter if publicly or privately professed.  However, since there is now in the past recent years, the inclusion of publicly professed hermits, attached to particular dioceses, perhaps it is necessary for the two types of hermits to be distinguished, one from the other?  Fascinating and quite temporal topic and question.)

Now, forward and onward in the serious and legitimate focus of my mission and purpose as a consecrated Catholic hermit, a Christian, an eremite striving in following Christ on His narrow path, of dying to self increasingly--and thus not seriously or foolishly interested in adding initials following my name or any title or designation.  Nudum Christum, nudus sequere!

And, with that, also very much:  God Bless His Real Presence in us!

Catholic Hermit: Hermit Praying, God's Decision

Has been a busy day in some ways, here at Solus Deus Hermitage!  

After morning prayer and Scripture reading, pondering, I drove the distance to see a doctor I rarely have had to meet with, but it is time to get a referral to a gastrointestinal specialist for some suggestions, if nothing else, possibly more tests.  The doctor this morning did call in a couple more prescriptions that are newer meds, basically attempting to do what the medication the pain doctor called in, for there is the chance that my body somehow two months ago decided to rebel against a pain med side effect; although the doctor today also said that this is a "motility problem."  Yes, it is.  

The two meds are as costly and one even more, than the two others that have been prescribed.  Consulting with the pharmacist, I came back to the hermitage with under $8 worth of over-counter-aids that will do the same but not quite in the same aspects.  I'd have loved to try the other meds had they been reasonably priced, but as a gamble and their side effects--not worth the cost.

I know from within this body, that the high level of pain from the back that is radiating through to the abdomen, is the crux of the intestinal problem.  But it is necessary to have a specialist weigh in.  I praise God I am blessed now with health insurance and ability to also pay for a supplement--crucial or I'd have been destitute with the surgery cost, three times over.  So thankful to God for how He provides.  

Of course, had I not been able to finally have health insurance even though I must pay for it, but yes, thankful I could qualify for medicare due to the ten years of marriage, decades ago.  Only through the spouse's Medicare, was I able to qualify as I did not have enough Social Security quarters all these years of career loss and disability.  And, thanks be to God there is after all these years, a reason, a diagnosis as to why the pain sieges and all else that goes with Adhesive Arachnoiditis.

Yes, God certainly has provided wondrously for me in all phases of life, as He is in this physical phase, as well as most generously in my spiritual progression!  In a week, God willing and body able, I will meet with the confessor and find out who he has in mind as my spiritual director.

While I wanted to write about the ways and means we humans tend to go into denial and also the tendencies utilized to deceive ourselves and attempt to deceive others, involving others to augment and ignoring those or arguing against those who try to bring conscious and conscience to awareness, I have been dealing with a couple of items requiring decisions to be made.

One is in regard to something more personal, and temporal; I ask for prayers if any of you are willing, as I must make the final decision before tomorrow late morning.  I myself see the positive points as well as the not positive points in the decision to be made.  As a hermit, I would ordinarily tend to think to say no to the idea, the action required and responsibilities involved; but I also know there is nothing per se wrong with the idea, for there are many positives, statistically so when it comes to relationship to benefits to chronic pain sufferers.  

I've asked the Lord and even three clerks whom I've encountered (temporal strangers to me, other than recognizing their lovely souls!) to please pray for the Lord to let me know if I should proceed, or if I should not, in this choice, this decision.  It is temporal in the general and obvious aspect, but the spiritual aspects are, of course, real, valid, and of importance--thus needing God's guidance--a dream, some temporal event that would preclude or let me know definitively yes or no.  

Of course, in these situations of our being quite willing to do or not do, to follow through or not in a decision and choice, even if the Lord does not make clear to me His will, if I were to follow through, there is always the opportunity to live and learn, and get out of the situation.  Nothing is permanent when it comes to temporal decisions and choices; only God is truly forever....

(Someone once debated that truth with me--that only God is forever.  The person argued that we, also are forever.  Our souls are eternal.  Well, yes, if we are viewing it from our human-self perspective.  If we view from the spiritual perspective, from the theological reality, we could only be forever, eternal, by our being in union with God.  Thus God is forever, and in Him, we are able to be in eternity through, with, and in Him Who Is Forever.  I did not get into it with the person; sometimes I have a bit of prudent sense, thanks be to God.)

I've made another decision that is also, or could be viewed as "temporal," but again, all is spiritual, with the temporal being overlays onto or under the spiritual.  The spiritual is the real, the transcendent, the holy, that of the Trinity.  The decision I made that is of far greater import than the one I must make over night (although this decision or choice is important; all of our decisions are important for they include the temporal and the spiritual and impact our lives and the lives of all God's creatures and creation).

The decision I've made that is more impactful in various ways, is my first major practice from the Lord as to putting into effect the insight on loving as God loves, in the way He loves, which includes loving because He loves us, and making major sacrifice without expecting anything in return.

Well, now that I think of it, the decision I'm praying about for an answer during the night or in morning--green light or red light from God--also in lesser "stakes" at least from our more temporal view of what is lesser or greater in a more worldly sense, could be in God's Mind and Sight, as needful of me to practice loving selflessly, learning to love while dying more to self and giving over to something other that will have its challenges and sacrifices in more tedious, earthly ways.

I hope in God to write about the ways we hold onto denial, the ways we deceive ourselves and try to deceive others.  But that might have to be tomorrow or the next day--always, body able and God willing.

(I've extended the marvelous 3-days of praying for those I've hurt or upset or whom I've had to free for whatever reasons, mostly of which our purposes have been met or is needful to pass on.  I have proceeded to pray for all my loves--that means, all souls known or unknown.  To then love all the loves as God loves, and to sacrifice, to unite my sufferings and dying to self in union with Christ Whom God sent--His only Son--to expiate for our sins, to redeem us!

This portion of today's Mass first reading, indeed helps me at least to have courage and faith--faith being the flip side of fear--to trust in choices and decisions when God is foremost, and love of others and all God's creation, and striving to love as God loves by being in God Himself--to love through, with, and in Him.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love."  ~ I John 4:18

God bless His Real Presence in us!  

Catholic Hermit: What Jesus Taught St. Faustina of Spiritual Combat

I'd come across the following list recently--what Jesus had shared with or instructed, St. Faustina as to how to engage successfully in the spiritual combat that comes to those who are striving in the spiritual life, who are followers of Jesus.  He revealed these to her in messages of June 2, 1938.  The then Sister Faustina wrote in her diary, what the Lord told her.

In my own current struggles with added suffering of unknown-for-sure causes, the abdominal pain and intestines not functioning, as well as the poorly fitting crown the dentist put in which flares off and on in tooth pain--that is of the physical on top of the constant pain from the spinal issues.  But also there have been increasingly a shift in relationships, partly mysterious and partly of known reasons, but mostly a sense of parting or detaching as of one passing over into other phase or other world, of sorts.

This has not been by my own desire, but it has been occurring.  A temporal reason is the difficulty of sustaining relationships with increasingly limiting suffering; but also there is a shift with others in the spiritual aspects of life, the ways in which souls grow and change in different ways and earthly time frames, as a result of a variety of different experiences.  Age of persons and age of souls, in effect, can cause shifts to occur even if the persons involved may not want the shift; or sometimes one person develops need for change or does not feel the same about the person for whatever reasons, while the other person may not understand why.

But always, the other person--the one who may not want the shift occurring, the detaching or rejecting, depending on circumstances--must come to a point of acceptance.  And, in some cases, the person must have the courage to shake the dust and move on, move away in essence, from those who are struggling unsuccessfully in trying to force themselves to want to remain in a relationship they find themselves unable to sustain, for good or ill.  We must as Christians strive to remain positive and loving, even when love requires accepting or even of walking away from what is not positive, or is rejective, or even non-productive in mutual love and respect.

So it is that I find the reminder of what Jesus told St. Faustina, about 80 years ago, to be excellent help in keeping in my current phase of preparation, of a seeming passing over at least spiritually into another phase or growth in "soul school", and of which some around me are not going to be passing with me, but themselves probably passing over into some other phase in their own soul school.

For even in this temporal life, our souls are spiritual; and we are constantly evolving, on a type of spectrum, like rubber cones convoluting while at the same time moving through space in timelessness of God's realm, toward Christ's purity of light.  Souls on earth (or on the other side who are still progressing) do not move, evolve, progress at the same speed or intensity, at any given point in the spectrum or of earth's temporal time.

It takes dying to self (I remind my self!) and great compassion and understanding to not feel reticence or regret, or even a bit angry or hurt, when our souls or others' souls shift and change in convolutions of spiritual progression, while in the same essence, are moving toward Christ's Light, or I realize in some instances, aspects of choice or not recognizing in ourselves that which hinders our drawing toward increasing purity of His Light.

I personally am striving to remain available if someone or other wishes to contact or interact, but in some situations of repeated negatives, I must not continue reaching in but rather remain open to God's divine will and purpose, and let go of repeatedly pointless pursuing.  Simply place myself in God's providence as a malleable soul, and very much accepting of what to me seems rather like being between worlds in many respects, and very much aware of my flaws but more so of the love of God for me in preparing my soul for passing over in whatever ways, including that of leaving the temporal life physically, not just in temporary ecstasy but forevermore, at whatever point in this life the Lord deems.

Staying removed from negative persons unless God requires our responses or to answer questions they may have of us, does take our prayerful discernment, incidence and situation, as each may arise.  But generally, when we realize we ought let go of pursuing that which has become negative or negatively stagnant, the other/s go on their way in their own lives of which we can say that we are merely in different soul schools, or different classes in soul school, our God-given purposes involving one another specifically, evidently fulfilled or finished for now or furthermore.  We must do all to retain a loving and positive rationale and attitude toward those who have moved on or of which we have had to move on, despite how humanly painful, rejective, or confusing the shift or move may seem.

Although I've read St. Faustina's Diary, I admit in all the distractions of living life, I had forgotten these points that Jesus taught her about how to endure through the various ploys of the devil, of which spiritual combat is necessary.  Am praising God and thanking St. Faustina for her writing down what He advised her, as it is an excellent list to review and put to practice.  Grateful for coming across this list--an invaluable Christmas gift, I'd say--and how!  Jesus began his relating to St. Faustina, by first saying:  My daughter, I want to teach you about spiritual warfare."  We can consider in such divine revelations, that Jesus is teaching us, also, as He was Faustina.

I pray that we all keep close by, or take to mind and heart, this list of Jesus' instructions as to how to contend with spiritual warfare.  Each instruction or points taught, we can ponder and pray to grasp fully with whatever added insights given by the Holy Spirit, our angels, and those close to us in heaven, which will help us if need be, to apply these to our daily lives and situations as they arise.

God bless His Real Presence in us!

1.  Never trust in yourself but abandon yourself totally to My will.

2.  In desolation, darkness and various doubts, have recourse to Me and to your spiritual director.  He will always answer you in my name.

3.  Do not bargain with any temptation; lock yourself immediately in My Heart.

4.  At the first opportunity, reveal the temptation to the confessor.

5.  Put your self-love in the last place, so that it does not taint your deeds.

6.  Bear with yourself with great patience. 

7.  Do not neglect interior mortifications.

8.  Always justify to yourself the opinions of your superiors and of your confessor.

9.  Shun murmurs like a plague.

10.  Let all act as they like; you are to act, as I want you to.

11.  Observe the rule as faithfully as you can.  [Jesus was referring to her religious rule of life; and while I have a rule of life as a consecrated Catholic hermit, all Christians can live the Gospel as a rule of life if not having marriage or baptism vows or other types of an adopted spiritual or moral rule of life.]

12.  If someone causes you trouble, think what good you can do for the person who caused you to suffer.

13.  Do not pour out your feelings.

14.  Be silent when you are rebuked.

15.  Do not ask everyone's opinion, but only the opinion of your confessor; be as frank and simple as a child with him.

16.  Do not become discouraged by ingratitude.

17.  Do not examine with curiosity the roads down which I lead you.

18.  When boredom and discouragement beat against your heart, run away from yourself and hide in My heart.

19.  Do not fear struggle; courage itself often intimidates temptations, and they dare not attack us.

20.  Always fight with the deep conviction that I am with you.

21.   Do not be guided by feeling, because it is not always under your control; but all merit lies in the will.

22.  Always depend upon your superiors, even in the smallest things.  [Remember that the Holy Trinity--and God's will, His Living Word--are every soul's Superior.]    

23.  I will not delude you with prospects of peace and consolations; on the contrary, prepare for great battles.

24.  Know that you are on a great stage where all heaven and earth are watching you.

25.  Fight like a knight, so I can reward you.  Do not be unduly fearful, because you are not alone.

Catholic Hermit: Easter Ressurrection, Rest, Hiddenness

Yesterday was Easter.

This nothing consecrated Catholic hermit spent the bulk of the day on sleeping bag in tiny room now completed.  The couple who usually brings the Eucharist to Te Deum Hermitage was away visiting their family.  Mystical communion is more this hermit's custom over the past few years and increasingly precious indeed.

The silence of solitude assists spiritual reception of Christ's real Body and Blood take on added depth and presence.  Easter thus became all the more glorious in a realistic and tangible sense.  Of the joy in celebrating Christ's resurrection, of the Scriptures for Easter Mass celebrated around the globe, this simple excerpt from 2 Colossians (Chapter 3) touched me.

Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Not only have I died further, in various ways during Lent, yesterday it was as if my bodily energy had died.  While my body lay on the floor in this tomb-sized room, my thoughts considered resurrection of various types.

One rising was shortly after noon in which I decided to at least sand and prime a handful of trim boards awaiting me on sawhorses set up inside the hermitage.  That bit of manual effort was my "sprint" toward realizing the tomb is empty and Christ's Word being always true even if I do not always grasp the facets of His meaning.

Another tangible rising was to stand in kitchen and prepare a simple salad.  Yet two other risings were to respond to the ring tone of phone.  Listen and share--converse--with two people who wished to discuss their thoughts, feelings, and prayer intentions on Easter Day.

The intangible risings floated in and out of the conscious from subconscious, placed within by the Holy Spirit of Whom Christ promised would come after He rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven.  So we now exist in the essence of celebratory remembrance of and renewing the joyous expectancy of Ascension and Pentecost.

I considered that there will be a personal resurrection from this particular temporal abode at some point fairly soon, God willing and this wear hermit's body able.  And while I dare not make too many set-in-time plans, for the Lord desires me to learn well to live in the Order of the Present Moment, I considered that Our Lord lived also with some timely plans that the Father willed, such as the Son's crucifixion and death, and then resurrection of His Body, and then ascending into Heaven, and the bequeathing of the Holy Spirit.

It is not so easy to think not of what is on earth when we have earthly responsibilities.  On Saturday I utilized a phone to reserve a storage unit for some earthly possessions; I called and reserved a moving truck.  I used the laptop to reserve a one-way airline ticket so that in two weeks I can load and drive a truck to another location, to place in storage and return to this hermitage to finish work for completion and sale to whomever will abide in here next. 

I thought some of what is on earth when viewing the weather forecast for the upcoming days.  I must work outside (as much as the pained body can do so and God-given energy allows) when there is no rain; and I must continue efforts on finishing the hermitage interior on days when rain showers the outer vicinity.  Thus my thoughts in these matters are of earth.

However, can one be at one level thinking on that which is of earth while at another level thinking of what is above?  Or is it more that we may exist in what is above, as when we have died--that is, died to earthly attachments and desire to live in the love and abiding presence of Christ--we exist furthermore as eternal souls hidden with Christ, in God.

This form of existence re-enacts the life, death, and resurrection of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We cannot force such an existence; we must desire it, though.  We pray and ask God for the grace to die over and over, of which celebrating Holy Week and Easter becomes a recycling metamorphosis in our earthly present moments, breathing us through this temporal life into that blessed hiddenness with Christ, in God.

For a Catholic hermit--consecrated in the life of the Church--living more tangibly in a hidden manner help the body and mind to be and think increasingly not of earth but of that which is above.  Our hearts increasingly desire and are born into this hiddenness that evolves from temporal to mystical hiddenness--a form of union with God.  Our life with Christ can form union with God while we yet exist temporally even if the depth and breadth of such union varies can come and go, while we are in our bodies.

When we desire and strive all the more for life hidden with Christ, the graces God bestows upon our hearts, minds, and souls flow without our fully understanding how.  God even bestows temporal means to bodily hiddenness which assists our grasp of being with Christ in God.  For hermits, it is quite the blessing in how God arranges our very existences in every present moment and by the nature of our vocation, to have access to temporal hiddenness that also very much allows for mystical hiddenness with Christ.

Praying for such a gift as well as agreeing to align our wills with God's desire for us to die to ourselves and to rise with Christ to be in union with Him in God--our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls have little to "do" other than to rest in His Real Presence when rest is His will, and to do in His Real Presence when He wills some form of interior or exterior movement.

How blessed are hermits when we hermits agree to and desire to live our lives according to God's graces and allowances of more hiddenness, for increased silence of solitude, for an existence of prayer and praise amidst what temporal modes of present moment tasks.  Our bodies as if dead to so many distractions of the secular, temporal world--our minds, hearts and souls can breathe, think, and be in that which is above, with Christ and in God. 

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Remain in His Love!

Catholic Hermit Amidst Suffering

Not sure why, but the low back has kicked up a fuss.  Pain radiating through intestines; just trying to manage pain, recalling last year's ambulance ride to ER.  Yes, pain med I-V toned it down, but I don't need that drama repeated.

So, I am mostly on the mattress, now moved from the small room to the living room (which now has floors leveled and new hardwood installed, of which I enjoyed the process and effort with grateful results).  Was able to pick strawberries this morning, green beans, squash.  Set them on roadside stand and all is gone but some of the zucchini.  

Perhaps the bending to pick berries and beans did not help the low back; but it surely stretched out some muscles which is always a benefit.  And my mind was far off in praying about not sure who or what, but at the present moment it was all quite clear and lovely within, with the Lord and life and soul.

Yesterday was able to leverage off the truck, one of the two double-door closet unit, with frame.  While leaning on tailgate, I then had to take off all shipping brackets holding the frame with the two doors intact.  Next, I removed the hinges from the doors and a piece of wood across the bottom, also holding the doors and frame in place. That done, I could lift each door, one at a time, from the frame and lean them against some other doors in the pole barn.  The door jam frame itself I was able to carry into the hermitage.  Getting it upstairs to the near-finished room for the closet will have to come another day and perhaps with someone else helping to make sure I do not gouge the stairwell walls.

This evening I forced the body to go out and leverage off the second and last closet door unit.  I admit I feel quite ill from the effort, but there is moisture in the mornings; the doors are not solid wood.  Best to be under cover other than the cardboard I had over them in the truck bed.

Am back into spiritual reading somewhat, amidst suffering.  I probably pray more about it than do it--do the reading.  But today's reading of introductory comments to another section of St. John of the Cross' writings in itself felt good.  Yes, it simply felt very good to read about what I will next read about in what the saint is going to instruct.  The sections have to do with ridding out attachments--attachments to things and aspects of the physical, of the senses, and attachments in the spiritual elements.  We humans, of course, are both sensory and spiritual beings.

I read the writings of John of the Cross a decade or more ago.  That is, I read through most, but for whatever reason stopped prior to finishing--drawn off by some other spiritual book or writings of another mystic saint or hermit.  I'm finding that now, in this present moment, there will be far more meaning in what John writes and advises; for I've had far more experiences in these years--more "death therapy" as I call it.

Perhaps it is quite blessed that I've had increased pain bouts lately, of the type that nail me to the cross.  I'm at the point in which I am crying out to the Lord to have mercy on my soul.  And I'm reaching for the spiritual writing that will help me endure in the unknowing of how long, how painful, how on  earth of anything here!  I continue with the daily Mass readings of Scripture.  The Living Word is powerful--but I also admit I return to the Scriptures, particularly the Gospel, off and on in the day to remind me.

Painful suffering does tend to make short term memory not hang on to much.  I suppose it is as well, for each time I re-read some portion of Scripture or even review some of what I've read in John of the Cross, the mind is absorbing in the present moment.  In fact, it is no doubt best that way--to live and think and read and do and feel and love God and others in the present moment--not in the past nor the future.

Yet I'm utilizing thoughts of the past to remind myself that usually the pain sieges lessen, and I am able to return to the manual labor and exterior upkeep required here to progress in order to sell and be out from under the financial dearth.  The lender of the short term loan would like to be repaid sooner than later with the latest being spring.  My bodily pain is not making it happen sooner; and it could be that the present moment will not allow completion.

Faith is like that--not knowing other than in some deep and blindly hidden way we know God is with us, God will take care of us, God loves us.  And the taking care of us--that is what trips us up often enough if we have expectations of what we think we need or how He should provide.  

That is one aspect that John of the Cross repeats about the spiritual path to union with God.  God takes us along the path and takes us to Himself, and He does so with whatever means such as many trials and sufferings that we must pass through, endure if we can to some degree or other, and on to the sweet release of finding ourselves in His love fully and completely.

All I know is that I'm on the journey; and this is what God needs for my perfection--or what John of the Cross prefers in terminology rather than spiritual perfection: union with God.

Catholic Hermit's Mass Reminder

Here it is again!  The Lord speaks through His Living Word!  He is the Word of Life Itself.  From 2 Colossians 3, these verses remind us all over again, of truth in our existence, how to live, to think, to be.

"If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right had of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died,
and our life is hidden with Christ in God."

Last evening at Mass, the Lord gave me this important message again.  Despite my body in higher-than-usual pain, the spinal headache nearly keeping me from the drive to the parish, and with the mystical state impeded with my thoughts, not God's, trying to interfere with bliss--the Word pierced through all distractions.

The Lord needs me to remain focused on what is above--not all the problems, obstacles, and also the various tricks of the devil.  He is emphasizing the God-pivot here, and that is to seek and think on what is above, not get slagged down into what is on earth.  Yes, I have died--at least my will has died and God's will has replaced mine.

But my own thoughts too much remain.  To think like God thinks, in Love and Mercy, is to also think of what is above, what is of God.

And how great it is, also specifically the overlap for the eremitic (hermit) vocation, to be reminded that our life is hidden--hidden with Christ in God.

An amazing thing prior to and after Mass:  my putting my own foot down on the devil and determining to not be influenced by those who were bothered by the unusual aspect of one having a mystical ecstasy during Mass, has brought about good fruit.  I should not have let myself weaken and flee in the past when priests and/or parishioners were used as pawns of the devil.

Yes, it seemed in my own thoughts at the time that it was best to not return if they were bothered, if they shunned or asked me to leave.  But I have learned that the devil pops up again and again until we put a stop to it.  We must persevere, die to ourselves, hold firm and fast, think of God and that which is above.

The parishioners here have started to warm in the three weeks--already!  The couple who had been kindly, then the next week awkward and cool, have returned to being kindly.  The man deflected the concerns of someone at the end of Mass, when I was just beginning to rouse from the mystical state.  He put the concerned person to rest and reassurance that I was all right and explained the situation however he wished.  It was not for me to know, and it does not matter, other than he and his wife greeted me charitably as I entered the pew prior to Mass and handled the concerned person in the pew in front of us.  Victory!  All glory and honor to God!

And others after Mass responded when I smiled; they smiled back. When I encouraged people with heart-felt wishes that I hoped their week would be blessed and wonderful--they thanked me and responded they hoped the same for me.  The priest is trying to learn the parishioners' names and has mine down with a friendly smile.  He remembers that there is still the hermitage blessing to be arranged and will be calling to set up a time.

So there is marvelous progress.  A man prior to Mass, when we were waiting for confession, spoke to me.  He is new to the area, and we conversed of his adaptation and settling in.  I was able to give him tips on dealing with rodent issues, for one, and also listened to his thoughts and trials of unpacking, and of how it was in his previous area of the country, and the parishes he was used to.  Sometimes we simply have to lower our expectations in some of the basics and to step up what we must do to keep up our spiritual lives during the week.  Really, that is our responsibility as followers of Christ, anyway!

Re-reading this morning the selection of Scripture, 2 Colossians 3, I find another powerful reminder.  It has to do with these verses:

"Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly....
Stop lying to one another, 
since you have taken off the old self with its practices
 and have put on the new self
which is being renewed, for knowledge,
in the image of its creator....

And here is  a pivotal point, especially relevant to those situations in which we get caught up too much in the earthly, in divisiveness.  It can be between classifications of cultures, races, peoples, groups.  The nit-picking can occur even in silly insistence upon fabrications, such as that privately professed and publicly professed hermits are not each and all consecrated in the life of the Church, not that in heaven it is going to matter.  

We are told by the Word that we are to "put to death, then, what is earthly."  What matters eternally is if we remain chained pawns of the devil or if we die to that which is below and rise in Christ to what is above.  

 "Here there is not Greek and Jew,
circumcision and uncircumcision,
barbarian, Scythian, slave, free;
but Christ is all and in all."

Yes, this is what the Word of God speaks in truth.  If we can but put our foot down on the devil trying to use us as pawns, trying to create lies and division--if we can break free from earthly fetters, we can come to think of things above.  We can think as God thinks, in love and mercy, not in our own laws of mind.  "Christ is all and in all."  

This is the takeaway point for each of us and all of us.  While I do not expect it to sink in with everyone, I desire it for everyone and must embrace it for myself "Christ is all and in all" and "Think of what is above and not what is of earth" is a God-point in reality and truth for which we must strive to embrace.  Otherwise we remain slaves, divided, deceived, limited, and hindered from Divine Union--not free, not living a "life hidden with Christ in God."

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Victory from death goes all to God's glory!

Catholic Hermit: To Attempt or Not

Am praying up to the last possible moment before needing to rise from mattress, dress, and drive the distance to Mass, then face sitting another hour or more.  And, this is after a particularly grueling pain siege lasting a couple or more days.  This nothing consecrated Catholic hermit is yet a bit too pained but pushed itself yesterday to do a bit more exterior painting.

This morning's chapter of Hebrews is 7, and this for the friend who recently turned 88.  The hermit is daily offering reading and praying the Letter to the Hebrews, the Living Word of God, with also a daily prayer intention for the friend:  a spiritual gift.  Yes, the spiritual gift is being offered; but the friend is a spiritual gift to the hermit, as well.  Today's intention is the Holy Spirit's gift of counsel.

Counsel, as the gift of the Spirit, is that of making right judgments, right decisions, within the will of God and pertaining to all of the soul's existence in body, mind, and heart--relating to life in this temporal world as well as life in His Real Presence.  Counsel has to do with right decisions regarding all that one does, says, thinks and prays.

This morning the hermit does not want to go to Mass.  Why?  The answer has sifted down to these two points:  physical pain will increase as a result of driving and then added sitting during Mass; and the horror that can be and is likely, to be trapped in a type of hell when in ecstasy but the priest's tendency to intrude into the glory of the Mass with unhealthy or disturbing aspects.

Rather than go into the latter, in depth, the hermit understands the various facets of how this occurs, when it occurs, during Mass.  It takes a great submission and dying to self to endure when there are aspects of the beauty of Mass so tainted and disturbed.  The hermit's spiritual father in the past has said to try to allow oneself to be crucified, for the Lord certainly is when such intrusions occur within the Mass, especially caused by a priest or allowed by a priest, at the altar or lectern.

But the hermit wonders if the Lord also asks this hermit to voluntarily do that which is going to cause more physical pain later, from the driving and sitting, particularly when still recovering from a physical crucifixion-type pain siege?

Perhaps it is best to find out.  After all, this consecrated Catholic Hermit has tended to cast the nets int he water, time and again, to discern God's will.  Either the nets will come up empty, partly full, or full. Perhaps, also, this is how we Christians learn to cooperate with the gift of counsel, of trying to learn right judgment and to find out what the Lord wills for each of us, individually and as His Body.

The hermit certainly needs much grace in every present moment.  That is for sure.

God bless His Real Presence in us!