Catholic Hermit: House Blessing Kit

The lovely couple who brings me Holy Communion on Sunday mornings this last time brought also a house blessing kit.  I think these are offered for various dioceses or any which desired to participate and distribute them to parishioners.

There is a small bag with a prayer card and instructions on blessing one's house as well as a small piece of chalk.  The suggestion is to print over one's door the following:  20+C+M+B+17.  It is a centuries-old practice done on Epiphany in times past.  There is the year (2017) chalked above the door as well as the initials for each of the three Wise Men's names: Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar.

This morning I awoke with more than usual pain.  (Another storm had come through in the night, and it is definite that the weather shifts increase the spinal pain to varying degrees of sickening!)  So I rested and thought about today blessing the hermitage, using the little kit.  (The other day I noticed a photo of a man from a diocese many states away who had the same or similar kit and idea, and was blessing his house.)

But what came to me in the silence of solitude is to print above my double French doors is this:  Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.  So I will follow this little inner inspiration and do so.  I suppose it does not matter as long as the heart and mind and soul are intent upon beseeching the Lord to bless my dwelling.  In addition, the reminder of the Jesus Prayer which is taken from the Living Word of Scriptures, will serve me well each time I go through the doors, which is often since the compound miter saw is set up on a stand on the back deck.

I can think of the self-righteous man the Gospels comment upon, who prays with desire to be noticed in the synagogue, and then the man toward the back who beats his chest and begs God to have mercy upon him, a sinner.  Jesus points out that the one who cries out from a position of humility and knowing his own sinfulness is the one whose prayers are the better.  Something like that.  We get the message and lesson.

Well, now to rise, dress, and head up the ladder to continue whatever work I see first to do, out of many tasks!  Bits of drywalling, nail-gunning some added stud pieces so that there is backing for slanted ceiling boards to be nailed into something solid--or I can work on reframing the closet door since I have switched plans for the type of doors to be used.  There remain plenty of tongue and groove ceiling boards to sand and prime, too!

Daniel, the hermit's young helper, sent a message that he is ill today.  God provides in all matters; He's the Boss!  Seems true that both Daniel and this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit need a slower-paced day.  I am praying for his recovery, as he hopes to come on Friday.  If not well, though, I hope he remains home as there are many nasty viruses going around out in the world this time of year.

Before I make this aching, burning spine do any carpentry work, I will pray the blessings printed on the little card in the house blessing kit, and I will chalk above the doors the Jesus Prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!

[I just printed the Jesus prayer and then added the 2017 and Christus mansionem benedicat" which also refer to the C+M+B and mean: May Christ bless this house.  Although only Daniel the Nazarene and the couple from the parish will be the human ones to see it besides this hermit, I know that all those on the other side will delight and lend their prayers to this dwelling and all souls who enter herein.]

Catholic Hermit, More Demonic Interference

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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