Catholic Hermit Reminded of the Same Ultimate of God

It is in thinking of God, of sensing God, of loving God, of being in God--of God above all things of earth that is the ultimate adjuration that Jesus reminds us.  It is this same, ultimate reminder that we have from the prophets of the Old Testament and of God Himself.  

It is this ultimate, oft-repeated lesson in the Word of God, of the Living Word--Jesus--and of all the apostles, then of the saints and mystics through out the centuries.  It is this same enjoinment that will always be given us no matter the format, for those who dare listen, embrace, and attempt to live it.

Love God above all else.

A friend balks when reading some of the writings of Pseudo-Macarius and other great mystic saints who not only lived on this earth but lived in heaven while on earth and who live on in their writings and spirits among us.  How is it that we should "despise the world"?  I point out that often enough the wise ones with lived experience in such matters mean not to despise God in His creation, but to love God in His All, more and fully.  

Thus, the soul is in love with His Real Presence.  Love of the world pales, dwindles, begins to disappear like sight fades in the presence of all-consuming Light.

Love God above all else.  Let love of God and His love of us rule all our thinking, saying, doing, being.  To love, to learn to love, to love God and others is the meaning of all of life.  

This Love is not to be found in laws, not even ecclesial laws, no matter how helpful they may be in guiding and setting parameters.  They also can distract and prevent an entering into God Is Love if a person does not move beyond the laws into the greatest commandment, the highest law:  Love!  Love God and love others above all else!

Those who grasp a bit of this have grasped much.  Those who cannot yet grasp, will do so, if not soon, then later, and surely eventually.

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

Catholic Hermit: Thoughts of Pseudo-Macarius on Love of God and Temporal Detachment

From the fifth sermon of Pseudo-Macarius:

"For whatever passion a person does not manfully fight against, that is an object of his love.  Such an attachment dominates and holds him down.  It becomes for him an impediment and a chain that prevents him from directing his mind to God and from pleasing him.  In no way can he serve God alone and obtain the kingdom and reach eternal life.

"The soul that truly tends toward the Lord completely forces itself to a total love of him.  It is held fast in a willed dedication, as far as is possible, to God alone.  From him it attains the help of grace. Such a person denies himself and does not obey the will of his mind, because he knows that the mind tends to deal with us in a deceitful way, seducing us to evil.  He yields himself perfectly to the Word of the Lord and frees himself from every visible bond as far as he can will it.  He surrenders completely to the Lord and thus will be able to undergo successfully struggles, labors, and setbacks. Wherever there is a question of affection, there is either a help or an obstacle.  If someone loves something of the world, this becomes for him a burden and a bondage dragging him downward and not allowing him to rise upward to God.

"If, however, he loves the Lord and loves his commandments, this becomes his help.  He is strengthened by this.  His observance of all the Lord's precepts becomes easy for him and tilts him toward the good, or rather, it makes lighter and easier every battle and affliction.  Through divine power he cuts through the world and through the powers of evil which lay snares for the human soul in the world and which use all sorts of desires as nets to ensnare the soul in the depths of the world.  In such a way he is freed from such snares by means of his own faith and great courage and through heavenly aid.  He is accounted worthy of the eternal kingdom which was the goal of his desiring.  He receives from the Lord help and he will not lose eternal life."

And then Pseudo-Macarius adds after giving some Scriptural examples as well as daily life examples...

"Do you not see the complete centering upon the Lord of a perfect love freely given?  And so also those who wish to follow in their footsteps must love nothing besides God so that, when they are tried, they may be found authentically prompt in preserving their love, their perfect love for the Lord.  Such as these are able to endure conflict to the end who have completely and with their whole heart loved God alone and who have freed themselves from all other loves for the world.  Few, however, are found who enjoy such a love, turning away from all pleasures and desires of the world and who manfully endure the assaults and temptations of the evil one."

Pseudo-Macarius insightfully makes a few more points, but this seems enough to sip and savor for now.

God bless His Real Presence in us, and us in His Real Presence.  Let us each and all remain in His Love!

Catholic Hermit Tuckered Out, Yet God's

Today this consecrated Catholic hermit is living up to its moniker as "nothing"--as in doing nothing, or not much.  Yet even though we may feel or think we are doing not much of anything of value or importance, we exist in His Real Presence.  We remain.  Remaining in His Love are Words the Word of Life repeats often in the Gospel of John.

It is a very good command, piece of advice, admonition, or whatever we can attempt in trying to depict God's Words to us.  Truth, it seems, might be the best.  He speaks Truth:  Remain in My Love.

So this hermit is remaining in His Love today while otherwise not doing much of anything physical...other than breathing, thinking, writing, reading, drinking, eating, existing in this tiny cell of Te Deum Hermitage.

Just plum tuckered out, am.  For the last few days have been working the earth.  Some spots have quite a bit of sandy soil with small, gravelly stones.  There has been a dearth of rain other than some sprinkles, so the hose has been put to good use, and the well water is holding--well, rather well.

This morning did read the fifth homily of Pseudo-Macarius.  He continues to exhort, with lots of Scriptural backing, the good and the why and the wherefore of detaching from temporal loves in order to love God above all else and to, thus, remain in His Love.

A friend emailed, saying she found it a bit disturbing to read and understand because if people all detached from temporal loves, wouldn't it be rather an unloving and non-interactive existence?  So she was going to re-read the sermon.  Good!

There is such good in this sermon, such truth!  And, when reading it, one begins to experience the validity of the Scriptures and what Jesus means in His Words.  When we detach from our temporal attachments and loves, it is to attach to God's Love.  Thus, in His Love, remaining in His Love--the Father and Christ make their abode in us, and the Holy Spirit binds and flows the love, both and all.

So we love with His Real Presence's Love, not our temporal loves, not our temporal attempts at what we think might be love, and not with attachment to our or others temporal loves.

It seems very important for us to grasp this truth about loving God above all else and detaching from temporal loves.  There is nothing really wrong about it, or askew.  At first this hermit thought perhaps Pseudo-Macarius was going to explain that detaching from temporal love and attaching to God's love, was for those called to consecrated life or holy orders.  But no, Macarius is preaching the Living Word of God, and he cites Jesus, through and through.  This is for everyone:  Love God in Himself.

When we remain in His Love, when we love Him above all else and detach from the temporal loves that do indeed hinder us from His Love, then we lose our willfulness toward what we have attached ourselves to, in love, of the temporal--and we become at home and attached into the Love of His Real Presence.

Maybe it is kind of like a projector, and God projects His perfect love through us to all else, once we detach from trying to project our imperfect love of temporal persons and things and places.  Just let go, and remain in His Love.  Let His Love be the attachment.  Then all else will flow with perfect love, and we will lose our will into His perfect, loving will.

Consider how it might be to have His projection of His perfect Love reflecting in and through us, like light, casting love onto others, things, and places as if they are images on the screen of life past, present, and future.  How could we then find enemies repulsive?  How would we then have concern over our daily existences and temporal cares?  God's perfect love does not fear or worry; His Love is peace, wisdom, truth, goodness, beauty.  Remaining in His Love projects Him, not us.

Temporal loves hinder us because of attachment to self, self-love.  When we become His Love, the self dissolves into Him, and His is the love; He is the attachment--the only one we ever needed or need, forever.  His Love flows and fills, then, the spiritual, as well as overflows the temporal for as long as our temporal parts are in the temporal.

Perhaps there is a section to share from Pseudo-Macarius' 5th sermon out of 50.  Might share some bits of the treasure in another blog post.

God bless His Real Presence in us, and us in Him!  Let us love one another--through, with, and in Him.  Detach from our temporal loves, and attach to His Love.  Therein is perfect love and our freedom from all temporal hindrances.  In His perfect Love, the projection and perception change all.