Catholic Hermit: Understanding and Loving, Moving On

 

Just want to clarify that there are added lies being stated of me online by a person who has persistently stalked, harassed, and doxxed me--and misrepresenting me online.   I very much wish the person well, have come to understand the person, and love the person in God's Love, despite the behaviors involved which are now understandable, given the situation.

For any readers coming to my site, just know that in addition to praying for the person, I have moved on from having anything to do with the person. It is a shame that the other cannot cease and desist, but I wish the person no ill will, and turn the person and the situation, over to God.

I will continue with blog writing, personal spiritual writing, or writing for publication, when and if I have the time.  For now am sharing verbally which has proven fruitful to others as well as in my own spiritual life, in various positive ways, but mostly due to that being the genre the Holy Spirit suggested.  The fruitfulness has merited my continuing this aspect of God's will for me per 1987 death experience and in part why He told me He was sending me back to my body.  Writing in addition to other genre, at this point, would take too much time from my spiritual life of prayer, penance, praise of God, and Scripture exegesis and application to daily life usually in practice of manual labor and whatever interface with others and situations that entails.

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

Christian Catholic Hermit Mystic: On Love of God over Obsession with Temporal

 

Paul the Apostle repeats the impact of God's Law, the Law of Love.  Jesus so teaches this law, that it is hard to fathom how we can so easily draw away and become confused in the temporal aspects of the temporal human's existence.  One must constantly pray to live God's Law of Love with every moment of thought, emotion, spirit and soul--in some ways leaving the temporal body behind while learning to love others as God loves, yet while asking of our bodies to heed that of God's law of love.

If we read something  that is confused in length and purpose, the intent becomes that of twisting threads of temporal mind and emotions into knots of more temporally created confusion.  Then that which we read (or attempted to read) is not of God's love, but rather that of the temporal love of self, that of creating yet more temporal confusion of laws created by humankind to further elevate the self.

If when trying to exist in other than Christ's simple teachings--and this ca be of those who twist God's law of love into laws of temporally confused words of more power, prestige, privilege, possession and politicization of self, including trying to garner more like-selves as followers of such human-made laws, the simplicity of God Is Love is lost to that person or of what comes out of such a person's temporalized view of the numinous love of God.

To love others as oneself presupposes one's self is in Christ, in God, in the Holy Spirit.  This is the every-moment assessment of self that is so necessary.  To love as God loves, one must be in God.  To love as Christ loves, one must be in Christ.  To love as the Holy Spirit loves, one must be a vessel of the Holy Spirit.  To be consumed with the temporal world--even the temporal world of humankind's temporalization of the Church by the human-created laws which involve yet more temporalization of one's existence in what is a temporalized church--then God's Law of Love is lost to those temporal humans.  

This includes the path of life upon which God sets each of us, in whatever format that may be expressed in words.  Those who are so temporal as to not be able to envision a life lived in the Love of the Holy Trinity are not of those of temporal nor spiritual association.  The temporalization of Christ's Church, including the living according to laws created by humankind even if thinking is for Christ's Church, is to have lost the only "law" necessary, and that is that of the love of God and love of others as God loves.

A vocation is not a temporal law.  A vocation of God's calling, ordaining, and consecrating has to do with God and the soul of the person to whom God calls, ordains, and consecrates to Himself in His "law" of Love of God, and love of others through, with, and in God's Love.

Thus, this is all rather simple, is it not?  Christ built His Church upon the law of God's love.  Love God above all else, love others as God loves, which is loving through, with, and in God's Love.  The primary initial and eternal task is to love, to love to learn to love God.  Be draw into His Real Presence in love, not be drawn into temporalized laws of humankind's temporal creation.

A former priest, now an eremite, has asked regarding his leaving the one call to enter into another.  It is simply a matter of God's Law of Love.  God led him out of the one vocation and into the other, despite initial despair of wondering if he had too hastily left the one of which increasingly are temporal laws involving protocols to take leave and then more temporal laws in order to return if even feasible. Then God gave to the man priest, God's way of Love, and of love of the poor and hungry, and love of the God-created earth and seeds.  Then came from God to the man, also the eremitic path, free of temporal laws; for if one is led by God to follow His simple love call to the desert, this may be the desert of the poor whose need is that of food to sustain them. 

The God-called soul thus entered into God's call of a vocation into the desert of God's leading and providing.  God called, God consecrated this former priest as one of His hermits.  The man in God's love has since helped the poor and hungry in a land of which the poor are being taught to sustain the earth and grow their own food which is good for their bodies--but which also is very good for the renewability of the beloved soil of the earth that God created.  

All is well now with that soul, now a priest forever, more of the Order of Melchizedek than of temporal church laws, and an eremite in the desert of life, yet in the fullness of love of God and love of others as God loves.  He exists in the depths of the Law of Love Is God without temporal-created-by-humankind- laws of temporal words which create more temporal questions needing more temporal unraveling, than ever does require of God's Law of Love.

Be at peace within and without, in God's Law.  The Law of God Is Love.  Ponder, embrace, think, feel, and live in the Trinity of God's Love.  It is quite simple.  Breath by breath, consider what is God's love in each action, thought, feeling, and of what one's soul and spirit contains.  Obsession with the laws of humankind's temporally constructed laws of the temporal (even of the temporalized church), or freedom in the simplicity and eternal fecundity of God's Law of Love.  Love God above all else and love others as God loves--even more so than one can love oneself (for love of self is rooted in God's love of each of us).

This is truly simple, is it not? 

Reference, Letter to the Romans 13: 8;  

"Brothers and sisters:  Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."

[Attempted to read some lengthy, online writings of obsessions with the temporal.  I was left needing relief for the eyes and stomach, the mind, heart, and soul.  I write the above as a reminder to self and any others.  Obsesssion with the temporal laws created by humankind (including for the church) is not in kind with God's law of Love.  Pray God, keep us on the path of God's Law of Love.  There is the Law of Love in Christ with Christ as Head of His Church; there is the Law of Love for those who are in Christ, in God, and in the Holy Spirit who comprise the Body of Christ: the Church.  Temporal laws created by temporalized humankind are not God's Law of Love.  Temporalized laws create more questions, problems, divisions, and chaos--not peace nor love of God above all things, not love of others as God loves, not as love of the self as loved by God.  Stay clear of such; protect my soul.]

God's Hermit: Christ of His Own Will, Chose the Cross

Been a busy couple of days here for this illegal-but-God's Catholic hermit, at Solus Deus Hermitage.  I decided to go ahead and remove the existing drywall from the upstairs' St. John the Baptist Bathroom.  By doing so on the wall with the sink plumbing, I realized the reason for an odd drain pipe configuration:  the pocket door!  Yes, the pocket door clearance--or the "pocket" within the wall by which the door slides into hiding--could not also house a plumbing drain pipe.

So now I need to order a drawer base that is configured to be 3" more shallow than the 21" vanity sink bases that will be on either side of the drawer base.  Plus, I will need to cut the angled drain pipe before the angle begins, and extend it 3", probably using a 22 1/2-degree ABS pipe elbow, and then attach the angled piece.  

It is not as complicated as it seems, writing it out.  I also need to figure out why two outlets (that need to be changed to GFI outlets due to being in a bathroom near where sinks will be, do not have power in them. All else electrical in the bathroom is functioning.

The hermit's body needs plenty of rest breaks.  Work is slow, but it does not matter.  To me, this is simply exercise and ora et labora:  pray and work.  And, exercising the mind probably is a positive aspect, as well; but I hammered into a wall that will be behind a floor-to-ceiling storage cabinet was not using the "noggin."  

At the time, the mind was far from the body, not even sure what praying about--when suddenly I realized that I really do not need to remove that section of drywall.  I now can either patch it or go ahead and remove it, and put in some better insulation material than what I'm finding.  Now a moisture resistant stone-wool product is made that is far better for use in bathroom areas than the traditional fiberglass insulation.

But off and on today I've been considering a commentary by St. Cyril of Jerusalem--wanting to re-read it and share it with you readers. Has to do with today's Gospel in which Christ's identity and purpose, His mission, are the topic.  

I find it marvelous to read of Jesus asking the disciples, how people were identifying Him:  Jesus!  "Who do people say that I am?" (Mark 8:27).  The disciples responded with the various identities that people were ascribing to Jesus:  John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets.  Then Jesus asked them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter told Jesus, "You are the Messiah" 

After warning the disciples not to tell anyone about Him, about His being the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus began teaching them how [Jesus] "the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and rise after three days" (Mark 8:30).  
Peter took Jesus aside and tried to say it wasn't so, began to rebuke Jesus for what He'd said of what was to happen to Jesus.  Yet, Jesus was firm and rebuked Peter soundly, saying, "Get behind me, Satan.  You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do" (Mark 8:33).

From Jesus' example, I all the more appreciate the various more negative identities given me regarding my Catholic hermit vocation.  These have helped me recognize that a hermit vocation is temporal, and being a "hermit" of any type or label is an identity of which one can become far too attached.  Identities such as this can become a distraction, as well; and temptations tend to creep in when we become distracted but also attached, by our identities, or of what and who we and others say or think we are.

Rather, I prefer to embrace my earthly existence regardless of what I identify as, or what others call me, for whatever ways of suffering may come in my being a follower of Jesus, and how I view and appreciate and bear that or those sufferings.  How do I react when rejected by the "elders," the "chief priests," the "scribes"?  (The "elders" could compare with the CL603 hermit/s; the "chief priests" with the bishops, the "scribes" with those writers who consider themselves regulators and interpreters of canon laws.)  

Yes, my focus turns from those aspects of suffering by the actions, decrees, or words of others, to Jesus, and to how in any way I can follow Him and identify with Him, in my hermit life--as illegal or fraud, counterfeit, Catholic, bad or good--as God's hermit, in actuality.  What is to be my reaction to rejections, to persecutions, to being detracted and discredited, to whatever sufferings of any kind--to even being "killed" in some aspects or symbolic fashion? 

I turn to Jesus and His life example in how to react.  I also turn to this commentary by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, early 4th c. Bishop and Doctor of the Church, for additional considerations as to our reaction to Christ's cross and sufferings, and how to make His cross our own.

"We should not be ashamed of the cross of the Savior but rather make it our glory.  'The message of the cross is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles' but for us it is salvation.  For those who are perishing it is foolishness, but for us who are being saved it is the power of God.' (1 Cor 1:18-24).  For it is no mere man who died but the Son of God, God made man....

"Not by force did he lose his life; not by might was he sacrificed, but by his own will.  Hear what he said:  'I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up again' (Jn 10:18)....  

"He came to his Passion of set will, happy in his exploit, laughing at his victory, satisfied to be saving us.  He was not ashamed of the cross because he was saving the whole earth.  It was not some poor man who was suffering but God made man who entered the combat to win the prize of patience....

"Do not rejoice in the cross only in times of peace; preserve the same faith in times of persecution.  Do not be a friend to Jesus in times of peace alone, only to become his enemy in times of war.  You are now receiving forgiveness for your sins and the spiritual gifts lavishly bestowed by your king so, when war breaks out, fight valiantly for your king.  

"Jesus has been crucified for you, he who was without sin.... It is not you who bestowed this grace on him for you first of all received it.  But you offer thanks to him who paid the price by being crucified for you on Golgotha."

So I sacrifice whatever hermit identity that seems of value, of temporal importance, of legal status or of approval by the elders, chief priests, and scribes.  (This can include also  of the Pharisees who are above common people and are focused on church laws--but also see to it that the common people (such as me, a "common" hermit?) adhere to the laws made.  

I by my own will and desire, sacrifice approval and designation, whatever status or public acclaim or promotion of self or by others as anything other than how Jesus and the likes of St. Paul and the other disciples lived and died--following Christ.  But even Peter and Andrew would not allow their bodies to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus; Peter asked to be crucified upside down and Andrew nailed to a cross in shape of an "X".  They deemed themselves unworthy to even be crucified in the same fashion as the Lord.

I love the reality of which St. Cyril writes:  to make the cross of Christ my glory.  And to allow myself to be sacrificed, to be demeaned and criticized, to be as I truly am--nothing, a nothing Catholic hermit, a lowly bride of Christ, an illegal hermit, a nothing hermit of God not as the legal hermits approved by the bishops, not in the consecrated Life of the Church--but only a nada hermit consecrated in the Life of Christ.  And for this reality of my blessed nothingness in God's ALL, I rejoice and offer thanks to Christ from Whom I receive the grace to be through, with, and in Him Who died for me and forgave and forgives my sins.

So I am a nothing illegal hermit of Christ, of God, of the Holy Spirit.  I am one with all who simply live out our various vocations on earth, in the Church, for our temporal lives--the anawim, the poor beneath the stature of those with legitimate identities of distinction, recognized by law, through lawful means and honor.  

I lay myself down by my own will in Christ's will, to preserve my faith in times of peace and times of turmoil, and of--if I could but win the prize of patience!  That would be quite something, indeed!  And to win the crown of unconditional love--love of God in Himself and to love others as God loves--would be more than I can begin to fathom!  Union with His Real Presence!

Now to get up and see about this mortal, pained body removing a bit more drywall from St. John the Baptist Bathroom....

God bless His Real Presence in us!

Illegal Catholic Hermit: Reminder of St. Francis of Paoli

Early this morning came a text from the (new) spiritual father, the hermit-priest.  It was a quote from St. Francis of Paoli.  Memories of being in Austria visiting a priest whom my son and I had sacrificed soda pop and what was for us rare times eating at Burger King on two-for-one coupons--saved whatever we could from my low income, in order to send money to help him get through seminary in India.  

After my parents passed and left my elder sisters and myself their hard-earned money and savings, the then priest, Fr., stationed in Europe, invited me to visit.  That was a massive undertaking but the pain not as it is now in comparison.  Much about that experience I could write about.  It was truncated after a bizarre ordeal with a demoniac woman and a lung ailment; but prior to that bizarre incident, Fr. took me to various monasteries in Wein area, and one happened to have a statue of St. Francis of Paola--and it happened to be on April 2--the saint's date of death and Feast Day!  God is so good to us!

And while I realized that Fr. was not fully "plugged in" to his priestly life and duties in his small parish, he evidently did not realize the joy of giving one's all, for many of the priests in the area lived similarly, not offering confession time other than appointment.  But what I suppose grieved me most was his leaving out part of the Mass readings at Mass, shortening it, and of not interested in added reading but more interested in computers.  So be it.  We lost contact over the years.

(And I do recognize that often I am not fully "plugged in" to my life in Christ, or so it seems to me in my own self-examination of which I pray to be my own worst critic.  May the Lord help me to have all prongs in the "spiritual socket" and to keep them there!)

But I will not forget his kindness in showing me the area, and I would go into the inner city of Wien, where I found St. Peter's Church not far from St. Stephen's Cathedral, and at St. Peter's Church I happened to meet a priest. Fr. M., who was from Austria but reared and through seminary in the United States.  He was among the Opus Dei, and the Opus Dei priests staffed St. Peter's, and it was a thriving, alive parish, with the sacraments offered daily, such as confession, and several daily masses, with people there in great numbers, hungry for the Faith!  

I have quite an amazing situation of which I ought to write at some point, that occurred during the couple of weeks there, which included another prong of that trip, of being in Giens, France, where I had the demoniac encounter most horrific, but the prayers of the priest I happened to meet on a train, who happened to be the priest in St. Peters, Vienna, saved my life.  But for another time, when my mind, heart, and soul feel capable of going back into that horrific ordeal, but to share the miraculous ways God lines up persons and situations in our lives, to redound in His glory and power and love of us in every detail of our daily lives.

This morning's text from the spiritual father, now, here, brings the memories of Fr. hosting me, and despite his not being very excited about spending time in the monasteries--he nonetheless gave much of himself in being the very best host, and I was so grateful.  I'd taken him what I thought he'd love--a rare, old volume from my spiritual library; but his disappointment or perhaps better word, "ennui" with it, gave me a better idea, for he was most fascinated by my small, 9" Apple laptop.  

I ended up telling him that I could tell the book was not his "thing," and gave him the laptop as a thank you gift for his hosting me.  He leapt to get the book and handed it back to me.  He was elated over my gifting him my laptop, came alive with eagerness, and made no waste of time driving us to an Apple store where I paid to have the laptop cleared of all my personal effects, and adapted to his needs.  

It was for me a rather significant detachment and major gift expenditure, but the Lord loves a cheerful giver, and I realized I ought accept and love Fr. where he "is" in his spiritual life, although on the way to the airport, when I was quite ill from what I caught when in the terrible ordeal with the demoniac in south of France, I did suggest to the young priest, the good of pouring ourselves out for Christ and His Church.  

So I tried, and that is all we can do.  We keep praying, and we also can re-check and examine our own spiritual lives.  We have phases of lesser than greater focus in our spiritual effort and grace; even now, I pray for more focus on the spiritual, to have my identity in God alone, solus Deus, and to be "fully charged" with all prongs in the socket of His Real Presence, so to speak.

From St. Francis of Paoli:

"Fix your minds on the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Inflamed with love for us, He came down from Heaven to redeem us.  For our sake He endured all torment of body and soul and shrank from no bodily pain.  He Himself gave us our example of perfect patience and love.  We, then, are to be patient in adversity."

I'm grateful to my spiritual father for his always focusing me on Christ Jesus.  I texted back some thoughts to which he responded:  Yes!  Amen!  

"I find Him in my pain.  Who chooses, who accepts, who decides, other than Jesus?  Who's law but God's law of Love?"

This is the truth and of Whom I am beholden above all others and all else.  It will be fascinating to discover if the temporal laws even if of the Church, will align with God's law, of God's having chosen me as His hermit.  I think the worst effect for me is of having so many flashbacks of times in the past, when I was not hidden and in God's protective custody, His solitary confinement, and when my mystic little self could not pass unnoticed during Mass in the other place, or when the Lord showed me things that I finally had to point out in order to avoid serious wrong that was going to occur.  

But my mystic self, of which it is rather an affliction--is being born a mystic--in the temporal world of our times, was "outed" though not by my preference; my "cover" blown, and word spread among priests who reacted defensively, of which who could blame them?  We are yet quite human, and along with parishioners, what is not understood or who or what seems outside the norm, is by human nature suspect and threatening.  

We thus become conformed more to Jesus Christ who shows us the way, the truth, and the life.  "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing."  This is for all of us.  We truly do not know what we are doing, but only in the Lord do we have forgiveness and grace.

Being an Illegal Catholic hermit seems comfortable and good.  I think of St. Peter and St. Paul in chains; they are best of company in the prison population.  What approval is better than the Lord's?  Yet still, will be good to find out if the temporal good of Church law intends aligns with what God chose in me as His hermit, and who also chose me to become a Catholic so many years ago.  I think my greatest concern is that of losing the delight of nothingness, as I am His nothing, His poor, gray dove.  What the Lord Himself tells us over the years, with the content of the messages not altering in intent and purpose, even if the words, the adjectives vary, stays with us as if branded within our minds, hearts, and souls.  

Thus I prefer hiddenness; I am comforted and secure in God's protective custody, in His solitary confinement.  I suppose that element of concern that CL603 could disrupt that if a bishop prefers added ceremony or a Mass, or would want to publicize or announce, or have more exposure than nothingness and obscurity.  I also have observed in CL603 hermits--not just the one--that there is an element of pride that can creep in, or even overtly jump in, and the externals and promotion, even self-promotion, becomes a part of what I always need reminding, myself--that it is but a temporal vocation, an earthly vehicle intended to aid the soul's progression.  Our reality, our identity, is always to be Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.

Being an Illegal Catholic Hermit thus has more appeal, more goodness in various considerations.  It is that of being a prisoner of the Lord, and an outcast of sorts as to any hint of prideful "who-ness" of being a somebody as opposed to being a nobody, a nothing.  The Lord used to call me His nothing, and even when I'd refer to myself as nothing, I would be criticized.  I realize now of course the devil would not like that appellation from the Lord, for the devil prefers narcissism and pride.

I review now and then the DSM (diagnostic manual that clinical psychologist and psychiatrists use in treating patients with mental and psyche disorders and illness) in order to remind myself of how personality disorders can take root and expand in the course of lifetimes.  The review is a type of self-examen, of reminding myself of traits to guard against and avoid their creeping in.  

For the Narcissistic Personality Disorder, I noticed the tendency of persons having low self-esteem, and of a need to feel superior over others, to have control over others, and of bullying behavior and obsessive criticism of others, of picking apart other persons over a period of time.  They put down others, even manipulatively so (but probably not consciously for narcissists truly believe themselves superior)  in order to keep themselves, in their own view with hope they are impressing others, as being important.  

All the more, reviewing such disorders is reminder to me to remove myself from such types, and even more so, to guard against my being tempted to enter into anything even remotely approaching such behavior, to not react nor respond, and to pray for and embrace humility, and to only hold loving thoughts and prayers for others.  I must keep my focus on Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, and to only have Christ be my identity, no matter what other identities even His Church has developed in the form of vocations, or in canon laws, or in new institutes or other categories. 

While positive, lovely, and canonically legal to have defined and temporal vehicles of consecration in the Church, the overriding and eternal consecration remains in Christ, in Christ's life and in His Real Presence.  All others must be kept in their lesser positions, as a means to greater good, yes, but not ultimate, not the eternal best of our identities being in God, in Christ, in the Holy Spirit.  When the temporal good aligns with the spiritual and God's best, that is glorious!  But if for any reason not aligning, one must trust in the Lord above all else, even princes, as God's will is beyond man's understanding and ways.  

I realize the Lord is asking of me to commit myself to His will no matter what occurs or unfolds in the temporal, even in the temporal of His glorious Church on earth, of which He is the Head.  He wants my allegiance, if I need to chose, to be Himself always:  God eternally my one-and-only even if His Church His Head and the Church the Body.  Not that it would ever be necessary, such as Joan of Arc had to choose God's voice and mystical reality over what the temporal Church and men of God thought and wanted of her in a recantation.  She remained true and suffered unto blood, suffered unto death by burning at the stake--her cross, with Christ.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  St. Francis of Paoli, St. Joan of Arc, pray for us!

Catholic Hermit: Back in the Saddle

Well, perhaps with an adapted saddle, I am back in the saddle, settled and set for the ride on the narrow path, wherever the Lord leads.

Met with the confessor this morning.  He is impressive; much can be accomplished with this priest in 12 minutes or less.  He's focused, speaks quickly, thoughts direct and effective.  Confession plus guidance and thoughts on hermit vocation, a fitting penance of praying for a week for my eremitic vocation, as there have been distractions as well as major disruptions of past phase requiring hard-and-stripped-down living conditions, and a major surgery with on-going pain to contend with.

But time to immerse all the more in the vocation, give full-rein to the Holy Spirit.  In other words, for me to give myself fully, not with the various distractions.  Now immerse with the focus of which I have desired and known the Lord has given me the mind, heart, capability, as well as discipline...but I have wafted in some ways.

The confessor, a priest in mid-late 50's. and I must admit the most adept and gifted parish priest I've encountered (my late spiritual da was long-past a parish priest when the Holy Spirit brought us together), said do not let some lady in [another state] distract with claims of this or that, or trying to disparage me or my writing; he said that is all rubbish.  He also stated how other hermits of the past were persecuted, and there was no such thing as the 1983 CL603 even in the near-horizon then.

The confessor gave an example of a hermit in the 1800's who was persecuted out of his country--was Italian, he thought but not sure, had recently read an article with this incident mentioned.  He ended up living in a cave in another country, where today people go on pilgrimages to his cave hermitage which has become a shrine.  

The priest pointed out that the hermit was not approved by any bishop or, for that matter, priest or anyone at all but the Lord Himself.  He was as all the hermits of all history--privately professed, traditional, living in hiddenness and the solitude of silence.  He was evidently or mostly unknown in life in his location (relocated in the other country), but was yet to become a gift and inspiration to many after his death.

The confessor added that his advice is that canon laws in a hermit vocation would tend to restrict more than enable the freedom that is to be the Holy Spirit's in guiding a hermit; he said canon law tends to shackle.  Also, other aspects such as pride can arise, or in becoming publicly known, would interfere; there would be more distractions than less, as well.  I pointed out that part of my reasoning was that the Lord had indicated to me that it was not what He willed for me, and showed me in visions and locutions.  I also realized that the CL603 path is not proven or tried over years and centuries as is the privately professed path that has always been the way of the hermits.  

He was in full agreement.  In fact, he had brought up these facts, to which I added my thoughts on it from my lived experience as well as how the Lord twice stepped in, preferring the traditional hermit path. That is settled!  And of course, the traditional, privately professed hermits are as authentic, credible, consecrated in the life of the Church, as are the recent CL 603 diocese hermits. Who knows what future centuries will conclude--if the CL603 publicly professed hermit designation with its added supervisory task of bishops remains as a desirable path for hermits.  Only God knows.

I was given the name and phone number of a priest who had come to his mind a couple weeks ago, as a potential spiritual director my confessor thinks would be good for me.  I called and left a message.  This priest is also a hermit; not a diocese hermit, just a traditional, hidden from the eyes of men in the silence of solitude hermit.  He lives elsewhere, more in a remote area; with my spine situation, I must live with convenience to medical and sustenance supplies.

I had no idea nor did my confessor, if this hermit priest would be willing to or interested in being an occasional mentor/guide to someone.  I called, left a brief message, asked if he would let me know either way.  So I've received a call back, and happens that this hermit priest is staying quite close as is going to himself be having some surgery in a couple weeks (something that is fixable, healable, thanks be to God).  He set up a time for us to meet.  He said we will see what the Holy Spirit desires, of this encounter, and for anything further.

In the meantime, as I'd mentioned to the confessor as example of my wafting about, that I'd even taken steps to get a dog--but the Lord put the kabosh on two such attempts.  It is also true that the Holy Spirit, since yesterday, and my passing through what I needed to grasp of why the notion of a pet and of why to let go of that, of course, for good--has brought back my mind, heart, and soul to settling in; they have not for awhile.  

I'm back with the Liturgy of the Hours.  I'm back with more focused prayer.  Although I cannot be on a strict horarium (hourly schedule of the day, of the hours) due to my pain situation and such as confession this morning at a time one would be praying the Morning Office, I can yet pray the Offices in whatever "hour" it happens to be.  For example, lately I've not been able to sleep until after midnight; the point is, the Lord provides me time that varies, and thus my horarium is flexible but yet much of the spiritual life and my vocational foci, have "time" given by God to be filled with holy use.

Amazing, but in the mailbox upon my return to Solus Deus Hermitage, was a package from the professor who contacted out of the "blue" last summer, few days prior to the spine surgery.  She has sent a volume of the symbolism and ideals involved in St. John of the Cross' writing and thought.  Yes, the Lord has me back in the saddle, and if I know what's good for me, in the saddle I will remain.  Sure beats being dragged along by the reins or my foot only caught in a stirrup, or tossed off and the steed running off into the distance without me!

All is well and all shall be well.  I trust the wisdom and judgment of this confessor.  He is known far and wide as a holy and outstanding priest, experienced, and gifted in leadership and spiritual life.  In fact, I need to research a scripture he mentioned--content, not the book, chapter, verse.  He's a priest plugged into the socket with all prongs....  In tune with His Real Presence:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Praising God, here.  But will try to get up and put away a few more books and read/pray Morning Office.  It's early morning somewhere in the world....  Pain is way up in my body--driving to parish, then to pharmacy for meds that are helping the pain of abdomen (even if intestines remain not working), then sat to pray the Office of Reading, then resting in bed writing this and taking phone call from priest, a hermit, who might be my next spiritual director.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another, for God Is Love!