Catholic Hermit: Next Phase

Much has transpired in temporal and spiritual life, as is usual for all of life.  I tend to forget that flora and fauna experience many transitions and phases in their daily lives, as well as do us humans.  Often, a challenge for humans is to be cognizant and sensitive to the transitions occurring in our fellow human beings, as there are as many trials and situations going on within others bodies, minds, hearts, and souls as in our own.

I've spent nearly five weeks staying at a family member's lovely and spacious home.  This cousin is married to a nearly life-long friend of mine, so in essence we are bonded in addition to childhoods shared, to being related through their marriage.  We have long and deep connections that span over five decades.

Over three months, the cousin experienced some type of extreme fatigue causing a break or shift in body and mind.  Many tests were administered; he was hospitalized for two or three weeks.  A team of health care professionals assists them now that he is home, with an aide coming two days a week while the other three he'd attend an outpatient group therapy program until recently.  Now a second aide is being interviewed today to assist him the three days since he no longer attends the group program.

The diagnosis has been elusive.  Tests are inconclusive, but a new neurologist on the case is scheduling more tests, for she does not think early dementia is accurate.  Depression was an early aspect of the diagnosis, but there seems to be some cognitive aspect to the rather mysterious malady that came to the forefront from extreme fatigue--driving a distance in heavy traffic to and from a very long work day in a professional career now coming to an end.  Physical balance was affected greatly.

I have been told by the cousin as well as his wife, that I my being there has been a great help to each of them in different ways.  And I assured them that their hosting me for this length of time was of benefit to me, also.   It had been past due time for me to get out from under the young family I was previously staying with while familiarizing myself with an area and its real estate market and seeking the next place to "be" for whatever time on earth the Lord wills me to remain.

Phases in life come and pass.  The phases of this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit have been short, recently: more temporary than most phases when we consider being in a place as part of a phase.  But there are various ways to view and examine "phases" in our lives.  There may be temporal phases of location, physical phases of health, emotional phases of relationships, mental phases of education, work, interactions, and spiritual phases of soul school and growth in virtues and close, loving relationship with His Real Presence--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Today, for me, begins a new phase of temporal being.  Yes, each day on earth can be viewed as a new phase; but today is a new phase of greater magnitude as it will mean a temporal stability in locale and place to be, to exist, to enter once again into the silence of solitude as a consecrated eremite.  Tonight, barring some lifting out of life by God should He choose my earthly passing today, I will be sleeping on the floor of the next hermitage, Solus Deus: God Alone.

As I consider the great faith of the Syrophonecian woman depicted in today's Gospel reading for the Holy Mass, I pray that I might have that depth of faith and trust in the Lord to heal all wounds of body, heart, mind and spirit in those I know and love, and in those unknown to me on this earth.  I pray for healing for myself, and for the person--a stranger at first but no longer--with whom I've been staying for two nights while waiting to complete the necessary transactions one enters into when securing a place to live.

Being a hermit in the 21st century requires learning to consider the present moment in that a hermit of the fifth century or any previous time period, had to live according to the present moments of their society, laws, and cultures yet to remain true to their God-called way of eremitic life and live out their hiddenness and prayerful existences in praise of God to the best of their abilities and situations.

I know not what will be in this next phase, other than where I will physically be, finally, in Solus Deus, unpacking over time the books by which I learn increasingly from the great spiritual masters--hermits, mystics, spiritual directors, holy men and women who wrote of their lives, experiences and knowledge with and of God.  I will once more be in the solitude of silence, better able to live the hours of the day without considering them, yet with the rhythm of the Divine Office, interspersed with some manual labor, and always, of course, with my bodily suffering forming the greatest link of love with the Beloved, Jesus Christ, every holding onto Him in his crucified suffering.

I have another MRI coming up soon--this one of the thoracic spine.  And then, there will be a review with the doctor, and a referral to a surgeon to determine what surgery might help alleviate the difficulties that have arisen over the years, causing increasing pain and threatening proper use of limbs.  My damaged spine has taken a lot of hard use and has served me well in the temporal and spiritual phases of my life since the accident at age 33--my earthly, bodily crucifixion, of sorts.

Solus Deus will be a fascinating hermitage.  The way in which it all came to be and fell into place is, as God always has such aspects--miraculous in the unfolding.  How smoothly it all transpired.  I pray that I consider how phases--one after another--when willed by God seem so meant to be and flow smoothly and often rapidly, after lengths of seemingly torturous seeking and waiting.  

I asked God to choose the hermitage, and indeed He has.  I am not naive to think that there will not be soul school a plenty, nor freedom from suffering in Solus Deus.  But God Alone knows, and God is through me, with me, in me, as I am in Him, remaining in His Love on this temporal day on earth which we celebrate as St. Valentine's Day--a celebration of love of one another and love of God--lest anyone on earth forget that "God Is Love."

Catholic Hermit: Finishing the Race

Been in yet another excruciating pain siege.  The usual phases occurred, replete with black outs, nightmares, inability to get up; then the day of emotions and temptation to great discouragement which signals a turning point, as the progression to being able to get up and get going.  Yesterday, the sense of fainting left, late morning.  The back was still quite sickening with radiating pain, but the electrician was here, and what an encouragement to have the electrical tasks finished.

He is a good soul, and I marvel at how we made connection nearly five years ago.  He has been a gift from God, truly.  In fact, I am astounded by all the miraculous interventions and assistances the Lord has provided in this process of trying to finish the renovation of this old farm house, to get myself out of what I got into without realizing the pitfalls prior.

Jean Patrick has cleared a day out of his work and classes schedule, to come help on Memorial Day, Monday.  The young lad has not been here for a week, and it is best he not come after school as he is too tired and I cannot keep up the pace given that I tried to do interior manual labor as well as exterior in order to have something ready that he was willing and able to do (with my always needing to work with him).  He is simply too young in whatever ways, and too weak, to do the tasks I need help with--mostly yard work.  It is easy enough to shovel bark mulch off the truck and into wheelbarrow, and to then spread it; but even at that he was slow and weary at his tasks, with my becoming weary just in trying to keep him motivated to hustle a bit, put some energy behind it.

Obviously, he liked the idea of having a job and earning a very good hourly wage, but the work itself, and working--not so much.  When he is older, he will learn more about work ethic; I tried to train him even to shovel a full scoop and to fill the wheelbarrow rather than leave it at one-third full.  But the next time he came, he was back to the lesser way, the weaker way, the more time-consuming way.

I have considered St. Paul's words regarding running the race.  It is true that we first must consciously be in the race, to live our lives as fully as possible, revering God and the life He has given us.  While we are in the race, we may or may not be running it.  And as to winning the race, most of us hope and pray to simply finish the race.  

I'm dragging to the finish line--or I should say "toward" the finish line.

Sometimes I wonder if this race is what God truly wants me to have participated in.  And then I consider that it is not the type of race that matters, but the way in which we approach and live out the various "races" in our temporal-spiritual existences.  When we can sprint or distance run, all well and good.  When we must walk, fine.  When we must crawl, we crawl; and when we fall or faint, we drag ourselves or are dragged  or picked up and lugged over the finish line.

If we collapse in the race, even then we are carried off.  There is still a forward effort, a finishing of the race even if we did not finish it in the way the others did or do.  There is still a conclusion of sorts.  And then there is a forward movement after, whether we are physically dead or alive.  There is always an unfolding for us--always and ever more.

Increasingly, I have been pondering the purpose, and asking the Lord to remind me of my mission which of course is of God, of His will, His love.  The means of union with God do include as our training, the efforts and situations we have in this world, notably with others even if as a hermit, not so much physically with others.  One may be spiritually with others as much as in the temporal as with those on the other side of the temporal, of this earth, of flesh and bone, time, matter, earthly existence.

Today's efforts include countering the earth's elements.  In my little spot, we've not had noticeable rain in a month.  I must today get started in hooking up the hose to soaker hoses, some of which need mending and replacing near trees and plants after having been moved in the weeding and mulch-spreading process.  And today's race, or lap of the race, includes limping with this body.  While over the worst of this recent pain siege, the body pushed yesterday, which is part of running a race.  We tend to push ourselves onward, praying all the while for the stamina and will to add extra impetus to the forward-propelling motion while very much aware of the wisdom and reality, the truth, that we remain in actuality in present moments.

Finishing this particular hermitage completion race is a ways off.  And there are always more races to run: metaphorically, actually, temporally, spiritually.  I'm recognizing that the most important race, the race of our souls throughout life eternal, is not going to have a finish line, not really.  Eternity continuously and continually unfolds.  The hoped-for and desired progression is toward union with God, but do we end or finish when we have been blessed with attaining this union, or are there yet more degrees of union, or further events and gradations of union?

Does love (of which God is love), have a finish line?  

While in the temporal or finite aspects of life's "races", there are types of finish lines, and the effect we may have of finishing a race and many races, there is always more.  Participating in the race and finishing the race varies yet are each a necessary part of living temporally and spiritually.

When we finish one aspect regardless if seemingly temporal more than spiritual, or more spiritual than temporal, there is another, and then another.  Love metamorphoses as do our souls which desire and pray to remain in Christ's love.  Love seems to be the key to running and finishing.

I must now rise and see about some very hot green tea to try to help clear the spinal headache that other medications have not quite tamed to a functioning point.  Yet love will be my focus in today's race of more manual labor, prayer, and each with Christ love as spiritual infusion.

God bless His Real Presence in us!

Catholic Hermit Shares Einstein Quote

Saw this and wished it were the reason for the obstacles I keep encountering.  I pray I have a great spirit, that the Holy Spirit is with me, filling me.  I so hope and pray for this, out of love of the Holy Spirit, of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

I hope and pray each of you dear readers is a great spirit, as well, filled full of the Holy Spirit today and always!

Have been praying and praying for a prayer mission, amidst having to remove grout from tiles that ended up drying several shades too light.  Of course.  At least I was able to get it out after spending a lot of God's gift of time trying to stain it slightly darker, which made it look not so great....

Then I was fortunately to be able to pop up some set larger tiles in little laundry area (under construction/renovation).  I set them but realized this morning that trying to combine some tiles that I hoped would blend in with some extra tiles that were not enough to do the full task, just don't look good aesthetically.  Got the dried mortar all scraped up. Fortunately I have some good-deal tile in pole barn that I picked up a couple years ago.  Not my first choice for the space, but plenty.  And as the Holy Spirit would provide, they fit in amazingly well so will have very few tile cuts.

Anyway, here is the Einstein quote.  I consider that the devil and his legions and minions are mediocre in mind and all other aspects.  The Light of the Holy Spirit and God-Is-Love dispels all darkness and mediocrity!  God bless His Real Presence in us!

Catholic Hermit: God's Law

Romans 13:8-12 provides all this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit needs in the next phase of spiritual growth, spiritual life, interior movement (and exterior) in climbing the stairway to Heaven.  These words of the Living Word of God pare to the simple...and the simply profound truth!

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

"The commandments, 
'You shall not commit adultery;
you shall not kill;
you shall not steal;
you shall not covet,'
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law."

I emboldened the words that I shall carry with me today.  Am back in civilization, having been called back to help with the situation requiring loving effort and teamwork in time of others' need.

Remember the fulfillment of the law.  Love others.  Love is the fulfillment of the law.

Perfection in love!  All else can be determined, ruled, enacted under this fulfillment of God's law.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us LOVE!  God Is Love!  Remain in His Love!

Catholic Hermit Loves Discerning What Matters to God!

Ever since reading in the Gospel, Jesus reminding us to seek and store up the riches that "matter to God," the joy of discerning what matters to Him in daily life, abounds!

Now, do kitchen cabinets matter to God?

Here's the scenario.  I have been working for nearly two years on a kitchen for this hermitage.  My personal standard, bequeathed to me by my spiritual father years ago and inspired to him by God, remains:  Omnia pro Deo!  All for God!  Over time, of course, Jesus' Words, "Remain in My Love," uphold the standard.  Do all for God while remaining in His Love.

There have been some quality issues with some of the cabinets.  Nearly 11 months ago, this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit brought the list of problems to D (the kind, Christian, cabinet employee) at Lowe's.  First, the cabinet factory rep's dad was in the hospital; D felt he needed to wait and consult with him over the list of fixable issues.  This hermit waited and promised prayers for the rep's dad.

A couple months later, the excuse (probably a good one for a reasonable amount of time off-job) was that the rep had broken his ankle.  Oh, all right.  So this hermit waited and promised prayers for the rep's ankle to heal.  Then a couple months later it was that the rep's dad had taken ill again.  Oh, my, that is not good. But this hermit pointed out that surely the rep would be back at work.  We all have illnesses, family personal traumas, and still do our daily duties.

Then after months of various excuses and delays, according to D the employee who also seemed to be in a terrible hurry anytime this hermit would try to discuss the cabinet issues with him and ask for timely resolutions--another cabinet issue occurred.  This time it had to do with a cabinet C had ordered that is above the range and under which the microwave is to be mounted.  

Finally the hermit had a generous offer from a long-time friend who happened to be visiting with her husband for a few weeks, in the area.  She offered that David would come and install the microwave.  The hermit had waited patiently for months and months, for someone to help with this task!  God provides!

When the microwave was mounted, we realized the cabinet above was far too short.  The microwave thus was at an unsafe height--not code and dangerous for removing hot items.  Too high up.  So the hermit contacted Lowe's; D was out on vacation. The other cabinet employee said it must have been D's oversight and could order another cabinet of the proper height.  When D returned from vacation, this hermit requested this correction.

But for the next several months, D would either say he would order the cabinet, or at other times say he had to talk it over with the rep to figure out the matter.  The hermit always included the other cabinet issues that had lain fallow and forgotten, seemingly, other than when brought forth before the cabinet employee.  The hermit even contacted the store manager, requesting he contact the factory rep, or the factory, to find out why their rep has not been able to function at his job, evidently, since before Christmas last.  The manager assured that he would have D get the cabinet issues resolved.

But no.  More time lapsed, more excuses given, more promises not kept.  Finally, the appliance department got involved because the microwave that the hermit's friend installed, had a dent in it, right out of the box.  Lowe's, of course, accepted it back and hermit bought a new one.  The delivery was being held until the correct cabinet, presumably now ordered, came in.  

Then the other day came a call from D, after the delivery person had informed the hermit the cabinet had indeed been ordered a couple weeks ago.  D had the unfortunate news that the cabinet company no longer makes that cabinet and not in that finish, either, and that Lowe's no longer deals with that company but now has a new and different cabinet company.  

Well, while it is true that God does not care about cabinets, this flabbergasted, consecrated, Catholic hermit had to laugh--and then to entertain the thought of justifiable anger.  But no, with all the work yet to be done and trying to paint the house exterior, there is no purpose in wasting emotion and energy on even justifiable anger.  But a phone call to the store manager was in order, for obviously D was incapable for whatever reasons, of serving the needs of his customer.  The hermit had three viable solutions to what now is a more serious problem, for it pointed out how many thousands of dollars are on the Lowe's loan, being dutifully paid monthly, and the kitchen's viability in kind with the cost, is in jeopardy.

A meeting of the hermit, the cabinet manager, and D was to occur at the store.  The hermit sent an email to D of the problems, the issues, and the three viable solutions, adding a fourth extreme one in case none of the others (at cost to Lowe's) would not work out.  The hermit let D know that management was engaged because he had procrastinated and evidently could not solve the problems on his own, thus help from perhaps those who could make decisions and make straight the mess.

Then the hermit decided to share with D, the exercise of what matters to God.  After all, he and the hermit had become friends of sorts, and spoke of our shared Christian beliefs over the course of the cabinet journey.  No, the cabinets do not matter to God.  But what does seem to matter to God is truth, beauty, goodness, and justice.  

What matters to God from His nothing consecrated Catholic hermit is to always do its best, all for God, and also for others.  While the hermit cannot afford to remain in this place after hopefully making it salable, others will live here.  They deserve what is done properly and prayerfully--in truth, beauty, and goodness... and to love to learn to love God's law of Love. 

The hermit has been far too patient in the cabinet journey.  Apologies to D for having let him procrastinate, and now to what will be more of a problem for him and for Lowe's than had he simply ordered the cabinet months ago.  As for the other cabinet issues, who knows if and when they can be addressed?  And again, the cabinets do not matter to God.  The process matters, and there is the all-important aspect of love that matters.

What matters to God most is love:  Love of God and love of others.  There is much love in the transactions with the cabinets and with D and the manager, and with R in plumbing who has taught the hermit so much about plumbing, and with J and T and R in tools who have taught the hermit so much about tools and how to use them.  There is much love in the transactions with C and D and M and another two D's at the lumber yard--men who have taught this hermit much about construction and what products to purchase and how to use them to make truth, beauty, and goodness exude from this hermitage.  They each and all at times have also encouraged this hermit, lovingly, to persevere despite many hardships.

Now D asks the hermit to drive a distance to bring a sample of the cabinet finish.  He is at least now working on trying to solve the problem.  He thinks perhaps the company with which Lowe's no longer does business, might agree to make the proper size cabinet in proper finish.  This hermit is not convinced but in keeping with omnia pro Deo, is holding positive and trusting thoughts and much love.  God will provide.

Of course, kept quietly in mind, is the hermit's own last-ditch solution if others choose not to follow what matters to God of truth, beauty, goodness, justice, and love of doing best and all for God.  But the tangibles will not matter to God even though the back-up plan will devalue the kitchen.  How does this hermit know, anyway, that maybe God sees in advance that a microwave above the stove is not what He wants?  Perhaps He sees that some future occupant or even the hermit while still here, might drop something out of an over-range microwave and break the range top glass?

What matters to God in every encounter and situation and thought in every present moment of our lives, day and night, is the law of God, the law of His Will, the law of His Love.  What fun it is to ask and listen, to discern and to practice, what matters to God in all of our lives, especially in our spiritual lives.

God bless His Real Presence in us!

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 on How We Can Miss the Point

Today's Scripture readings [Luke 11:47-54, Romans 3:21-30] tell us why, especially many Catholics, miss the point.

Many Catholics, even those in the Consecrated Life of the Church, are ensnared in a form of legalism in which they have a personality inclination to think linearly and temporally.  The need to justify and be justified, themselves, is stronger than and has become confused with the freedom in faith, hope, and love that Jesus manifested as the way to the Father--His Way.

Jesus is quite firm and strong in His warning to those who miss His point.  "Woe to you, scholars of the law!  You have taken away the key to knowledge.  You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter."

Jesus came, however, not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.  This means He came to manifest what is the heavenly law, the law of love.

When some of various faith traditions add to laws and increase them, and worse, become consumed with the level of thinking and living out their lives with what comes down to self-justifying by adherence to laws that were never actually created by God and especially not manifested by Him nor encouraged, mentioned, nor emphasized by Him in HIs own living out of life when on this earth, they not only burden themselves and keep themselves from entering into the fullness of His Real Presence, but their focus misses the point.

Jesus knew in His earthly lifetime and warned about those who speak, write, and insist upon hair-splitting words, facts, and trying to interject their own narcissistic need to justify themselves in-to laws.  Some also create new laws in order to justify themselves to themselves as well as to others.  These miss the point of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.  They miss the point of God is love by placing millstones not only around their own necks, but they tend to first consider the laws they create and multiply, as they think they pertain to other persons who do not accede to the laws they create and desire others to follow.

The laws become so important to them, yet they increasingly are hindered by their own interpretation of laws in attempts to justify their positions and superiority they may claim as a result of the overly or misinterpreted laws.  This can lead to their in essence interfering (or being tempted to interfere) with the simplicity and freedom that Jesus desires for others to follow Him in the truth, beauty, and goodness of the mystery of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We each and all can falter in these aspects of becoming enamored with laws, especially with the appeal of ecclesial laws when some find they can influence and nuance laws already simply stated, or make up laws anew by setting precedent or bloviating repeatedly some notion, or by interpreting laws in the way they desire, in order to justify their positions.

It is not that the laws themselves are the culprits.  The millstones do not do damage, do not drown the mind, heart, and spirit in and of themselves.  The damage and danger to spiritual life come when a person or many persons begin to add to the millstones [laws], make them heavier by globbing on more stones with concrete, and by hanging them, one atop another, on situations and persons, even upon themselves, thinking the more laws the better.  What is worse is when people misinterpret or otherwise use millstones [laws] for purposes not intended nor actually necessary for the work of souls:  Love.

People who augment laws and make them into millstones of detrimental outcome surely do so without realizing they themselves are causing the interference with spiritual progression and the freedom to follow Jesus in truth, beauty, and goodness.  Mercy, this can be ourselves as culprits!  

Jesus saw and sees the problem and expressed it clearly, even forcefully as the warning it is and is meant to be.  Certain personality and temperament types seem more prone to try to (and in some cases succeed at minimum to their own detriment) take away the key to knowledge--a knowledge of His Real Presence that is beyond the temporal and ecclesial laws.  They do so from unrecognized self-needs, it would seem.  They mean well, surely, just as the high priests, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees in Jesus' time sincerely thought they were doing as required by the law....  

However, we know from Jesus' pointing them out to us in His Living Word, that those who place much emphasis and also judge others with emphasis and/or skewed interpretation of laws which they impose upon themselves and others, have some kind of unhealthy need to perceive themselves  as superior and righteous--according to their views of the laws.

Jesus made quite clear these legal scholars, creators, promoters, and adjudicators of the temple/religious laws were and are the culprits.  He makes clear He desires love, not legalism, as the priority and our path to His Heart.  He does not say to abolish the laws but rather to fulfill the holy, spiritual, the mystical, the very temporally applicable law of God Is Love.

Who Is God?  Where Is God?  What Is God Is Love?  How do we remain in His Love?  How does the human soul manifest itself as and in His Love?  These are more the questions and concerns of which our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits need to be grasping, focusing upon, and striving to find and live out in holy, Christ-lived answers.  It is in faith, not laws--not even well-written and predicated Canon Laws, that our souls are justified in Christ Jesus, in God the Father, in the Holy Spirit:  His Real Presence.  

An truly, there are some parameters and guides that help us not only as individuals but as the Body of Christ, as well as in our faith traditions and in His Living Word.  It is in all these written and accessible but also very much in God's will that we may find His help in remaining in His Love.  But it is mostly in and by His Grace and in embracing the theological virtues of faith, hope and love--that we attain the knowledge of which Jesus speaks, and of which we enter into Him now and for all eternity.  

Perhaps, lest we think that some of the laws are to be ignored, we may note the Ten Commandments are key laws and have been for ages, and then perfected by Jesus' Greatest Command of Loving One Another.  It is best to remind ourselves that we miss the point manifested in Christ and by Christ which rises far beyond where other laws can place us.  This point lies far within, as well--deeply within the abode of the Father and Son taking up and consuming, as life and love, within us.  Not I who lives, but Christ's Life and Love, lives as One in us.  

Basic laws help guide us in our temporal lives and help form our consciences, our minds, our wills.  But there comes a place in our soul life's progression when we being to yearn for that which is less tangible, less bounded in temporal means.  The soul yearns for that which is not easily scripted and not adjudicated nor embellished nor interpreted by us mere mortals, no matter how brilliant in church legal scholarship, doctrine, or theology we may think we may be.  That for which we yearn goes beyond what we are humanly able to expound upon, and that for good reason.  

Jesus wants us to enter into His Real Presence in a way that is His Way.  This form of entering into Him cannot be secured by even the finest attention to detail or point in Catholic Canon Laws, no matter how beneficial in temporal or pointing to spiritual aspects  some laws may indeed be.  These church laws may guide and secure a semblance of unity and form in detail through passages in time of mankind--in ways temporally and even attempting to spiritually delineate, other than do the Ten Commandments and Jesus Greatest Commandment of Love.  

(As Catherine of Siena gently, knowingly, and smilingly explained to me early on in my own attempts to follow all the various laws and rules in what was then rather new in detail to me of temporal church laws:  The soul's seeking and finding its life in Christ is not to be found by following any set rules or formula.)  

Regardless how much we can read the very clear words in of what exactly Jesus says in His Living Word, no matter how many ways He speaks, or of what St. Paul and other holy Apostles write, there will always be those who argue the point and will continue to ignore the "woe" of which Jesus warns.  There is no explaining nor length of debate that will illuminate those who cannot see.  

Thomas Aquinas experienced a profound, spiritual "seeing" toward the end of his life--after years spent consumed in studying, analyzing, developing, and detailing theology and ecclesial laws.  In his own conclusion following his great "awakening", he regarded the years and brilliant words written as "mere straw."

All we seekers of his Real Presence can do is to pray and continue on.  We must pray that we do not fall to the "woe" of legalism.  We must progress in the theological virtues of faith, hope and love, casting out into the deep of the great unknowing of God.  Jesus leads; we follow.  At and in some phase in our spiritual progression and definitely at death, we will each and all taste of what we might have consumed or more fullness of what we did briefly taste, earlier, while yet on this earth--had it not been for our missing His point.

~Finished another coat of woodwork paint.  Went out with daughter and grandson on final day in civilization.  We ran the errands, procuring items needed for their household and the allergy shots for both daughter and grandson.  He is homeschooled, including in Christian education.  Thus, he has flexible scheduling.  Being a few years above grade level, helps be able to instruct in various settings, including in car and doctor's office.  We returned, finished some tasks, continued on in the daily life routine.  

All the while this Catholic consecrated hermit did not think about so much at all the Canon Laws and Institutes of the Church detailing why it is a consecrated Catholic hermit nor of the actual vows professed years ago, but rather pondered the love of Christ for my soul and my soul's love for Christ.  I pondered and tried to live out the law of God's love for us and our love in God for one another in each situation, person, and even animal encountered. This morning will load up and return to the desert where I will continue pondering His Real Presence, loving Him, and in truth, beauty, goodness to follow His commands.  They are not too complicated--but woe, they are not easy other than when yoked in His All--fully accepting my nothingness to His All.~

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another but not be ones who stop ourselves or others from entering into knowledge of His Real Presence.  Keep the faith, hope, and love in its mystery: alive!

[*Sorry about the above white background on some paragraphs.  It is not of my attempting any sort of emphasis.  I have tried to remove it, but have not been successful despite various attempts.  It is one of those aspects that, thus, is not of particular importance to put more effort into the temporal appearance.  Maybe there is something in the thoughts that might be enhanced and helpful.  Who knows?]

Catholic Hermit: Called to Be Holy

Today the universal church begins, together, proclaiming and pondering St. Paul's "Letter to the Romans."  These lines stand out, having awakened this morning remembering my mother's passing on this day 11 years ago.  I reflected upon her lovely life and her recommitment to Jesus Christ toward the end of her life after exploring a bit off the narrow path.  The Lord called her back, better then ever before!  

Last evening I watched a couple or so video clips of old "What's My Line" television programs.  I recall them from childhood and found myself laughing aloud in the hermitage--some much-needed laughter after some deep, inner questioning and praying for the Lord's guidance and will in various matters.  Yes, I saw Jesus in the laughter; I saw Him in the decorum of people, recalling the 50's and '60's before the yawing opening of our society to more an "anything goes" attitude.

It is not as if sin did not exist prior.  Of course not!  But people more attempted a refinement of loveliness and decency, at least externally.  And the external is a reflection of the internal, as the internal also illuminates through the external.

It is as if a weight has lifted from this hermit, a Catholic, a Catholic professed and avowed for this lifetime in the Consecrated Life of the Church--and more so, espoused and betrothed to Jesus Christ for now and all eternity.

The hermit's young helper's mother returned the call yesterday.

I was able to smooth things over, to apologize, to explain that when I am in Mass and in the very deep mystical state, that all is fresh, clear, raw, unfiltered truth.  In no way would I ever flee from Mass in horror if in the conscious, filtered, temporal state.  Like those before who shielded their inner problems (TV contestant Dorothy Kilgallen had a drinking and infidelity problem but masked it, as another side of her was decent, loving, warm, intelligent, and refined), I would have, during Mass if a priest or some other person did something that was distracting or off-point and off-kilter, simply ignored it and turned the thoughts to Scripture, to Jesus, until the disturbance had passed.

My spiritual father has ordered me not to return to the parish, nor to try to help or talk with the priest, nor to alert the diocese for they already know the situation and are handling it in the way that works best for them. (In God's will, He will take care of the priest and the parishioners over time, in His own way.  There is always opportunity for deeper conversions.)

And that is where this hermit's soul is, now, in the Order of the Present Moment.  I am at a point of deeper conversion.  My rule of life presents itself more than ever: to follow the Gospel Rule.  As a fellow Catholic hermit of yore discovered, the Gospel rule is the perfect rule of life for hermits and for anyone.  So within the Gospel Rule, within the Living Word of God, I am trying to live a life of love, utilizing the Nine S' to support and engage living the Gospel in the Order of the Present Moment.

Silence.  Solitude.  Slowness.  Suffering.  Selflessness.  Simplicity.  Stability.  Stillness.  Serenity.

There will be no more parishes in the foreseeable future.  I was able to explain to the helper's dear mother, that I do not desire to see through situations, through people.  Yes, if all is good, it is bliss.  If not, it is horrific hell to endure.  I have been trying very hard to do as the temporal Catholic rules and laws ask--and then a long-time friend who visited last week reminded me that for centuries, Catholics received Communion once a year....

I have been, with the help of priests and a specialist with the paranormal, trying to figure out what God wills with this rather rare mystical ecstasy at any and every Mass.  I have not so much considered that He wills me to a greater silence of solitude of being with Him.  I had ignored five visions and dreams with locutions (messages) directly advising me that I do not belong to the world of parishes anymore.  The first was within two years of becoming a Catholic!  Since it did not seem to jive with the norm, for I was not in the consecrated part of the Church as religious brothers and sisters, all along I have continued to try to go to Mass in parishes--with rather difficult outcomes.

No one is to blame other than me, I do agree!  I have been not paying attention to the signs, to the messages, to the dreams and visions.  And it was all right to do so because there is this gift called discernment that we must cooperate with fully--not lean unto our own understanding but seek the guidance of wise others and also then seek affirmation and confirmation from the Lord in His Living Word and in His guidance of our souls, in every present moment.

His ways are beyond our understanding and knowledge, for the most part.  What is asked of us it to have complete faith in Him, and to receive the peace He bequeaths.  The peace of the Holy Spirit is always a very good sign that nothing other can replicate--His abiding peace!  Abiding.

We can detect sin in ourselves and others when there is ugliness, envy, pride, vindictiveness, treachery, deception, bickering, detraction, wrong-judging.

I do not want to be in any of these categories.  That is not my nature and never has been.  This morning I feel a cleansing from my sins and a sense of light and love and being lifted out of what I had tried so hard to figure out, to go along with, to be a part of that which the Lord had me pass through, benefit, and then have my angel take me to the Stairway to Heaven.  The Mass is the Stairway, with all its beauty and wonder.  But what is in the Mass?

The Sacraments, all of them, and His Living Word are in the Mass.  The life, death, and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ are in the Mass.  The passageway between the temporal and into the eternal mystical, union with God, are in the Mass.  And the Mass goes beyond the time and place.  In the Mass, we are sent out to take His Real Presence into life and into lives temporally and mystically, now and forever.

Although not the norm according to the temporal rules which are very good indeed but Jesus is clear that no temporal rule is necessarily eternal, there is the Gospel Rule of Life, of abiding in Him and He abiding in us, that transcends.  Many canonized hermits and saints came to this, and usually through much persecution and with negative judging by others.  Yet they persevered.

Yesterday I was thinking again about John of the Cross and Padre Pio.  They did not leave off their vocations or their temporal names in religious life, nor no longer consider themselves to be Catholic.  Rather, they more deeply understood their vocations, their roles, their Catholicism and very much so their Christianity as followers of Jesus Christ.

So it is with this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit.  Yes, I could use the name I had in religious life, even if I did not remain in that community.  I could go by Pio of the Wounded Heart.  But that is so very temporal, and as a hermit, I am not the same as John of the Cross or Padre Pio.  I am called to be hidden, and to more know the name by which I will be called in heaven, a name told me by the Lord some 19 years ago this fall during a bit of a taste of heaven in the here and now.

But even that, remains a name for heaven, not for my hermit life.  No, I am simply a consecrated Catholic hermit. That is more than enough name.  It reminds me of my vows, of my life and place in the Catholic Church, and of my vocation as an eremite.  And my given name, thought of by my late mother before I was born and gifted on the day of birth, means "gift of God."  That is beautiful!

I thank my mother many times over today, for her lovely life and her loving me and nurturing, protecting, and holding out all kinds of hope in what I might accomplish in life, to do good, to love, to thrive.  She instilled in me a love of God, of Jesus, of the Holy Spirit!  I have already this morning apologized deeply for the bungles I made and still make!  But love transcends our errors when we are sorry, and when we so want to do much good in Christ.  To be holy--that is the desire of this heart!

Through Him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of His name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
--from Romans 1

God bless His Real Presence in me, in you, in us!  Little children, let us love one another for God Is Love!  Accept, embrace, feel, reflect, and share His Love with Him and each other! 

Think, Talk, Walk in Love

All morning the nothing Catholic hermit has been thinking about various people who come to mind.  These are the someones of whom this hermit must love--no, is allowed to have the privilege of loving. 

Love is most certainly the greatest gift we are given and may and can give to God and others.  As St. Bernard explains, if we love God in Himself, we are loving all of Him which includes all His created Thought and Being, which means all creatures, which means all of us, living and on the other side, and all the angels of light and darkness.  God loves.  God Is Love.

Of course, not all creatures and spirits love God.

This morning, then, several persons came to mind who have been challenges to love for one reason or another.  Unkindness, mostly, was the difficulty with some who came to mind.  However, the realities of how some people treat others in this life, are marvelous practice pieces of learning Divine Love.  Yes, through, with, and in His Real Presence (Who has His abode in us--in this hidden, tuckered out hermit this morning and right now!--could turn any love challenges into love because of His grace to do so.

Love is quite a powerful gift we are given, and it is downright fun to utilize this power in thoughts.

It is yet another practice and gift to love with our tongues.  Yes, take those thoughts of love which powerfully have overcome any negativity (and we all have our ugliness that create challenges to others loving us and us loving others), and be loving in words uttered among others, to others, for others.  This may include writing loving notes to people, loving emails to others, loving comments on Facebook and Twitter.

Finally, it is a workout (as much or more than all the old wood planks the old hermit pry-barred and demo'd out of the ceiling spots and remaining walls) to utilize the gracious, powerful gift of love when with people, to be loving and to do loving actions in their presence or behind their backs.  (We usually think only of being spiteful or complaining behind another person's back, but just think how we are given the ability and power to be loving behind their backs!)

In a few minutes, after the back stops its spasms of pain, this hermit is going to load up the truck with some supplies for venturing the distance into civilization.  There has been an invitation to help celebrate someone's birthday, a family someone.  This will be the first humans seen in a week!  How strange to realize the hermit has adapted to solitude by the grace of His Real Presence.  It is peaceful and does not at all seem as if no people present in this time frame.

People from this realm and the other side seem so very present to the hermit, especially with the thoughts of love conquering other realities, for truly, not everyone is all that loving to us, and we aren't that loving to them.  That is why St. John the Apostle encourages us to walk in love, to love one another as God loves us.

St. John Climacus mentions we ought to love God as much as we love our friends.  Well, this hermit immediately thought rather it ought to love its friends (and its enemies) as much as it loves God!  God Is so always very good and loving to this hermit, and Is so perfect and magnanimous, that loving Him seems easier than loving others or even itself.

The hermit has been asked to bake the birthday cake of which the birthday someone has chosen a recipe.  Should be interesting and fodder for more loving thoughts, talk, and walk.  

Yes, there may be strains or comments or who-knows-what for we never do know what others are experiencing in their day.  Perhaps they are tired, or frustrated, or working too hard, or coming down with a cold, or misbehaving for any number of reasons. Perhaps they are stressed from financial losses, or uncertain about our country's woes. 

Even this hermit may struggle with grumpiness due to the manual labor today, or the too-soft bed there that causes excessive left hip pain.  Well, allow love to take over any grumpiness and any added pain.  Love sleeping on the floor if need-be!  Let love take over.  Think, talk, and walk in love.

Yet, we are given the power of LOVE!  No matter what other someones are feeling or expressing that may not exude love, we CAN!  

Am praying and will keep praying for His Real Presence to absorb this hermit into His omnipotent, omniscient, eternal LOVE, and in His Love, think, talk and walk in love for Him and for others.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another and remain in His Love, always.

Amazing, Another Hymn Gifted Today

It is all so easy, so simple.  I recall years ago when His Real Presence started opening more my awareness of His presence, guidance, love, mercy, healing and friendship interacting always.  At first some thought or glimpse or sound of the inner senses I'd brush away, thinking, "Naw, that is nothing."  But He pursued me, in a way, and I started to realize that what was not, truly was and IS His Real Presence touching, embracing, whispering, presenting Himself.  Such a gentle Lover!

This morning I awoke, and the music to this hymn flowed through my being.  The only words I caught from the flow were "God is love, God is love."  Then as the tune through me again, I heard "all ye little children."  These were enough to do a Google search.  Listening to it on YouTube verified the tune.  It is a known children's hymn, author unknown but the music was written by British Baptist minister, Carey Bonner in 1904.

When hymns are given me at the start of the day, it is a message from His Real Presence.  The words themselves are a message; but the music aspect rather than His giving only a word message, is to tell me to lift the mind and heart to a higher level of communication.  Music and art are communications of a different level and mode of glorifying God.  Just as poetry is a higher form of verbal and written communication, music and art require a higher mode of interpretation through senses and symbol.  

Music can be quite healing as it takes the outer and inner "eyes" from the thinking effort and allows the inner and outer ear to absorb the benefit without much effort of the mind.  Especially with the following hymn's simple words of love and the touch of the Apostle John's oft-repeated sentiment, "Little children, let us love another."

It is said that when John was on Patmos and after, in his last years, he typically and repetitively addressed others directly with the greeting, "Little children."  We find this in the Letters of John in Scripture.

I pray that many of you are asking His Real Presence for a hymn.  The angels sing praise hymns in heaven, and when we begin to fathom that His Real Presence has made His abode in us, and that we are in Him, right now, always, we can begin to grasp that we may experience heaven on earth.  Who knows but that an angel is delivering the hymn to us.  

And by hymn, it can be a tune that we connect with some secular song, but the words and intent can very much be God's words and tune to us, or our singing to Him.  We can take any song of love and lift the intention to our love of God or His love of us.  

Music is a glorious communication and praise with God and to God.  The effects of music on our minds, hearts and souls, is the same mode and effect when we learn how to communicate as God and those in heaven communicate, by thought-flashing.  Thought-flashing is the best way I can describe the instantaneous mode of communicating on the other side of the veil separating the temporal from the mystical realms. 

 
I will share later this month, my death experience, and of which the state during Mass is the closest experience to it.  But all of you have experienced thought-flashing, yet perhaps you have not considered it as such.

Now the hymn given this morning (although they can be given at any time, day or night).  This one sets the tone for me, this day.  I hope it will sing in your minds, hearts and souls, too, as praise of His Real Presence and His merciful love and heavenly balm no matter our earthly situations.

 
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.

Love Him, love Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Love Him, love Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.

Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.