Catholic Hermit: Here's Some Happy

Been interesting, lately, to examine that sense I've had of being "happy."  Simple, maybe mundane, often misinterpreted word, is happy.  To me, "happy" varies from the word "joyful."  Happy seems more temporally anchored, somehow, or more aligned, yes, with a sense of contentment.

Happy is something we can take on, maybe acquire to a degree, once we put our minds to it.  Joy has a spiritual element; it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, after all.  One can have joy yet be in terrible suffering, medium suffering, or light suffering.  

One can be happy yet not joyful; but more often it seems, one can be joyful without seeming at all happy.  Joy can be far more interior than is being happy.  I suppose, though, that happy can lead into joy much as verbal prayer can lead into mental prayer, and so forth.

These are just my thoughts; I'm not delving deeply into the comparisons and contrasts, although there are many to be made.  Rather, I will mention that since I've experienced the sense of being "happy" such as I've not felt deeply in years, a friend emailed several days after I'd emailed and explained this re-found sense of happiness--wanting to know if I still had that "happiness thing" going.

In honesty (always the best policy, as is said), I replied that I had grumpiness going on while at the same time was pretty sure the "happy" was still intact but being obscured.  That is not a "happy" experience or thought, for I did notice it and wanted the happy contentment to override it.  But I recounted the various grumpy thoughts and accompanying occasions in which "grumpy" gloated over the "happy".

The thing about "happy" is that so much of it being attitude plus seeming more in the temporal, includes feelings.  Maybe a bulk of it is feelings and attitude as much as verbal prayers are oral and aural.  All the same, "happy" is a most important status for us to have and to hold dear.

I am living proof--the more I did a self-examen--that being happy is not mutually exclusive; one can be grumpy at the same time.  In that, it is similar to joy.  Joy can be glorious and yet be painful.  

(I'm simplifying, I realize.  This week has been happy yet grumpy, with my finally recognizing that the grumpiness was portent of increasing pain.  Today not only the other shoe dropped--the body dropped and has remained on its floor bed other than two times up--once for nourishment and the other for restroom break.)

Today, happy is not so relevant.  Today, joy is the reality, spiritually and temporally, with the temporal, I suppose, then, reflecting a level of being happy.  Yet the happy is so overshadowed by joy, as the suffering always will elevate joy beyond what grumpy ever can reflect upon happy.

The suffering aspect of the bodily pain might also be in a spiritual linkage to the physically painless yet very much death process of my dearest spiritual Father.  It is as if a bulk of my energy, my spark of spirit from the Holy Spirit, is set aside, or ebbed, even though I am hundreds of miles away from where he lays dying.  

The joy, however, is strong, even buoyant, for the happiness  and excitement that I feel and also spiritually know awaits him in this his greatest, peak adventure of his life--more so than the adventure of his birth with all the hope and innocence and desire to partake of temporal life, the soul willing and eager for what is next.

So the happy is still here, within, and remaining locational as well as in my body.  The joy has always been, I realize; except I have not for a long time in my lengthening life, realized that joy can be within the mind, heart, and spirit yet also--a flip-side, as could be said--are suffering, heartbreak, uncertainty, despair.  These attributes can be in happy and in joy.  And both the happy and joy can be enhanced and built up all the more through prayer and the graces God gifts through the Holy Spirit.

I noticed this in The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the other day:

2638  As in the prayer of petition, every event and need can become an offering of thanksgiving.  The letters of St. Paul often begin and end with thanksgiving, and the Lord Jesus is always present in it: "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you"; "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."

I also noticed today in The Catechism, the following:

2642  "[Address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart."  Like the inspired writers of the New Testament, the first Christian communities read the Book of Psalms in a new way, singing in it the mystery of Christ.  In the newness of the Spirit, they also composed hymns and canticles in the light of the unheard-of event that God accomplished in his Son: his incarnation, his death which conquered death, his Resurrection, and Ascension to the right hand of the Father.  Doxology, the praise of God, arises from this "marvelous work" of the whole economy of salvation.

This morning, when someone who has been assisting my spiritual father for awhile, running errands and so forth, put the phone to his ear so I could speak to him, briefly, giving gratitude, encouragement for the joy that lies ahead, assuring I will see him again, expressing my love, reminding he is a priest forever in the Order of Melchizedek, and closing with what he will know as from me, even if he might not recognize my voice.  God bless His Real Presence in you!

I have used that benediction ever since the ecstasies began during Mass, and when more was explained to me mystically about the Mass and more of the reality of His Real Presence and Christ's real presence literally in us.  I have not used it nearly enough with others, but now I know just how important it truly is as a form of doxology--the praise of God and that God is in others and me.

We've all probably heard of the research studies regarding the effects of positive on our physical bodies and in our minds and emotions.  (And surely although perhaps not scientifically easy to test conclusively, surely the studies would include that of the effect in our spirits if not also in our souls.)

It is said that a smile--even a forced one--or a laugh, forced or not--can do marvelous good for our bodies, minds, and emotions.  A smile, or humor, also, can affect positively the bodies, minds, and emotions of others.  The effect on ourselves can be impressively registered as strongly positive.

A cousin just this week called and mentioned hearing on the radio about some research demonstrating that even if we think of what we may be grateful--even little things in our daily lives for the good and even miraculous are all about us if we become aware--that our bodies, minds, and emotions are positively impacted.  Even if we make a list in our minds of just a couple of aspects of good in our lives for which we are grateful and appreciative, the effect registers positively in tests of blood pressure and heart rate and in sense of well-being.

The catch phrase, gratitude is the attitude, comes to mind.  But link that gratitude to and give God the glory--what magnitude of goodness, truth, beauty, and love that stirs and creates within us and spreads to others.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
                         ~Psalm 138:1-2ab

Thus, in closing, I impart to all of you who read my fledgling attempts to fulfill some aspect of my purpose in life (To Glorify God) and fulfill my mission--(Write and share of His Real Presence, it seems as I continue to cast the nets....).

God bless His Real Presence in you--in us!

Postscript:  Here's an example of happy and joy along with pain that could get into grumpy depending on pain rising. A wee knock heard, just now, at the front door of Solus Deus.  Got the pained body up and opened to find a tiny boy standing slightly inside the ajar storm door, looking up at me with the sweetest, doe eyes.  He announced himself as my neighbor, Devon his name.  Walked right in and explored with commentary about what the old neighbor Jim had of interest--after he asked me if I had any toys.  I can see that this will be an evolving twist on my hermit silence of solitude; but hermits are historically and traditionally to be hospitable.  Yet after twenty minutes of delightful chatter and soaking in his darling innocence, I enlisted him to pull to the garage door the two refuse containers, empty, from the curb and appreciated his delight in a quarter--then broke the news that I had to get back down on the floor (yes, he wanted to see my floor bed); my pained back was screaming at me for rest.  I'm sure he'll come again.  I do have some toys packed away, from years past. However, I will need to establish some gentle, non-hermit-revealing time and frequency limits, for visits.  For one thing, my pain levels cannot sustain the energy for such. 

[Note:  I've not forgotten about St. Angela of Foligno's mystical journey to God.  I'm working on her second phase and hope to have it ready to post after this one.]

A Psalm by Which to Live

Ps 105:1-7

O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
   make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
   tell of all his wonderful works.
Glory in his holy name;
   let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Seek the Lord and his strength;
   seek his presence continually.
Remember the wonderful works he has done,
   his miracles, and the judgements he has uttered,
He is the Lord our God;
   his judgements are in all the earth. 

Sometimes we may forget that His Living Word dwells in us, and us in Him, each and every present moment.  Scriptures breathe in us and have meaning and actual being, for they are His Being: living and active and a double-edged sword.  They have soul, for they have His Soul.  And they thus absorb into His Real Presence, our beings and our souls.

This song the other morning caught this hermit's body, mind, heart, and soul.  All of a sudden it realized that these words are alive with the Being and Breath of God.  It is a call to present moment holiness.  Each line gives us instruction in how to live, how to feel, how to be.

Each adjuration, each exhortation, each delight in thought and exclamation, is a plan of life, specifically and essentially. If we took just this Psalm as a guide by which to live one day, we would be living an ultimate, holy purpose:  to glorify God.

Of course, the power of His Living Word exists in the fullness of Scriptures.  It is a joy to remember this truth.  His Real Presence IS the Word.  Since the Most Holy Trinity comes to make His abode in us and invites us to live in Him, we become one with His Living Word.  It enlivens us and breathes through our beings.  And since God Is Love, His Living Word is love, as well.

Living with His Real Presence in His Living Word, daily and nightly, always produces love through, with, and in Him.  The Scriptures are filled with His Real Presence.  Each Scripture has the power and glory of God.  He lives in each, and we may live in Him and share in living and loving within His Living Word.  Then it breathes and speaks love to others in thought, word, and deed.

This is truly simple, is it not?

Let us try to live in His Real Presence and breathe and be and love in His Living Word.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another, for love is of God.  Remain in His Love!

Takes Courage and Love!

It certainly takes courage to return to such difficult living conditions.  However, the rhythm of prayerfully reading the Divine Office--the Psalms, the Scriptures, the hymns and canticles, the prayers--helps immensely to fill the body, mind, heart, and soul with the love necessary to continue forth.

Some errands on the return, while leaving civilization, brought unexpected joys.  Ray at Lowe's assisted in the purchase of some heavy-duty, galvanized chain with which to lock the two gates on the hermitage property.  This hermit considered St. Seraphim the Sarov who was beaten so badly by robbers, that he no longer could remain in his hermitage but had to return to the monastery for the remainder of his earthly life.

The daughter mentioned how fortunate her mother (this hermit!) that the man who was sheltering in the cellar crawl space did not break in and strong arm for cash or medications.  But when he worked here over a year ago, his mind was at simpleton point, and he did not seem prone to violence.  However, one never knows the desperation of one addicted to drugs and without lodging.  In considering the hermit monks up the road who keep their gate locked, it seemed for the best.

Security of one's hermitage in this time period of history, is rather sadly an act of charity, of sorts, to prevent others from breaking laws or doing great harm to their fellow men and women.  This hermit will try the chains for awhile, praying about it.  Somehow it seems rather a strong measure.  If the man had but asked for cellar access, this hermit would have provided better if possible.  There is really no room for anyone to recline other on this bed, but perhaps he could have rested in the gable attic area that is relatively cleared.

Gary at Lowe's called an insulation company to ascertain which insulation might be less rat-attractive.  How kind of him to do that added effort and call to report!  Then, when stopping at Big Lots to purchase some packaged Indian curry that has high protein and is easy to microwave, a huge line formed for the register.  A young woman motioned this hermit ahead of her; but since the Lord has gifted an earthly and eternal amount of time, this hermit commented it was in no hurry, and for her to go first.  No, she said, her name is "Serenity", and she tries to live up to that name.

This opened up a lovely discussion of the Nine S', which she thoroughly appreciated since "serenity" is the ninth S.  [Silence, Solitude, Slowness, Suffering, Selflessness, Simplicity, Stillness, Stability, Serenity.]  In turn, she spoke of how she has learned to accept that she is not in control of her life in major aspects, and thus serenity has been easier to attain and live daily.  The discussion was unusual coming from someone so young.  

His Real Presence was doing all to help this nothing Catholic hermit be girded to drive on, away from civilization, back to the hermitage and the desert in all aspects. awaiting.

Well, the rats were awaiting, as well as a small bird that had come into the hermitage through some high-up openings so small--but birds as well as rats can manage to squish themselves through what we humans would not think possible.  (Is this not appropriate as reminder of the narrow gate, and how few are they who enter and thus enter into the Kingdom of God?  Or how difficult it is to reach spiritual perfection and have union with Christ, such as a camel entering through the eye of a needle--even if that allusion is of a small gate in the walls surrounding Jerusalem?)

Once more, the hermit here tried a new method of blocking a hole through which the rats gain entrance.  They had moved the steel wool stuffed into it, so now have a block of wood plus the steel wool wedged tightly.  The critters had nibbled nicely the rat bait poison left out, and unfortunately this is also a consideration for our time in history. 

A friend had emailed what seemed not as awful as poison, but it sounded dreadful all the same.  Mix dry cement with cornmeal and set water near it.  Supposedly the rats eat the cornmeal-concrete concoction, drink the water, and their stomachs solidify, eventually killing them.  No, it seems best from this hermit's perspective, to have them nibble something that will bring a rapid end.

As for the birds, doors and windows are left open even if cold, and they are verbally encouraged to exit.  How this hermit wishes it were like the hermits of yore, of those who had close alliance with the birds, flies and other critters.  Forget the name of the monk, but the old Da had told of one who had a fly as a friend.  When he would be called away by his superior, from reading the Divine Office, the fly would mark the spot for the hermit monk. 

Alas, the best this hermit has managed thus far in the journey, is to not "freak out" when the rats come inside, not be other than compassionate but taking prudent steps for safety when a human has been poking about and stealing, and to take it in stride that the birds are coming in through one of several possible tiny openings that eventually will be boarded shut.

We are in this together.  Perhaps with more prayer and "serenity", this hermit will have rats and birds and thieves as welcome guests.  But for now, the creatures who are created to live outside must not be allowed in, and those whose lives are riddled by drugs and crime, are better off in a warm, dry place where they hopefully might rehabilitate.  At least this is a hermit's prayer. 

It is a truth that the hermit would be far more physically comfortable in prison than in this hermitage.  A prison provides warmth, food, bed, TV, free education, gym, medical care, simple jobs, time for solitude, a library, and Bible studies.  However, perhaps in time and with much work, this hermitage will be more habitable.  Or not.  In the Order of the Present Moment, one hopes for faith, and in faith exudes love, and in love, rises to each moment in His Real Presence.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another, for God gave His only Son for our salvation!  Remain in His Love!