Catholic Hermits: What Gives?

Yes, what gives?  Who do we really think we are?

This nothing consecrated Catholic hermit noticed and read the writings of a person who listed its own credentials and authority, evidently by virtue of a degree in canon law.  The writer wrote in authoritative mode about Catholic hermits even though the person is not a consecrated Catholic hermit, not a Catholic cleric or prelate; but the person is legitimately in another state of consecrated life in the Catholic Church.  

But many of us Catholic hermits are familiar with those who are in the various states of consecrated Catholic life, as well knowing other consecrated Catholic hermits who have professed their evangelical counsels--some publicly per CL603, and all who have professed them per the institutes of the Catholic Church.  All of these professed eremites are living their consecrated Catholic hermit lives to varying degrees.

What is so amazing is that a small few of people in consecrated life of the Catholic Church, take it upon themselves to write created stipulations and also pass judgment upon who they determine is valid and who is not. It has become sadly hilarious lately, the statements of a couple of these persons, written as if by authority.  A handful of these self-pronounced authorities lend written credibility to one another, back and forth.  Of course, we all realize that friends easily build up one another, but it boils down to personal proclivity and opinion among those of like views.

As to what gives with hermits, one of the persons states (with self-presumed authority) certain ways in which some Catholic hermits live their lives should be legitimate grounds to disqualify, invalidate, preclude them from actually being credible Catholic hermits.  And, in fact, the hermits who are adjudged--by the one who has somehow taken upon itself a presumed mantle as authoritative adjudicator--include also hermits who have professed the evangelical counsels per canon law and are recognized by church law, and their vows received by their diocesan bishop.

So again, what gives?  What are the supposed traits, lifestyles of these adjudged-flagrant Catholic hermits that this person deems would disqualify them from being valid and credible consecrated hermits--even to the point that they should be corrected, disavowed, removed, etc. by his or her bishop from this consecrated state of life as an eremite?

The disqualifying factors include (but by no means limited to, according to the person's estimations) the stipulation that of the hermit's working full time, notably with jobs that are interactive with people.  In fact, any work engaged in by a consecrated hermit that involves interaction with numerous people (according to this self-presumed authority who is not a hermit) obviously advertises that their lives are not being lived--somewhat or predominantly--in silence and solitude. Another aspect that this person states as necessary for living a proper, consecrated Catholic hermit life is to live alone.

And, perhaps some of the person's stipulations do seem reasonable enough, given what is written in Church documents on the institutes per eremitical life in the Church, or also by reflecting upon hermit tradition.  But the fact remains that no such specific listing or parameters of consecrated Catholic hermit life are specified in writing by the Church.  It should be unnecessary to do so, for what is so difficult about understanding the meaning "stricter separation from the world," to be "hidden from the eyes of men," to live a life of "praise of God" in "assiduous prayer and penance," and in "silence and solitude"?  

Stricter, separation, silence, solitude, assiduous, praise, prayer, penance, hidden--each of these words carry with them accessible dictionary definition, synonym, antonym, root word meaning, variations, and use in context with applied meaning.

CL603 hermits who would be, in these persons' self-presumed, esteemed and  credible estimation: not living a valid, proper, credible consecrated Catholic hermit life.  (And some of us, whether or not by Church-granted authority, might jump into the judging and agree.)  As a result, ironically, according to the person writing the specifics as to how a valid, credible, proper, consecrated Catholic hermit ought to live his or her daily life, the young writer-judge effectively invalidates by its own stipulations upon Catholic hermit lifestyle, that its own friend, a consecrated Catholic hermit, would consequentially not be living a proper, consecrated Catholic hermit life and thus ought to be remanded and removed by that hermit's archbishop.  

Why?  Too involved with people, an employee of an entity that has high numbers of people-interaction, is too involved in various external activities, goes out and about with many friends.  

Accordingly, in another example in another diocese, the CL603 hermit would, by the person's stipulations, be disqualified due to living in the family home with the hermit's parents.  (In this instance, other factors presumed by the person to be incongruous for proper hermit life, would include length of time a bishop knows the hermit candidate, the length of time the hermit candidate discerned and practiced the eremitical life prior to professing the counsels publicly, in addition to limited life experience (e.g. young age).

Another example of a hermit who would not live up to the created stipulations is a recently confirmed Catholic whose bishop suggested a Catholic enter consecrated life as a hermit in his diocese.  The person did so.  The bishop received the professed evangelical counsels, the person is recognized by church law, and presumably the archbishop is directing the hermit's proper plan of daily life.  

But putting the standards to actual case, the online-writing, non-hermit presuming to be an authority on the subject of these and other conditions for hermit life--would need to disqualify also this one, too.  This now approved-by-law, consecrated Catholic hermit (per CL603) would not be judged as living a proper hermit life and ought be withdrawn by the same bishop.  In this case, the consecrated Catholic hermit is employed as full-time chaplain at a highly populated college and is actively involved in that on-campus capacity, interacting with hundreds of students, daily.  

Another approved hermit in yet another diocese chooses not to participate in daily Mass.  (It is not known if the person attends Sunday liturgy.)  This has nothing to do with distance to the nearest parish nor with health considerations.  This particular Catholic hermit (who had been living a solitary, consecrated, eremitical life for several years prior to making the profession publicly per CL603 into the hands of the diocesan bishop) explains the reason, in an interview.   The now-publicly professed, consecrated Catholic hermit found it to be more intimate with God, more hidden, and more in keeping with what is spiritually meaningful in the hermit's personal situation and yet to be in union with the Church--by meditating upon the daily Mass Scriptures in solitude in the hermitage, as had been the hermit's practice for several years. The presumptions of one of the hermit-judges would put the validity of this approved Catholic hermit's program of life  in doubt, as well....

And yet there is another current example that ought to confound those presuming to be hermit judges and self-proclaimed determiners of what makes a hermit's life valid and who is valid or not.  This case example involves a hermit who happens to be a priest of many years.  He discerned the eremitical vocation over time and began living the hermit life in retirement.  He considers himself a priest who has a hermit vocation.  At times he is called upon to fill in at parishes, even long-term.  But according to created stipulations by the one self-presumed authority on such matters regarding hermit life, this priest who is living the hermit life, would not qualify, either.  

Should he, also, be remanded and withdrawn as a hermit, and by whom?  He is not living in the diocese of which he had been ordained a priest, many years ago.  Would his legitimate bishop of his diocese of record be the one to do so, or would the bishop of the diocese in which he has his hermitage be the one to disqualify him as a Catholic hermit?  For, the problem with this one would be, according to the self-authorized judge of hermits' stipulations of what is or is not a valid hermit lifestyle is that the priest was asked to step in as priest in a parish for an undesignated period of time.  That would be too much interaction with people, a full-time job--but maybe the judges would determine he was never a valid Catholic hermit to begin with?

So we hopefully can begin to see just how picayune, mind-boggling, distracting, pathetic, dizzy-busy-bodying and approaching scandalous, are the endeavors and outcomes of such negative and wrongly judgmental, Catholic hermit-hunts.  

What are the judges accomplishing in taking it upon themselves to be authorities--not just writing out conditions and specifications which can be a good exercise if done for their own consecrated life reminders, but in doing so with the intent and purpose of determining who is valid or not, who should be withdrawn from the vocation by his or her bishop, who is or is not credible or living the life of a consecrated Catholic hermit according to these very persons' own judgments--based a whole lot on personal opinions, not fact.

What if we fall into this category of Catholic stalkers and hunters, trappers and determiners of who is or is not, this or that, according to varied interpretations of documents and laws and by inventing stipulations if not finding the desired tidbit in the Church documents and laws?  Who do we think we are, effectively thus castigating that which various bishops and archbishops have interpreted and determined best for the consecrated Catholic hermits in their own dioceses and archdioceses?  What business is it of anyone else other than the hermit him-or herself and his or her bishop, superior, director and God?

What gives?  Seems to be a lack of wise discretion that gives... and maybe a load-full of self-pride and vainglory.  Or, perhaps we need to get back to the drawing board.  Do the bishops and archbishops, the cardinals, and the Pope need to agree upon and set forth in a detailed, written Church document what constitutes credible and licit plans of life for any number of various and possible situations by which Catholics who receive a call to hermit life and profess the counsels according to the eremitical consecrated life in the Church (not always per CL603)--to live their daily hermit lives?   

Yes, perhaps they should express the details in writing or make yet more laws that can somehow be indisputable and no possibility of tweaked interpretations.  This might at least cause some hesitation in those who are not actual authorities nor qualified, or who are out of the bounds of their own vocations, from the temptation to publicly state by their own notions who is or is not living a proper plan of consecrated, Catholic, hermit life--or who is or is not a valid consecrated Catholic hermit.  But perhaps not.  There seems to be something too-tempting-to-resist in Catholics--human beings at our fallible best--in wanting to make something other or in addition to:  written words, set laws.

Just in the few, actual scenarios shared above, the hermits' daily lives vary considerably.  True, there seems to be broad interpretations of "stricter" separation from the world, "hidden" from the eyes of men, in "silence and solitude".  But, after all, the consecrated Catholic hermit vocation is one of degrees and progression; and it is quite individualized. Canon law itself notes which of the several states or forms of consecrated life has more form and structure in certain instances and those others which are more uniquely and individually implemented. 

Part of the beauty and charity in the Catholic Church--we would hope and pray--is that of encouraging Catholics who receive calls to enter any of the various states of the consecrated life:  hermit, virgin/widow, religious (does require some set and formal stipulations), secular institutes, and societies of apostolic life.

Do we exhibit a spirit of charity and encouragement for more vocations--or do we succumb to a type of witch-hunt by a handful who have placed themselves as the keepers of what they have determined as proper and valid in consecrated Catholic life beyond even who and what bishops and archbishops have accepted and approved?  

Yes, what gives?  Why the nastiness in forums by one particular fistula of a self-presumed and pernicious few who set their minds and energies to attacking and trying to negate their fellow Catholics who are entering or are already professed in the Consecrated Life of the Church?  What are the intent and purpose of this actually small amount of diseased behavior? Perhaps they sincerely believe they are called by the Church or by God, or both, to keep pure--in their own views and their interpretation of law--the centuries-old Catholic hermit vocation.  

The love of Christ and the Body of Christ surely can rise above this most unkind and questionable behavior.  This nothing consecrated Catholic hermit here, has received emails by several who report the Pharisaical fistula has been on the hunt and attack of many others, going back not quite a decade.  The sad facts are evidenced on various forums-- others being attacked and harassed, not just those who are Catholic hermits but also those in other states of consecrated life of the Church who end up in their dragnet.  

Let us pray for those discouraged and detracted by these few who are seemingly scour the consecrated Catholic ranks like a posse ridding the Wild West of bandits.  Their passion seems to be that of trying, judging, and passing their own sentences upon those who are trying to humbly--and joyfully--live their consecrated Catholic hermit lives as deemed appropriate by their local ordinaries, superiors, and/or directors.  And not the least of all, the quiet, humble consecrated Catholics are hoping to faithfully, lovingly live their lives by, through, with, and in the Heart of His Real Presence.

God have mercy on all of us.

So what gives?  He is All.  We are nothing.  Another good question to ask, is:  What are the soul-effects of a blogpost with temporal externals such as this one, compared to that such as the previous post:  filled with holy insights, Godly wisdom, and spiritual truth?  Where do any of us want our bodies, minds, hearts and spirits to be:  now and in eternity? (That is perhaps a best question to ask ourselves.)

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us remain in His Love.

Warning and Blessing: Detraction

Detraction of others in any shape or form is a pernicious sin.  Like pine gum on the fingers, removing detraction from one's thoughts, words, and actions requires more than soap and water.

Detraction belittles, denigrates, lessens, smears, puts down, besmirches, diminishes, deprecates, depreciates, condemns, mocks, disparages, slanders, libels, and bullies others.  Most often, the poison of detraction trickles or erupts from anger, envy and malicious criticism.  Detraction serves to lower another's self-esteem and standing as a person among peers, as a child of God.

Wrongful judging occurs in detraction.  Rightful judging is that which derives from thoughtful observation, wise and holy discernment, by those whose position is to rightfully judge.  The intent of rightful judging is to discover truth and desire justice.  There are few occasions other than in the legal profession, in which we are likely to be called upon to rightfully judge.

Discernment is more a personal matter of which we are to make critical judgments regarding ourselves, our actions, our thoughts.  Discernment of self is necessary for spiritual growth; discernment of others is not so necessary.  If we honestly discern our own thoughts, words, and actions, we will have enough information to make changes in our lives. Self-discernment, thus, will replace the temptation to deceive ourselves that we are only "discerning" others, when in fact we slip into judging them.

For example, a young man came to do some plumbing when this hermit was yet ill.  He ruined some plumbing parts, made vital errors in placement of holes for pipes, and misspoke about code.  The hermit detracted the young man by discussing his wrong-doings with others, as well as slipped into anger over the wages paid and costs to replace parts and redo the project.

Holy discernment would have provided the hermit with all the truth it needed--without detraction of the plumber.  Had this hermit privately recognized the young man's errors, that would have been enough to know what actions to take in remedying the plumbing.  If the errors had amounted to great sums, there is legal recourse via the law of the land.  In this situation, prayer for the young man, privately letting him know he had erred, and giving him opportunity to make right his wrongs, is the correct course of action--not detraction.

A key element in rightful judging and wise discernment is factual truths and what we do with factual truths.  If the facts upon which we base our judging and discerning are not true but more our opinions, then we slip into wrongful judging and wrong discernment.  We next can slide on and into detraction if we think, write, or speak based upon our inaccurate facts or upon our opinions.

Jesus is clear on how to avoid the sin of detraction (which does include wrongful judging--and best to avoid judging unless by profession a judge in the land's justice system!).

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
       a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and                overflowing, will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you"  (Luke 6:36-38).

[Yesterday while consolidating grains of rice from one container into another, the marvelous image of a good measure came clear.  While pouring the rice it seemed the canister could not possibly hold all the grains.  The nothing Catholic hermit tamped the rice, shook it down, and what seemed impossible for the canister to hold, poured in with space remaining!  How pictorially metaphoric, Jesus' words!]

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another!  Refrain from any temptation to detract others. Let our judging and discerning be of ourselves, for therein is the greatest opportunity for growth--and blessed gifts--of remaining in His Love!

Detraction: A Turn-Off

Detracting others is such a turn-off.  Above all, God does not like it.

This nothing Catholic hermit has done it, surely.  Detraction is one of those vices of which a person can so easily convince him- or herself that it is not really detraction.  No, it is only being honest; it is being discerning, using wise discretion and critical thinking skills.

And sometimes it is one of those, but often we are deceiving ourselves.  Bottom line:  a lot of the time we criticize or debunk or judge or put down others, it is simply and honestly detraction.

Usually, at least for the nothing Catholic hermit, it has come out of frustration, or upset in something not properly done.  Or it comes down to not having perspicacity of vision, of tolerance, of letting others do as they do and say as they say, for often enough, it is not going to matter in the full spectrum of life.

Of course, when it is something of note, of vital importance to another, of an ultimate charity to speak or write, we do so.  But we need to be so very careful in discerning these fine lines that can trick us into falling into detraction.  When anger is added to it, or envy and pride, it becomes what today is known as "bullying" or being "abusive."  

Recently when so very ill, this Catholic hermit watched some YouTube videos and read some writings of the Eastern Church.  Some went back prior to the schism between the Latin and Eastern Church; some were after.  Of those after and of the past century up to current times, an undercurrent developed in speech and writing.

One speech by a Blessed of the Orthodox Christians, developed what was no doubt quite believable and reasonable to those of the Orthodox faith, the Eastern "lung" of the Church.  The subject was Francis of Assisi, and the Blessed wrote the various reasons and gave examples, as to why Francis of Assisi is not a saint but was rather a deceived person--deceived by the devil--and not someone to emulate.  The content had numerous points made, all backed up by what the Blessed (one highly esteemed of the Orthodox Church much as a Blessed in the Catholic Church is esteemed) purported.

And in reading it, this nothing Catholic hermit could see how easily one could think it rational and true about Francis--as the very statements and events in his life could be totally taken in another context and with other implications than holiness.  Yes, nothing Catholic hermit could totally understand, for it has itself been accused of this or that--from emotional and mental condition, to a fraud Catholic, to imposter Catholic hermit, to its spiritual experiences being from other than God.

And, truly, the jury is still out on this nothing Catholic hermit.  Only God knows for sure, the inner reaches of His created souls.  As for Francis of Assisi, other than what people have written of him, and the short rule of life he wrote under pressure by eager friars (Francis did not want to formalize his evolving spiritual way of life), there is nothing else--no video footage, no tape recorded talks, no photographs of his stigmata.  And, if there were such "proofs", people would insist they were photoshopped or doctored, or embellished.

Yet repeatedly, in what amounted to a full-scale detraction of Francis of Assisi, it was obvious that the holy Orthodox Blessed truly believed Francis' life was not valid in a spiritually good sense.  There was a sense of pity for him, that he had been so deceived by the evil one, but it only stood to reason since Protestants and Catholics are frequently termed "pseudo-Christians" by the Orthodox.  Found it stated repeatedly in comments and writings.

And, we all know of Protestants who think Catholics are not Christians or are not "saved", and we know of Catholics who think Protestants are not "saved", and of Catholics who no doubt think Orthodox are cut off and not to be heeded.

Frankly, it was quite humbly to have read what the Eastern Orthodox think of someone like nothing Catholic hermit and of Catholics and Protestants.  Had never considered that, probably because don't think of others as saved or not, except those who are doing evil deeds without repentance and who do not believe in God or in Jesus or the Holy Spirit.  And even then, must not judge because how does this nothing Catholic hermit know about the inner reaches of their souls?  And what is known of the next moments, hours, days and years of their life on earth, and of their judgment?  All could change in an instant, and someone thought to be this or that, could be entirely something else!

We really can only go by what is current, written fact, as far as discerning what we are and who we are, and if our lives are valid in His Divine Sight, Mind, Will, and Heart.

It is always good, and humbling, to realize that others can convince themselves based upon what someone has written about someone else, such as the many who have written about Francis of Assisi, and then decide upon a person based upon the ability to interpret what someone has done or purportedly said, or even written, from an entirely different viewpoint of the beholder.  Thus, the Blessed holy man of one wing of the Church, could write and declare Francis deceived and a false mystic and not a saintly man.  (The followers of Francis of Assisi thought otherwise, and the Western wing of the Church declared him a saint--obviously a differing view.)

So is it detraction to debunk Francis of Assisi?  Possibly and probably.  Detraction has a lot to do with the intent of the person writing or speaking, trying to put down the other.  It can be detraction even if he or she truly believes what he or she is writing is correct, or thinks is saving others from being duped, or thinks it is to warn them not to follow or emulate such a misguided or deceived or wrong person.  Is it detraction for any of us to build a case against another?

Well, a lot depends upon motive, and that is so very hard to discern in ourselves, especially if was are proud of our intellects and proud of our positions and presence and status in the world, even if but a small world in actuality.  The internet has done us a disservice, encouraging us to think we are quite the voices of authority just because what we write or say can be viewed by a few or many.  It is public.  And that make detraction all the worse, in some respects.  It is just out there, visible, readable.

Some say that public figures are fair game when it comes to pointing out wrongs (or conceivably rights) they have done.  Detraction deals with the wrongs, as its modus is negation, is putting down, debasing another's actions or words, or personhood.  And sometimes the truth is the truth, but yet again, as Jesus said, "He who is without sin may cast the first stone"

Even if St. Francis of Assisi was a total fraud, a false mystic, had no stigmata, his followers having cast fabrications about him--it then would seem rather ineffective to state all these deceptions unless one had valid proof, had known him, talked with him, observed in person, and was qualified to make a diagnosis.  Only people in Francis' time could truly do that, for anyone can twist what others have written about a person.  Even Padre Pio had doctors examine him and come away with quite different diagnoses of his stigmata than what other doctors verified.

We have the current internet flurry of people who see a blue and black dress and silver and gold.... But of course, that is not detraction to call it silver and gold when it is actually blue and black.  All that has to do with physiology in the way people's eyes functions with seeing certain colors.  However, detraction does have to do with viewpoints, with the way we view others, when viewing wrongly--putting another down, casting aspersions--even if we think we are right.

So, dear friends in Christ Jesus, filled with His Real Presence and loving God Almighty--let us not detract others.  There really is no need to do it.  Yes, we get angry and frustrated.  We are convinced our ways are the right way, our views the right and only views, the way we see things is the correct way to see.  And in some cases, particularly if we can weigh it with the right of the Gospel Rule, we might be right, or at least striving to be right.  

Yet how wrong it is to detract, to put someone else "down", to bully and make statements either in thoughts, words spoken or written, or in deed, that suggest someone else is less than what we think we are.  It is truly pointless in most any way we can rationally think of it.  Detraction does not help others nor ourselves.

And this nothing Catholic hermit knows it, as it becomes frustrated with such as a young man who came to do some plumbing--a young man the electrician was convinced could help when the hermit was so very ill.  No, the "plumber" ruined parts, did things incorrectly, and lied about codes.  It is all fact; the electrician felt terrible; the hermit has had to replace parts and re-do the plumbing, now feeling better enough to do it.  Lost $210 plus the costs of new parts and its own time and effort.

But why put the young man down?  Why detract?  Why hold anger?  It is pointless.  At most, the electrician is going to point out to him what he had done and the trouble and expense, and only so that the young man will hopefully not try to pull the wool on others--and will do a better job for others.  But detraction is not holy, is not good, is not right.  Never ought detraction be part of our action.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another!  God Is Love!  Remain in His Love, and remember we are all His children.  The jury is still out on all of us as to how good of children we each may be.  We have the potential to all be very, very good children by His grace and mercy!

Catholic Hermit's Thoughts on Detraction and Bullying

The elderly aunt, living in a retirement center that is lovely in ambiance, has shared with the nothing Catholic hermit some terrible bullying she has received. (Ironically, shortly before, the hermit had read a NY Times article in which a columnist exposed some bullying her grandmother had suffered in a nursing home, meted out by other residents.)

Yes, people never grow too old to bully others and to detract.  The hermit's aunt had held it in for over a year and a half, and only did the nasty events subside when two elderly women told lies in order to have her moved from their dining table--and the aunt realized to stay clear of these women.

O happy fault, it could be said.  Nothing Catholic hermit asked some key questions.  Describe these two women's appearances, please.  Very heavy, not aging well, rather negative in dispositions.  Oh.

But the elderly aunt had tried so hard to befriend them, to get them to have conversation with her during meals and at the other times she encountered them.  All efforts were to no avail.  The one would put her ancient hand up to her wizened face as it to block site of the aunt.  The other would turn her head so as to only speak to the cohort in rudeness, with put-downs of the kindly aunt.

If the aunt would mention something pleasant in nature (which is her nature, anyway--a very positive person), the others would snap something negative...if and when they were of a mind to respond at all.

Try as she might, the aunt made no progress with the two.  And then, yes, that day came when they concocted ridiculous lies to report to the facility manager, and he asked her about it, to get her side. The aunt admitted the  lies were so shocking and inane, that to respond and defend herself was quite exhausting and upsetting.   She said she started to explain the truth of the matter but soon realized it all was so ridiculous as to not be worthy of dignifying the situation. She decided it better to just take the unjustice.  If others believed such lies, then they were not worth further effort.  

But these women go to church!  They are Christians!, the aunt exclaimed.  That makes little difference when the devil is involved, responded nothing Catholic hermit.  More devious for the devil, as who would think Christians would be so vile?

The aunt was moved to a table with a woman who used to teach at the same school in which the aunt taught, years ago.  Her new table mate is losing her memory and realizes it.  (She does have occasional, brief moments of lucidity.)  In  one of those clear spots, the woman thanked the aunt for sitting with her and being patient.  The aunt responded that is was her pleasure to dine with her--and far better than what she had gone through for over a year and a half.

Humility!  That is the best virtue to respond to bullying and detraction.  Humility and gratitude!  And for the ordeal of getting through it, she has lovely, long-time friends outside the retirement home, who listened and prayed and helped her endure.   For one does feel shocked and hurt and confused when others gang up to bully and detract; the good souls attempt to make amends and bring peace to detractors for that is their loving and gracious nature.

The nothing Catholic hermit said it was very good, the humble way in which the aunt had simply kept silence when the personnel told her of the silly but painful charges that these two women had concocted.  She said she started to explain the truth of the matter, but she soon realized it all was so ridiculous as to not be worthy dignifying the situation.

So into our conversation came what Jesus recommends when one offers his or her peace to another, and that peace is not returned.  Shake the dust from the sandals as a testament against them, and move on to the next "place."  And so that is just what happened; but the aunt could have saved herself a lot of torment for month after month, had she realized to do that within short order.

Also, the nothing Catholic hermit mentioned that darkness does not like the Light.  The aunt is noted for her loveliness, her graciousness, and her encouraging, positive attitude.  She is increasingly spiritual, prayerful--all the more into her nineties.  She has had tragedy in her life--plenty--and has risen above.  Such virtue in a person can really irritate the devil who loves to move into those others in vicinity who have any bit of envy or pride or tendency to be mean-spirited.

People bully and detract other people for a variety of reasons.  Underneath it is always the devil using them in some weakness of virtue or downright vice, or plural of these.  The bullies usually do not realize they are being used by darkness, making them prone to nastiness that can be hurtful and damaging in tangible ways, but most often is just downright ridiculous.

It means the bullies and detractors suffer from insecurity in their own personalities and appearance, or they have great pride which always goes before a fall, as is said.  They can talk themselves into feeling justified, at times, such as they are protecting others...or making sure justice is played out...or that "right" is defended--that is, their notion of justice and right.  Usually the bullies and detractors are blinded to what they are doing and what in themselves is hurting or lacking, to cause them to act as they do.

A news commentator recently spoke on bullies and detractors.  What to do when people are mean to you?  He answered his own query in simple terms:  Get away from them.  Yet sometimes we cannot, such as the aunt cannot always avoid these women since they live in the same facility--but she tries her best.  She no longer attempts to cheer them or greet them.  Rather, she smiles as she would to any human being.  Then she makes her way past the detractors, pushing her walker with which she lives a purposeful life even if slowed down.  She is a gracious survivor!

When one cannot get away from bullies or detractors (and journalists and internet writers cannot just disappear, either), then the best recourse is to ignore it.   Pray for those who persecute, love one's enemies, but mentally walk away.  However, in some cases when the detraction is downright slander and/or libel, one should set the record straight for the audience (newscasts, readership).  At times a law suit is necessary to make the bullies and detractors cease curb their assaults.

A person who is a journalist, for example, or politician or such, has to realize that people will have their own opinions and differences of thought, or even think their view is the right and only way to be.  Accepting their rebuffs with humility and yet persevering in one's goals and efforts, is most often all one can do.  Get away in one's mind from the bullies and detractors.  Remove oneself and move on to the next "place":  Keep on by keeping on.

The devil's utilization of persons who offer an entry point into their own weak spots and who have been bullying and detracting is evidenced all the way back to the fall of Adam and Eve.  These people can range in age from babies pestering other babies to professionals sniping at professionals all the way into the very elderly.  Until our last breaths, we can be utilized to say twisted thoughts and try to make them seem as facts, to be nasty, to envy and resent others, to feel insecure, and to manipulate for supremacy in power, prestige, and position.

It matters not if religious.  Again, the devil loves infiltrating someone who thinks he or she is not at all a bully or detractor as he or she is a Christian (or other religion), and others know the person goes to church.  With such visible claim to faith, who would know to praying urgently for them?  Who would know other than their victims, that they are bullying and detracting--their own souls in peril?

So we must take it all very seriously in as much as praying for souls as well as knowing the very crevices in ourselves.  We must persevere in the virtues and batten the hatches against the evil one gaining entrance through any of our own weaknesses and vices.  None of us are foolproof to slipping into bullying and detraction.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another! God Is Love!  Do not let us have space in our souls for other than His Real Presence and to remain in His Love!

What Do You Want Us To Learn Today, Jesus?

Just as this prayer was uttered in trusting simplicity to Jesus, someone telephoned.

The person had encountered a mother who irritates and has for years.  The person apologized for griping, but felt needed to get it out--the picayune things that were observed in a brief encounter in public.

Nothing Catholic hermit mentioned having just prayed, asking Jesus what He wanted it to learn today.  Mentioned the Scripture in which Jesus says, "...learn from me."  

This hermit has done all the talking and encouraging for the person to try to let the irritating quirks or even occasional rudeness of the other person to pass, to flow away, to turn it into prayer, to conquer and not be so bothered.  However, today this nothing hermit realized that Jesus wanted it to learn to just listen and let the other spew a bit.  Then to share some thoughts on how perhaps the elderly mother was frustrated, and also that the Lord is still working on her just as He is trying to work on us.

But for the most part, it seems as if what this nothing Catholic hermit is to learn from Jesus is to just listen to the venting and frustration, sad and imprisoning as it is for the daughter who is triggered easily by any encounter with the mother.  It is part of compassion, for Jesus listens to this hermit non-stop.  

In fact, the hermit mentioned to the caller that it has finally become fed up and bored by its own complaining about the living conditions, the being taken advantage of, the losses and hardships.  Hermit sick of its own self, and yet Jesus still listens lovingly, patiently, yet tries to give little reminders to change the habits, alter the flaws into virtues or at least bring them to self-awareness and hope to turn them to some sort of good.

Can't join in with the phone caller's irks, for nothing Catholic hermit is learning yet more compassion and understanding.  It understands how an elderly person may feel--tired, pained, something maybe gone wrong this morning, trying to adapt to a retirement home, facing loss of so much of what she used to be able to control.  

But also this hermit is learning compassion for the daughter who simply cannot seem to break free of the upset that comments by and seeing her mother causes within to a point of irritating obsession.  That may not change in this life, and even when the mother passes, if she passes before the daughter (we never know, really), perhaps the memory of the mother will be irritating.

Nothing Catholic hermit is learning to listen and to understand that others may not conquer what imprisons.  Nothing can pray, and nothing can continue to learn, to ask Jesus what He wants this hermit to learn, each day, each present moment.  

Learning how boring and pointless is its own complaining about its own errors and being ripped off is a big lesson to learn today.  Learning that others have done marvelously in the footsteps of Jesus in patiently listening to the hermit's gripes (some not so patient but tried to listen) is quite a lesson, too.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another, for God Is Love and He wants us to learn from Him all about love!

Another Mass, Another Report

I noticed a woman walking along the road again, today, on the way to daily Mass.  I asked if she'd like a ride since I recognized her from being at Mass yesterday (one of perhaps eight of us).  She gladly accepted.

Turns out she is visiting a friend in the area, and hearing of the atrocities against children in Iraq caused her to locate the nearest parish for daily Mass.  She is a lovely woman and Catholic; we immediately hit it off.

I admit to being sorry to hear she is leaving the area tomorrow to begin her return to her home state and city.  Seems to be how His Real Presence has it--always giving me a touch of consolation but keeping it brief.

After Mass, I offered her a ride back to wherever she was staying.  We talked more, and she asked some about the parish, noting that the Mass was astounding lesser attended and extremely brief.  I made the comment that the priest is not a well man.  "Physically, you mean?" she asked.  "No, within.  He is not plugged into his priestly vocation with both prongs in the socket."

She admitted that after she remained awhile yesterday, she commented to those around her that she'd never been to such a short Mass.   The others said, "It is the priest.  This is how he wants it."  (They neglected to mention they ran out via many complaints to the bishop and the unspoken threat of withholding donations, an African priest awhile back because they did not like his wanting more adoration time, although it may have also been due to difficulty understanding his accent.  In fairness, it likely was not the handful of daily Mass attendees who were opposed to the more spiritually desirous priest.)

Then she turned to me and said, "But you must never say anything negative aloud or otherwise, even in thought, about any priest.  It is a SIN."  I thanked her and said I needed this reminder.  I did mention that at times it may be necessary to warn others of serious situations.  She agreed.  I suppose the determining factor is what is considered serious and not so serious.

Continuing the rather lengthy (and gas-costly) drive to my hermitage, I pondered what the woman said and realized it is not Scriptural--not the part about saying or thinking negative about priests, even if fact or for the safety of others.  I consider both physical safety as well as spiritual safety.

However, what is in Scripture is to not think or say negative about anyone, not just priests.  For that, I have done wrong and need to clean up my inner and outer thoughts and words.  I have had negative thoughts and words even after addressing the situation to others or trying to fraternally correct.  And I have not taken two others with me, to try again to explain to various persons, the wrongs.  In the past, I have done so but now not for a long time.  It is not usually easy to get someone or two others to come with and fraternally confront and correct another.  Most don't want to get involved or risk being on that person's "bad side."

These thoughts now allude to the Scripture in which we are told if one has done wrong against us, we are to address it to the person hoping for change.  If he or she does not apologize or correct the wrong, then we are to go to a couple others and explain, and take them with us to confront and hopefully correct the one who did wrong.  If that does not produce positive results, we are to go to the Church leaders who will then (hopefully) intervene.

Obviously, if we need to go to others after speaking to the person directly first, we necessarily have to explain to those others what the person did or said that was not right (according to our perspective which hopefully is morally and spiritually sound and just).  What we think and say, then, are negatives about the person.

We now enter into the discussion once more of detraction of others.  It is not a black-or-white area of moral right or wrong.  Each situation has to be considered, with all the facts laid out reasonably.  What is wrong, I suppose, is to keep repeating another person's wrongs or the negatives behind the person's back or publicly (slander and libel as well as detraction), without following the charitable steps toward correction and justice that Jesus in Scripture advises.

I return to the thoughts of how St. John the Apostle greeted people routinely with:  Little children, let us love one another [for love is of God].  I think this might serve me best, to repeat within myself and if necessary at some point, speak or write to others.  I don't need to be thinking, writing, or speaking that a priest is unwell or has issues.  Obviously, the visiting woman realized that or she would not have asked about him or commented on the brief and altered Mass.

The sin (it seems) is in not loving others and speaking ill of anyone unless necessary for a known, higher good, in truth and love, and for the sake of souls--our own and theirs.  Where would we be had Jesus (or His apostles) not spoken negative truths about various situations of high priests, scribes, the early church communities, and people doing wrongs?  I suspect the key in this is the word "truths."  And, the purpose is key.  If the purpose is for correction and uplift, that seems far different than if the purpose is not for any desire for improvement, and if we think we ourselves are beyond reproach, too.

Mea culpa!  But if we remain silent on matters of wrongs committed, even if they are priests, we risk not only others souls but also that of the priest.  We bring down all in the Body of Christ if we dare not follow the way of fraternal correction, and of truth.  Love requires truth.

The woman and I agreed to pray all the more for the priest to have a deeper conversion of heart.  But you see, even that suggests we see or think or recognize something is not for the best.

These matters are never simple, are they?  But I do appreciate the reminder, and I must consider more and more:  Little children, love one another.