Catholic Hermit Considers Jesus' Request: "Learn from Me"

It is so simple yet profound.  Think of it!  Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me."

There is so much to learn from Jesus!  Today's thoughts will center around all and anything Jesus chooses to teach this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit.  The very thought itself--the truth of it--excites this hermit!  Just consider the unfathomable and limitless lessons Jesus will teach! Some might be difficult, painful; some might be review of previous teachings; all will be a joy to learn.

Now, for some incredibly uplifting news for this hermit, personally.  The hermit's helper returns this morning for three hours of manual labor and the bits of discussion while hopefully finishing the porch.  (Porches are a marvelous "place"--which could be a topic with many spiritual insights in the thinking and writing.  What aspect of a porch coincides with a soul's relationship with God?)

The incredibly uplifting news is that the helper's mother happens to be an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister, and she has asked the priest if she can bring this hermit His Real Presence in Holy Communion, and he willingly agreed.  So today, when she picks up the hermit's helper (her son), this desirous consecrated Catholic hermit will receive the Body and Blood, soul and divinity, of our Lord, Jesus Christ, present and living in the sacred Host!

Glory be to God!

The hermit will send off a letter to its spiritual director this afternoon, sharing the marvelous news, plus an email to Fr. Vincent who will be overjoyed.  These holy priests have been praying for the hermit for a long time; they will receive thanks and assurance that their prayers are being answered.

All is a matter of God's will, His allowance, His bequeathing, and His timing--even though God is outside and beyond and within "time", all at once.

On another note, the hermit has noticed an influx of readers interested in the Catholic hermit's blog post of March 9, on CL 603.  It never ceases to cause consideration as to why some readers tend to prefer reading about temporal Catholic Church laws more than the spiritual insights of saintly writers who climbed the spiritual ladder and left illumination and helps for the spiritual life, along with greater understanding of the Trinity:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

This hermit (and surely do many of you readers) thrives on the Living Word of God and the writings of the likes of the saints, and such as those of the early centuries of the Church when the distractions were few and the timeline proximity to Jesus' days on earth much closer than the many centuries since. Yes, there are some readers who prefer the spiritual writings over the laws.  Both types of writings are part of our Christian lives, in our times.  Perhaps it comes down to priority of what we desire most to pass through our eyes and into our souls.

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

Asking Our Lady of Guadelupe for Miracles

This morning Jesus reminded this Catholic hermit that there are miracles out there for the asking.

Got a hold of Raphael, and he voiced the news that Jorge does not want to come and work.  Too far, too remote, would take too long to get here.  The hermit understands, for sure.  Raphael offered to send a couple of his men, but he needed to call back.  In the meantime, nothing Catholic hermit realized that today a couple of men might be lost in this mess; am not organized for general workers today.  Specific tasks and materials will be needed for two or more men.

And, it was going to put Raphael short a couple of men.  Will get the stud blocks nailed in downstairs so if they can come some day next week, could drywall especially the high parts.  And am praying they will want to begin helping build the stair landing.  Raphael did not call back, anyway, which seemed all right.  As God wills and allows, am learning from Jesus.

Considering what to do...with no Jorge who knows plumbing. It seems as if His Real Presence is yet expecting this hermit to do the technical aspects and mostly to do all work possible for one person, to be done in solitude.  With this insight came the reminder of the miracle of Guadalupe, of Juan Diego's sign of the Castilian roses given his bishop in December from the mountains, and his tilma reflecting Our Lady's image.

Yes!  Pray for a miracle!  So immediately commented silently within that given the glorious miracles that truly occurred and still do, surely she could provide a miracle here.   Then thought had better ask nicely, not "put it" to her!  So asked nicely, and by that time maybe a tad pleadingly, for a miracle here with the carpentry and plumbing to be done.  Maybe this hermitage itself will glorify God and be a miraculous reminder of His Real Presence and the graces of Our Lady given so lovingly.  

It is true that Juan Diego did not ask for a thing.  He was just walking along, going to Mass, when Our Lady appeared and asked for a chapel to be built on the location where he encountered her.

But nothing Catholic hermit asked, and perhaps ought to consider Our Lady here in Te Deum Hermitage.  Ought help prepare a place for her and St. Joseph, and make this stable as welcoming and comfortable as possible.  After all, a humble stable made Christ's birth all the more meaningful throughout the ages.

At least today Jesus wanted the lesson to be a strong reminder of faith, and of the sparkle of miracles!  There are miracles possible, and perhaps Our Lady provided a miracle already today, here, as the hermit began constructing a new doorway into the gable garret.  This required building a new support system to redistribute the load-bearing weight as a support stud needed to be sawed and removed.  

Considering this nothing hermit has never done this type of work before, it was surely a miracle that much has been accomplished.  And, it is a miracle for sure that this hermit did not flinch nor despair with the news that Jorge is not coming....  Thank you, Our Lady of Guadelupe!

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another--and not forget to love with true reality of her presence, also--our Holy Mother Mary!

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!