Catholic Hermit: Will Do as Priest Asks

My trepidation is increasing.  I've been praying and also wondering what my dearest Spiritual Da would advise.

Was an unexpected turn-of events when meeting with the lead parish priest this morning.  (He was away when I first approached the parish, to inquire of the priest as to wishes regarding my being at Mass or Communion brought to my hermitage.  The assoc. priest had said have someone bring Communion, and arranged it.  He felt it too problematic and disruptive to have someone with a mystical ecstasy in Mass--and frankly, I thought it wisdom given my experience with how people react, sooner or later.)

But the lead priest said forget the "spiritual leper"--although I explained how relieved I was to have a label that is actually quite excellent and meaningful, and positive.  That is what I am, and so are all my friends in the various and many books I have unpacked and are welcome in Solus Deus Hermitage.

He wants me to come to Mass.  He showed me a room, a "day chapel", in which overflow or I wonder if active children are brought by their parents to that chapel.  There is no Tabernacle there; it has a large screen upon which and through Mass is broadcast from the main church.  I'm so used to being in my hermitage--already deeply bonded with the peace and serenity in this place--and of being in mystical communion with Christ, and of Angel bringing Communion.  True, she will not be able to come the next two weeks, but someone else was going to be assigned to her "route".

I suppose my Spiritual Da would say to go ahead and give it a try.  I mentioned to this priest this morning, that perhaps it has left by now, the mystical ecstasy--or trance as he said, and I was so grateful that he said the word "trance" not in negative way.  Ecstasy is the religious term, but I've read of the other spiritual lepers who were afflicted with this state during Mass, that sometimes it was referred to as a trance.  Altered state could also be a term used; but this is not a situation that could ever be self-induced.  That is a crucial element in discerning.

The priest said that something like this could go on for years, that Teresa of Avila had to contend with it for many years--did not leave her until near her death.

I've set an alarm and will pray for courage to go to morning Mass.  Maybe it is best to see what transpires with a smaller risk, people-wise, than on a weekend Mass.  Plus, I will know more within, sooner, as to if this is God's will, rather than anxiety build the next couple of days.

I did ask if I should bring a little sign--mentioned I used to wear a sign asking people to not be concerned, just "meditating", and later added "Don't call 911."  That has happened in the past, but sad to say, it has occurred even with the sign.  I think the priest quite sincere, and he seems to have a grasp of mystical life and mystics, although he said it is not his spirituality.  

I just pray that God will please protect me from more mishaps, from also people being curious, and my having to go through additional persecution.  Well, it is Lent.  And while I mentioned to the priest that I'm self-conscious and have never liked the thought of people being able to observe what to me is a vulnerable situation, plus interiorly intimate, I guess I need to deal with it again.  He agreed.

Lord, have mercy on my body and soul.  I will do as this adept priest asks, unless something occurs in the night or I am bodily unable to go in the morning.  I've been wondering if my Spiritual Da will be asking Jesus to come pluck me out sometime soon; I've always felt that somehow, the Da and I will be working together at some point, on the other side, for souls!  That is a happy thought!  He liked it when I told him, when I last saw him on earth.

This adept priest did seem to appreciate my predicament, and gave me an encouraging smile and hug as I left--rather dumbstruck by a totally different outcome from the meeting than I ever thought.  I also mentioned I am a hermit of over 18 years, privately professed, and he was pleased with that as he said hermits give much to the Church.  He had forgotten (and he ought with 11,000 parishioners to tend!) that he'd asked me in confession to pray for those in the parish who suffer as they age and are having difficulty finding meaning when they no longer can live their lives as they had.

Well, this nothing Catholic hermit has quelled the doubts as much as humanly possible.  Going through several years of receipts in readying for tax time, indeed is grounding.  And mentioning grounding, I told this priest what my Spiritual Da told me after my avowal and profession service, that he wants me to always keep my personality, to stay grounded--and he didn't need to tell me to keep my sense of humor!  Humor is a precious gift from God to help us through life's "adventures."

God bless His Real Presence in us!

Catholic Hermit Prays for Construction Courage!

Well, that is minor, no doubt.  St. Joseph and Jesus--and all carpenter souls in purgatory and heaven--pray for me!  

Three calls to the lumberyard later, speaking twice with Craig and once Dave, this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit is preparing to set the St. John the Baptist bathroom door.  There are, as in the spiritual life, guidelines and techniques--tricks of the trade, if you will.

There is a small hang-down of the frame, about 3/4" or less.  I had to build up the door jam so that there will be about 1/4" remaining for door-swing clearance.  (The bathroom floor is built up, leveled, but the floor outside the bathroom is not built up nor leveled yet.)  

I now have the door jam area built up to the point of, hopefully, around 1/2"  of "play height" for the door frame hang-down, thus leaving 1/4" for the door swing space.  But where and how to shim between the frame and the studs of the door opening?  Craig says at each hinge and on other side about same locations, and at top one or two places--top not being as critical as is not weight-bearing.
And don't jam the shims too tightly; don't want bowing of the door frame.

Then I realized I did not know what size nails--or do I use screws to affix the door frame to the studs, once shimmed, plumb, and level?  And where is it best to place the nails or screws?  Dave said I can use framing nail gun for that but need to have trim nails.  Don't have those for the nail gun, here at Te Deum.  But maybe I could look around for loose trim nails--need to be 2-2 1/2" in length.

Called back when I found some narrow, negligible deck screws of adequate length.  Craig answered, praise God!  He explained further details and door-hanging tips.  First, I am to pop the pins from the hinge and remove the door!  Ah!  I had thought I was to try to finagle the door with its frame into the opening and was rather concerned with how I'd manage that.  My angel would be needed in a temporal reality situation....

So pop the pins, remove the door, and set the frame.  Then, remove the hinges from the frame and set aside.  Use stronger, regular head screws (have various lengths of those so am good to go!) and, after drilling pilot holes, screw in where the hinge will cover over the screw heads--but make sure I don't screw in the hinge screw holes, of course.

Then screw the tiny-head screws across from the area that will be under the hinge screws, and plan on puttying over the hole created by the tiny headed screws.  Screw in the hinge side first.  Then put the door on and carefully--only secured on the hinge side still--make sure it opens and closes properly; make sure all is plumb and level.  Then put tiny-headed screws on other side of frame at similar location of the shimmed frame on hinge side.  I affix one spot of the frame at the top although not critical.

Now I'm allowing the Spirit from God to fill me with courage and strength to wrestle the door out of its frame and lift it out of the way, once I pop the hinge pins....

And I think of how minor this process is compared to someone who is going through a most serious and technical medical procedure that is literally life-and-death.  What courage and strength needed for that process!

And I think of how minor this manual labor process is compared to all of our souls--souls all over this earth--and the technical and spiritual procedure necessary for our soul-progression in life on earth and for life in eternity. (Although it is said that our eternity actually begins when we are born--yet I'm sure you know what I mean about the eternity of the other side, of heaven or purgation leading to heaven, or sadly, there is hell.)

We need courage for all aspects of life: minor, major; whether immediate, progressing over time, and life-long.  

How great is God and how blessed are we who know and love Him, who have accepted and received the Spirit from God and possess the mind of Christ!  We know to pray for ourselves and others to have courage in all matters no matter the details, in each present moment of temporal and spiritual life.  

We learn the tips and processes that are so helpful and are actually critical for the success of whatever endeavor, be it temporal, manual, or physiological, or mental or emotional, or spiritual.

And we learn to listen to others as well as to His Real Presence.  Yesterday, suddenly, I had the image of Fr. Vincent come strongly to mind, and I knew he needed prayer for something!  So I prayed as in thought-flashes of him, thinking of him, remembering him, wondering about what he might be doing just then as well as the thoughts of how grateful I am for knowing him in this life.

Sure enough, in the wee hours came an email from half-way around the globe.  His mum had passed on yesterday a few hours according to the time-zone there and here.  The Spirit was notifying me, and this morning I could respond to his message with the joy of God's linking us spiritually in such a vital experience of his, his family's and his mum's passing from this earthly life to her eternal, very real-yet-more-mystical life.

All is a process.  And there are tips and procedures that we can share one with another, to learn--or to read about--that help us progress in all aspects of life and death and eternal life.  Being able to communicate with God makes all the difference for our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another as Jesus loves us!