Wednesday, March 13, 2024

    Tuesday March 12, 2024 ----- Boredom.

      " In order to live a free and happy life we must sacrifice boredom. It is not an easy sacrifice " " Running through things because you are familiar with them breeds routine" and with routine, boredom can become an, unwelcome presence. Fulghum " I fear the boredom that comes with not learning, and not taking chances." Refresh: there are two understanding of time. The one we are most familiar with, and at times controlled by it is, Kronos time that is watcher, clock, computer time that is measured. Then there is Kairos Time, The Creator God's time. This is eternal time os which we have been part of since the beginning of creation. This time is unseen, cannot be measured, it is the time behind the time we measure. Kairos time has no seconds,  hours etc. only the, eternal, now. We have been part of that eternal now, since it had existence in The Eternal.

            The Season of Lent is the great antidote to, boredom. It demands of us to each year to face the familiar, seek what is yet, unseen,  hidden in the orderliness , of routine . We are again challenged to come to know and accept our powerlessness  over what is revealed . This yearly journey into The Easter Mysteries awakens us to the reality of our moment to moment encounters with these same Mysteries. This happens in Kairos time, The Eternals  time.Kairos time is many times hidden behind the ordinary, the so-called mundane, seemingly boring time. Oh how wrong we are. We must make every effort not to life the lie, but to live in the truth. Every encounter with The Truth sets us on a new level of freedom.

     Each and every moment of the lived year is lived in the reality of suffering, death, burial, the  birth, emergence of new life, and a  growing attitude of gratitude for the grace-filled moments of rebirth. We are always in the process of being re-birthed. We are never the same from one moment to the next. How often do we ever stop and welcome the as yet unmet stranger emerging from our depths. This stranger, and The Paschal Mysteries are inextricably liked. How exciting, fear-filled, mysterious, and always enlivening this encounter is. These days of Lent challenges us ever anew to be prepared to embrace,  to live The Mystery Of Our faith. We are in the process of spending 40 days in preparation, four in celebration, and fifty to understand ever anew The Kairos Time, to be discovered in so called, ordinary, Kronos time.

          Does this encounter and revelation occur without effort. Again we must always keep before us ,this uncomfortable fact,THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY DEMANDS OF US HARD WORD. This hard word is always wrapped in the mysterious mantle of grace. Grace is another word for The Gracious Spirit Love ,in action. We never have to face the unknown on our own. It will be through moments of meditation, and contemplation we will be brought to an ever growing awareness of the seeds of transformation and transfiguration sewn within our depths. Seeds that require a nourishing care, and the freedom to grow and mature. All of this leads us to an acceptance of the fact,"life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived." We then are living mysteries, through whose lived experience The Easter,Paschal,Mysteries are revealed as light to brighten with hope, a darkened world. You are light. Light has different levels of intensity.  "This "little light of mine shine I got to to let it shine" and shine and shine. The results of its shining are none of my business. We must be able to concentrate, focus on the sacramental now where excitement and joy are gifted to us. There is no repetition, no doing-over, each moment is unique filled with the excitement of  a new birth........ ( This is long, but there is more. ???? Gramps)

                

 

             

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Warning, another blimp, this required an ambulance ride to the ER. We are behind schedule, so understanding please. How appropriate that the letter " R" For our purpose "R", stands for, resentment, and I am battling resentment,BIG TIME.

    Life plays some serious tricks on us ?. When we think, at least for me, we know something then we are confronted with real in-depth knowledge, and come to the realization we are really ignorant. Workin on a better understanding of resentment, I now question the value of what I have  previously written.( Time for my top "bromide', "I release, shame" then, "Gracious Spirit of Love, fill up the emptiness". ) Having accepted the limitations, well I have got to be honest, Joe has never have had real acceptance about anything, as acceptance is a process, consolation?  Let us, soldier on,  and see where ,The Spirit leads. It will be  led to, and through,  dark valleys, Son warmed mountain tops, harsh barren deserts, refreshing streams of revitalizing water, so !! after taking a deep breath, let's go !!!!

                  I am beginning to become more aware that resentment is  more than just one word, to describe one emotion, yet it has multiple  layers. Those layers are a mixture of disappointment, digest and anger. It is also considered a secondary emotion that can be elicited in the face of insult, or injury.  "Inherent  in resentment is a perception of unfairness." Robert C. Solomon " places resentment on the same continuum as anger and contempt, and he argues that the difference between the three are that resentment is anger directed towards a higher-status individual ; anger is directed toward an equal-status individual; contempt is directed toward a lower-status individual." Steven Stosny " Anger results in aggressive behavior ,used to avert or deal with a threat, while resentment occurs once the injury has been dealt and is not expressed as aggressively or as openly".  " Whatever is not transformed,  IS transferred" (Rohr)) I have had to learn that it takes twice the energy to keep anger in, than to let it out, openly expressed. Feel, experience, express, let go. When steps are not taken to express the resentment then all that can be expected is an ongoing war within ourselves, and those who share the journey with us, are the co- causalities of that war. 

                    There are all sorts of warning associated with resentment. Alcoholics are warned about the danger resentments are to recovery. I always used to warn couples preparing for marriage , "What kills a relationship is NOT what is on the table, but what lies under the table." I have this in front of me in the kitchen, " Expectations are, planned resentments." Does this mean I do not create expectations , I am after all, "A spiritual being, immersed, in the human condition. Not a human being having a spiritual experience" (De Chardin ) We then are immersed at creation, into the human experience, "but we will spend our whole lifetime discovering, what this immersion means."  How much has been discovered about what is experienced by each one of us during our journey in the depths, the darkness  of womb. There is an ongoing formation, using the adventures of coming to birth,  and being birthed. There is a great deal of pain, happiness and joy in the birthing process. We will return to the imagery of  the darkness of the womb,  again and again as we journey deeper into our personal understanding of The Paschal Mystery. We will be called to let go of preconceived idea and be led to experience the coming "of new Heavens and a new earth". From the  darkness of the  tomb new life appears. The tomb, in reality, is a womb !!!

 Our Prodigal Mother/Father  God has intervened in human history, and by association, our individual human histories to bequest the revelation of Infinite Love,Compassion, Forgiveness, Mercy. That revelation is revealed to us,EVER ANEW, particularly during, the six weeks of Lent. Can we say, using the quotation of Hildegard of Bingen that , that the mission and ministry of The Historical Jesus, reveals to us EVER ANEW how we are hugged, "encircled by the arms of the mystery of God"( Hildegard.) In each human The Divine Mystery can only ,usually, be experienced through the mystery of the human encounter. Gratitude for this gracious gift will keep us free of resentment. I read " One cannot have gratitude and resentment at the same time." The wounds that reveal a spiritual void, can only be healed with the healing oil of Mercy-full love. Mercy-full love, like oil heals us ,soothes us, comforts us, protects us, then transfigures and transforms us. " The place of the wound, becomes the place of the gift." (May). The greater our wounds the greater are our gifts. Gifts ,that are not ours, until, we give them away." The consolation that comes to each one will be as the result of each ones unique Lenten journey. May  rigorous honesty be our constant companion. May a renewed Faith, the dawning of new Hope, lead us a revitalized love, of all that, is. 

For your continued reflection, ''To the resentful eye everything is begrudged. People who allow the canker of resentment into their vision, can never enjoy who they are or what they have. They are always looking out towards others with resentment. Perhaps they are resent-full because they see others as more beautiful, more gifted, or richer than themselves. The resentful eye lives out of its poverty, and forgets its own inner harvest" John O'Donoghue. This blog has only one purpose, that is to always focus on The Gracious Creator's wish for us, to "happy, joyous, and free". We have the saboteur who works tirelessly within to screw  up this,Our lovers ,Aisling, dream, for us. This is a battle, the saboteur cannot win. " Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more"........ Love, prayers and blessings. As always, Great grandpa Joe.


Saturday, March 2, 2024

 Blown tire on freeway upset " Friday, snack" plans. Here goes "Saturday-- lights".

There is a certain incongruity about an Irishman writing about 'ANGER". I have to keep in mind this adage " We teach best what we need to learn most". That is me. The feelings of anger have a tremendous power. They are those feelings that impel those who fight injustice on all levels, and pay the price for doing what is right. There are those in positions of power, that act  with impunity, so as to  trigger righteous anger in those what are not prepared, disposed to be victims. I had to face this challenge all my adult life, "Am I going to be, become , a  victim, or a survivor ?" A healthy anger empowers one to live the life of freedom, not, wallow in victimhood, filled with un-dealth  anger". 

  I was taught the emotion that leads one to feel , empowers to to health action, F-eel, E-xperience, E-xpress, then let go. ' Whatever one does not feel, cannot be redeemed", "Whatever is not transformed, is transferred." both Fr. Richard Rohr jewels. " When I point my finger at someone, there are FOUR pointing right back at me." When I am angry at another person I am angry at that person within ME." I have to face that reality, and it is not very appetizing . In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, not The Sacrament of obliteration, we are challenged to face the real inner truths. Truths we much rather deny, and so allow resentment to flourish. When a penitent confesses that they are angry at X,Y, Z, I ask " And now who else are you angry at ?" They will dig further, come up with more, but very rarely will "I am angry at myself " be owned and expressed. When I celebrated The Sacrament with little one from Catholic School, or Re ligious Education programs, The question of "who else" ? is always asked.

       Kids who have a good day at school will seldom, trip a sibling, express anger at a parent, refuse to cooperate, be sulky, etc, etc,. When I work it around so as the penitent sees the existence of anger with oneself  then the following happens. This happens with pretty much all those I encounter in The Sacrament of Freedom. I ask, " Have you ever said " I love you to yourself ", so, so, many times I am sad to say I hear the answer "no". That is true of adults, of all ages, the words " I love you have never been directed inward, at themselves. When those word " I, love you is repeated', there are many tears shed. Some say, "But I do not mean it, I cannot repeat those word to myself" Then that old bromide comes into play, " You fake it, until, you make it." " Act as if you have it, and it will come to you." We have to come to see that it always comes down to desire. "We become ,that which we desire.' d long as we have the desire, no matter how faint,The Creative Mercy-full, Spirit does find a way. Not in an instant, but over time. Now the next question "Have you ever said I forgive you"? the universal answer, sadly. In "no". Crossing the broad chasm from self hatred  to self forgiveness takes real effort.Again, we fake it until we make it. I encourage penitents, and all I work with outside of the Reconciliation Room, to repeat those word 10x,20x,30x ..... times day. Some days those word are addressed to Joe many, many times. Forgiveness is an action that takes place in moments, reconciliation is a process, and takes time to accept and forgive oneself. My daily struggle to be able to be in the solution, NOT, in the problem. The false self will do everything in its power to keep us in victim servitude. we must never underestimate the power of Graceland the mysterious way it works ever so silently in our depths.

               There is so much more to be written I hope this gets you started in self-education, leading to  an ever greater freedoms to enjoy the life gifted to you. We are called to live in the freedom of beloved daughters/sons, not eeking out an existence in the prisons, of guilt, fear, and shame. The toxic trinity. The following words, with which, pretty much all members of AA are familiar with, and on whose acceptance their recovery is dependent on: " And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed it is because I find some person place, thing or situation, some-fact of my life-  un acceptable to me. I can find no serenity until I accept that person,place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake..... unless I accepted life on life's terms I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and my attitudes." This cost $100 way backlit is yours for freewill there is a price to read all of this," The ONLY thing I can changes my attitude towards myself". Of myself I am powerless, but there is One Who has all power, and that Power is already present within you and I.  This Creative Power of Creative Love, is in our depths, waiting for us to surrender ego centered false self. We do NOT find The Divine, when we search for The Divine Presence, it means That Infinite Power of Love has ALREADY found us. Love,prayers and blessings. Great Grandpa Joe.        

 


Tuesday, February 27, 2024

 Second Sunday in Lent....The Transfiguration.  We have The Historical Rabbi Jesus choosing to take His "Three Amigos."....Peter, James, and John on a mountain trip. Those who have negotiated mountain climbs have to admit there is always a little change.From the struggle we are blessed with a gift. That is true also of the psychological mountains, valleys, and hills we have been chosen to climb. We must always keep in mind, we have been chosen, from all of eternity, to make these climbs. WE also have been prepared ahead of time for this adventure.What we are blessed with is not, as St.Paul writes, for ourselves, but for those chosen to make the journey with us. That is everybody we meet and sometimes encounter. 

            Rabbi Jesus has revealed to His Apostles the brutal reality of His coming journey where He will encounter  death.  So as not to leave them without hope, on the Mount Of Transfiguration, His deepest reality is revealed to the, now, further scared Apostles. The Historical Jesus wants to offer hope to those closest to Him. On the Mountain is revealed who Jesus is, a revelation coming from His depths. The Divinity shone through the human trappings, as it does with us as well. The same reality that shone through Jesus is the same reality resting, hidden away within our depths, to be revealed in and through the garments of human reality. Ever wish for an easier way ?.Then nothing worthwhile ever comes to us without pain . As Bonhoeffer said,"There is no cheap grace'. There is not One Spirit to dwell within the depths of The Revelation of Our Father's Mercy, and another spirit of lesser quality reserved for the rest of creation, that includes all human beings. The Creator God does not play favorites. We are all :the beloved Sons and daughters of our Prodigal Mother/Father.

             Lent is a time when we again make the desert journey into an even deepening honest relationship with ourselves, as "spiritual beings immersed in the human condition", with all of creation, and with The One Who has initiated the call. Our beginning is in  the realm of The Spirit, eternal. We are never going to understand the mystery of who we are, Who we have been called to be, and Who has done the calling. Lent is given to us for a sincere preparation for the revelation of The Paschal Mystery. We will spend 40 days and nights being lead into a new and deeper connection with The Paschal Mystery as it is revealed to and  through our honest, and deepest reality.  Then one author  has warned "Human beings can deal with so much reality." The after that .......

         We will come face to face with what has been hidden as it were we encounter, be with, our "wild beasts". Jesus had the ministering of angels to help him through. That means the strengthening reality of The Divine somehow  entered the reality of that sacramental desert journey of forty days, in initiation of those 40 Years of courtship and transformation. We must at the tough, rough spots on the desert trail keep before us that we are the beloved. We are loved right now, just as we are, we do not have to change a thing for the love of The Beloved for the beloved. It is an infinite, unconditioned, unlimited, and unrestricted love. A love way beyond the abilities of human words to communicate.What was  the answer ? The Eternal Word "emptied Himself of His Divinity' so as to enter into the deepest human reality, death . In and through His death is revealed the mercy-filled love when we all must be given to make This Desert Journey in 2024.

         I sincerely hope you will embrace the following words of another Celt,Irishman, Patrick Kavanagh  " When love awakens your lifeline the night of your heart, it is like the dawn awakening within you. Where before there was anonymity, now there is intimacy, where before there was fear now there is courage, where before there was awkwardness, now there is a rhythm of grace and gracefulness,; where before you were jagged, you are elegant and in rhythm with yourself. When love awakens in your life, it is a rebirth, a new beginning".

            That Love is always lays deep within each person. Your own personal experience of what happened on your unique  mountain top, allows The Spirit to burst through and ,The Christ within, shines like a light, for the  current darkness. There is however a blessing and a curse that must be faced, and that is ANGER......... (to be continued)

Friday, February 23, 2024

" Humankind is born freehand everywhere it is in chains".  So wrote Jean-Jacques Rousseau many centuries ago. Can we say the same thing about this generation, and of those past ? Unfortunately the answer is, a,  resounding "YES". Because we are offered, or given gifts that does not mean we will use them, and avail  ourselves of all that these gifts  offer us. In order to live in the freedom of The Prodigal Father's mercy we chooses often to live in chains, or the prisons of guilt, fear, and shame. Writing is a wonder-full avenue to the freedom that is ours, because we are the beloved daughters and sons of, Infinite mercy.Many do not forgive themselves for some action, or series of actions that have occurred in the past. We are have actions, of  in-action, avoidance of responsibility' lying, cheating, disrespect for authority, stealing, to add to these we may of occurrences of premarital sex, adultery, abortion etc. etc. The list is endless. Again,John O writes, " Every person has certain qualities in their hearts that are awkward ,disturbing, and negative.One of our SACRED duties is to exercise kindness toward them. In a sense we are called to be loving, (prodigal, me added) parent to our delinquent qualities. The guilt festering in our souls must not find a home there because of non-action on our part.

      Those who know, encourages us to get pencil and paper. We are going to write a letter of understanding to ourselves. We are going to work through the thought process that led to the action, or any-action. We are going to claim these were the best responses we were able to make in any given situation. We have ALWAYS done our best, not the best. Let that sink in. You have always done what was your best, not the best. That is why we spent many many classes, over four years studying moral theology. We were to take that understanding into offices, restaurants, and  Reconciliation Rooms where we encountered another human being deserving of the prodigal love of The Prodigal Father. In some situations I encouraged the penitent to write a letter of forgiveness, and understanding to themselves. In the letter we come to own this fact, that  was not my best effort at the time. We can only do what is best for us in any the existential situation. Three seconds, three hours, thirty days or years later that would not be our response. Now we are called to see that there is Higher Power of Infinite love offering us the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation. Now we have learned that the way we love and forgive ourselves is the exact same, way we allow, Our Gracious Source of Love  to ,love and forgive us. "My favorite quote of late, " The eyes through which we see God are the same eyes through which God sees us."  In that case, it is NOT  about Our Prodigal Father's love and forgiveness it is about how willing we are to accept such great gifts as forgiveness and reconciliation. In the case of abortion, the adult writes the letter of sorrow, and explanation with the right hand, left if that is your dominant hand. Then the letter of understanding and the acceptance of the apology is written, as if from the child, with the less dominant hand. From my years of experience, that letter from the unborn is a tough  one to write. This is your spiritual freedom at stake. It is also a deep act of faith in the prodigal, extravagant, unconditioned Love that is forever offered. " The greater the wound, the greater the gift." 

Here are the keys of freedom, my limited understanding taken into account : "I release shame , I release guilt, "..... I love you, .... I love you. We must learn the truth in what Fr.Rohr writes " Our deepest D.N.A. is Divine". Our Lenten journey takes us through the many desert trails where the personal truth of that statement is maybe, denied. If not consciously denied, at least questioned. "Mercy, is, too good", does it not have to be ? After all it is about The Infinite, without and within. God is NOT good,God is THE BEST