Good Shepherd Sunday, 2026.

    " Love, is the willingness to extend oneself, for, the spiritual growth,                                                                                                                     of oneself, or another human being.  Scott Peck.                              "We all  have the choice, to move from, victim to survivor, to shepherd ". Anonymous.            

      " Resurrection does not erase wounds, it transforms them."  Anonymous.

We are now entering the world, of deep, and ever deepening, challenging reality. This spiritual journey will  lead  to consequential actions, having personal, and cosmic dimensions. We are now challenged  to face the accountability inherent in what has been modeled by Him, Who endured Paschal suffering, transformation, and transfiguration. The Model we have been chosen to follow, from eternity's, majestic dawn.  This is The Mystery we are, or have been, baptized into. We spend our whole lifetime  in endless pursuit, and making a moment to moment response to the gifts and challenges, inherent in the reception of this Sacrament.

       This  very limited effort emanates from my mysterious journey that occurred,  and is happening just as I write. Thank you for choosing  this blog to participate. That old adage, Where He went, what He did, and where his active Presence is in todays understanding  of Mysterious Sacramental all about.  This is the challenge we are facing, both in the seen and unseen worlds. The years of 2026, and the one's to follow, presuming there will be a creation left, for the continuation of the housing of humankind. A people who were spiritual in origin. They were first chosen, and then  predestined to  embark on the greatest of adventures, get this, to be the co-creators, and co-perfecters of all creation.            Each human person, great and small alike, were, and are destined to to work cooperatively to  complete the The Divine Creator's, evolving plan.  There were to be no, little challenges. All work was to be of infinite value. The Gracious Spirit of Wisdom, made certain of that. ( Suggestion, read up on the Life of, The Little Flower, of, Jesus. ) Was this going to be a walk in the park ? It appears from the human experience, far from it. Things got very complicated.  Why? they were  sent to be immersed in the human condition !!! An artist's rendering of sad eyes art is so very appropriate here. That is another area where I am encountering deep, and deepening challenges. WOE is Joe !!!! (poetic in my dotage ?)   The Word of God,  The Second Person of The Holy Trinity" became incarnate, in time, as The Historical Jesus. Jesus's story, is our story, today." Do we deny, or accept the challenge of following in His footsteps? To walk the walk, He walked. To accept the challenge of being compassionate presences, as to continue His mission and ministry. This way of life, and living demands that we are active, responsible, Christian in these, now, moments of challenge and danger, 

      Being an, "active, responsible Christian", is a developing challenge. A challenge, WE MUST FACE" because Christian Nationalism is such a driving force. Make no mistake about it, it is growing stronger, offering, a growing challenge. We have no choice but to change the perceive dynamic. This dynamic has now been accepted. The Holy Spirit is actively driving a responsible, response.  In the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation we have The Active Compassionate Cosmic Christ, waiting to encounter us. For what purpose ???  Check out what Pope Leo, and the Catholic Leadership are, as one voice, enunciating to us the challenge and the means for meeting and  accomplishing this co-creative work, IS, already in existence. I have awakened to a sincere believe in the dynamic of seeking, searching, and prayer. Just a flashing thought, is it not so encouraging to hear those voice, acting in harmony, for the betterment of humankind.  On the other hand, we must challenge, and then abandon, the destructive, dehumanizing, human creation, based on  being selfish, and self-centered. We must, aided by grace, develop  the vigilance to frustrate the false self's  insatiable appetite for " power, property, prestige, guilt, fear, shame, control, comparisons, and competition" (Rohr). 

        There is nothing in the self created world vision, that is  life enhancing or in anyway  leads to the validation of the existential, the here and now momentary lived reality. When we are not grounded in reality, Reality, The Divine Presence cannot find us often in spite of our praying, Why ? Simple put, we are not real. We are living in the self manufactured  creation of "the false self". We are idolizing that self creation. Idols have no loving, creative and creating power. Do we not have have many examples of what happened when The Living Creator was replaced by self creation. Seek, search, become informed, so you are committed to live in the deepest mysterious place os being. Check where your feet are planted ? Honesty is creative, right ??? We grow into honesty, slowly !!

We must change the paradigm from, " This is mine, here is yours", end of story. This paradigm has been broken asunder by is this vision of a loving, fruit-filled, life enriching, lived reality. " This mine, this is yours, this is ours, let us get into, action. "Good Shepherd lead us on the right path, even though it is both challenging, and pain-filled. The darkness of the dark valleys, are light to You. Bathe us all, in that, light. May Your Creative power  shine onto, and into, our perceived on darkness. May Hope spring up.Then may Hope and its  constant companion, Faith strengthen us, so we are empowered to take up, again our lived participation in Your Paschal. Help me not only, repeat, but embrace fully Your prayer, so I can grow in the belief that for this I was chosen. For this I was born. Please help my fear-filled being, to be a mysterious, living tabernacle, a home, for The Presence I am powerless to add to, or fully describe." ...........WARNING !!!! This is not finished.  "Be, alert !!!!!"                          

e  The Road to Emmaus, 2026. Mining the richness, of....

  " Myths, never were, but, always are". The Gospels always were, and, always ARE". So to coin a word, in our evolving "areness", our wholeness is being revealed. It is for us to do the hard word of mining for, the reality of the Gospels, that is to be found in these troubled, and challenging times. This particular Gospel encounter which took place on the road to Emmaus, is extremely rich, both theologically and spirituality. However, we have to face the challenge of seeing ourselves as, the two disciples, and identify with them. They were provided information,  illumination, encouragement, transformation, and a sense of mission from this encounter with, The Risen Christ. The Risen Christ is not confined by the limitations imposed by our understanding, of, time and space. In the arena of the spiritual, such limitations do not exist. We have to train ourselves to see and understand all spiritual reality through this prism. Yes, it is challenging to go beyond,  accepted norms.  We are to be willing to allow the Gospel, to be the reality we identify with, in every, here and now. The challenge is well worth the effort.

  The Presence Christ, for us, is our constant companion. Yet, we are not aware of His Presence, as He journeys with us, in us, and through us. The Risen Christ, He depends on our cooperation to have the fruits of His Paschal Journey, become a reality in every, day and age. Particularly in the economy of today's dehumanizing,  and life threatening  environment. (Take a look at how many have died in ICE custody?) We have to face the reality, just as the two did, of  fear, disappointment, disillusionment, rejection, alienation, and death.. Yes, these are moments of challenge, are new to the journey of the citizenship of America and the ever so vulnerable, cosmos. Yet, we must, again, be strengthened with the hope, the gift bestowed by, The Presence of, Resurrected Christ. and His Vicar on earth, Pope Leo. Long may he live, and continue his role as an uncomfortable prophetic presence.

   This Presence will never leave or choose to abandon us, NO MATTER what we do.. This Resurrected Christ ,has chosen each one of us, from eternity, to be in the exact place were are living, some, merely existing, in right now. The Gracious Creative Spirit has placed each one of us, in the exact place, blessed with unique talents, predestined from before the formation of the cosmos. What Faith, The Faith-full Prodigal One, has placed in us. " I believe, help my, un/disbelief" " Come, Holy Spirit come, strengthen, transform the fear-filled hearts, of us, Your beloved daughters/sons, as we follow in the footsteps of, The Beloved. As He suffered,  died, buried and rose, so we too follow this very same pattern. Each Paschal experience of ours, contributes to work of The Cosmic Christ, as we are led to The Omega Point, of total unity."

        We are made privy to the workings of the first, Bible Study. This resulted in, " hearts being on fire". On fire, because, of the awakening. The awakening to the realization of their true reality, and their place in the continuation of the work initiated by The Paschal-Easter transforming and transfiguring events. These events, again, became a reality as bread was taken, blessed, broken and given. The scales were removed. Reality, was revealed. The Risen One, disappeared. The two went on their mission of joy and hope. The two, are to be found in each one of us, called to continue the dangerous work of being, evangelists. We are evangelizers, not by what we say, but because of who we authentically are. We are not what we say, we are what we do.In this authenticity ,a  new, contemporary gospel is written. Every authentic action of ours continues to work of creation, and offers hope of a better future. Hope to be revealed in this transformed life we are in the process of awakening to.  Is there a, yes, to be heard ?

  Where are " the two", to be found in our reality ? We have to accept the challenges revealed in Matthew 25. There is to be no diminishment of the exhortations. The Social Gospel Teaching are never to be watered down for convenience sake. The people of Menneapolis did not shy away from their gospel obligations. Two paid the ultimate price. Renee Good, and Alex Pretti, became living examples of a challenged to be met by, future generations. Minneapolis was and is, Golgotha. There are other Golgotha to be encountered and the necessary steps of ministration to the contemporary Suffer Servant(s) is demanded.  As of now, the are approximately 80,000 suffering Christs in and on these our Golgathas. We need the continuous encounter with The Risen Christ, in both, Sacrament and Sacrifice. The words of St. Augustine resounds today, " Go forth, and become Him, Whom you have received."  ??????

The Prophet Jesus, Who is today's Risen and Cosmic Christ is true to His promise. He has fulfilled His promise to be "with us, until the end of time." So we have inner authority, and outer authority. The goal is that they be The Living Presence, that has been envisioned. Pope Leo is under attack. That is what happens to prophets. Are you listening? We have been chosen to join Him, in the being prophetic voices. We are to speak the truth, that has been given. Persecutors of The Church have never fared well. There is the old French proverb, " He who eats Pope, dies". We are called to live a life of authenticity, as best we can. NOT PERFECTLY !!!! Let us embrace this challenging reality," We will do our best, and The Creative, and Creating Spirit, will do the rest." What a promise to embrace !!!!

nliving, in, The Eternal Tridium !! An invitation, leading to, a, chosen, personal, response !!!!!

   " Put your finger here, see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side." John 2027.

  We must always be aware of this mysterious, reality: the events we are being invited to enter, as  events that took place in the past, but, THEIR REALITY IS, NOW. Right now, ever and always. How can this happen ? In the spiritual world there is, no time or space, everything is in this Eternal, sacramental, moment. We always have to keep this in mind, there are NO ,just ordinary moments. In all moments are hidden, the deepest meaning of  why we have been chosen for actualization. "We are not human beings, having a spiritual experience. We are, spiritual beings immersed in the human condition." ( DeChardin)

      We are always being challenged to break through the limits, of a limited humanity, so as to enjoy the essential, freedom of being, beloved daughters and sons. This freedom has to be claimed, and when necessary reclaimed, in each and every now moment.  This is a battle, no mistake about that. The toxic trinity, of guilt fear and shame, works endlessly to do EVERYTHING that is in their power to keep locked us in the self created prisons, that are the fruits of toxicity. Where are we having to face the diseased workings of, the false self ? If faced, and their power rejected, how are we going to face the loss of temporary medications? Where in our lives do we have to face the addictions, resulting from the toxic insinuations of the toxic, false self ? The toughest, more fundamental question, where are we showing a willingness to embrace, accept  honesty, open- mindedness, and willingness as the essential means, for...

       We however have entered into the battle. always being strengthened with The Eternal Presences, celebrating, always, as One, in the tabernacle of our depths. They can be named The  Freedom Trinity. They are the Eternal Power, only to be found in Freedom, Silence, Emptiness and Nothingness. This is our Eternal Hide-away,  where we are eternally loved, leading to the experience of hospitality, safety,  and love. We are led to total agreement with Niall Diamond, and identify with these words, "Jonathan, began that longest journey of all, a journey into the, true self". Infinite questioning, leading to endless awakenings, leading to endless responsibilities ??? Paul reminds us " the gifts we have been given, are not for ourselves, but for the building up of the common good".

 What we have been given, must be given away, in order to keep it. If we do not give our gifts away, we loose them. The spiritual journey, is the endless slog demanding of us a live that finds its mysterious existence ,in a state of endless ,challenging spiritual contradictions. Do you have a favorite,  that brings with it, encouragement, as well as, challenge ? They have been and are the backbone of Joe's  ever challenging journey into all, Reality. That old mug of mine, " There are a lot of things about this ere outfit they did not tell me, before I signed on.??????"

  The mysterious dynamic of The Resurrected Christ, and Thomas can be, and are experienced in all the rooms, and gatherings of AA. There The Presence of The Power of The Paschal Mystery can be seen, and participated in the existential. WE are introduced the person  actively, caught up in the disease of Alcoholism. That person and listens, ideally speaking, to The Paschal Experience of the one who has journeyed from absolute powerlessness, degradation, and insanity to where they now share with rigorous honesty, their experience, strength, and hope. They, to the best of their ability, extend their wounded hands, as an offering.   ( Have you discovered the power of story, in your life ?) 

  Trembling fingers are again invited to examine the external wounds, of todays's Risen Christs. Their hand will, in time, will  be welcomed, through dialogue, and story telling,  into site of the deepest Sacred Wound. It is sacred, because, that wound is the exact space and place where the workings of  grace has happened, and is happening. The patient workings of grace  has resulted in transformation,  and transfiguration. The Sacred Wound , is always to be found in the one who was once seen as one locked  in a pitiful place of  moral demoralization. The mysterious workings will happen as trust is developed, and the story goes ever deeper. This allows the suffering one, who is actively sharing The Cross of shame on their Calvary,Golgotha, slog, to experience the ministering of contemporary Simons. and Veronicas. All in-depth  recoveries, follow in some way the, encounter between St. Thomas, and the Risen Christ.

 Take some time to recognize, and embrace your life's gospel story, as seen through the prism of The Paschal-Easter events. We are in the after time of these events, yet they are alive, as life giving enhancers leading to untold intensifications. There is no way finite words have the capacity to fully capture the reality of all we mysteriously, mystically experienced. All we can do is, to respond from the depths of our limited honesty, to the gradual acceptance of our inability to fully comprehend all that we have been exposed to. We now have a lived experience, of what was but now, is. Where are these words leading you ?? Allow Grace to lead you to places, yet unknown. As the mysterious journey is lived, and its depths reveled , become more aware of all, the stepping, taken in time and  leading to ????? As you approach in reflection, again and again, those steps and truths, are the words of your contemporary gospel. We must always be cognizant. " Be aware" are the words of The Historical Jesus, who repeated them nine times. He is the One, Who makes His dwelling in the tabernacle of our, depths. For what purpose ?? May each one be aware of the constant care, and the moment to moment ever new ?????

   

              

     Octave of Easter, 2026. So Happy Easter.....

         " Give thanks to The Lord for.....His Love is everlasting." Psalm 118

            " My strength, and my courage, is The Lord's." Psalm 118

         " Blessed be The God, and Father.....Who in His great mercy gave us a new birth

                                                                               " to a living, Hope." 1 Peter 1.

      " Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." Gospel of John 20.

        " Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me." Miller-Miller.

We are in the last day of The Easter Octave. All these days celebrate Easter Sunday as if it was on one of those days. It would be an understatement to say that we need such celebrations, in this world rattled by continuous war, and violent persecutions. It is as if, The Tridium, never happened. We in our time must as for, earnestly beg for a, deepening faith, in the living Hope, which has been gifted to us. An infinite and eternal gift. Once given, is never taken away from us. We can, and do loose our awareness of the gift, finding Its home, in the tabernacle, of our depths. So we must cooperate with the necessary awakening, so we can be the best authors of a relevant gospel. Shining, Light, into the darkness !!!!

    We must pray this gift into consciousness. Awakening, and re-awakening our awareness to this challenging reality. We must awaken to our belovedness. Our lives being led, are not the lives of abandoned orphans. We have been and ever will be beloved children, of a Prodigal Father. The promise, promised during the Last Supper, is being fulfilled in our midst. "I, will be with you, always.."Yes, this belief demands a living Faith, as well as a living hope. This takes hard work. It does not just happen. Our Gracious Creator, unfortunately for us, is unwavering in His commitment to being a very, very, healthy Parent. Is that why He was so generous in calling us to be co-creators, not spectators ?????

 There is so much to unpack, in this, Awe-filled Present, being gifted to each one, uniquely. No two are getting the same gift. Each present is customized. As there are no duplicates in creation, so The Gracious Creating Sprit does not decide to get lazy, settling for repetitions.  A unique Tridium experience, in each lived moment. Would it not be easier if we were able to duplicate another's response, and make it, our own ???? These actions, will not, nor cannot keep alive, the life we have been called to live from eternity. We are called from eternity, the challenge is we are living out that challenge, immersed, in the wounded cosmic reality. A deepening understanding and relationship with The Cosmic Christ, is the only viable option. This takes a great deal of effort. May you respond with  faith-filled, and hope-filled generosity. I remember this, from eons ago, "Love, begins with sacrifice". We have Golgotha ????

      This Sunday has many names. On that cries out for reflection, is, Mercy Sunday. This cannot be reflected on in a limited space. We are all challenged to do our own continuous research, on The Mystery of Infinite Mercy, being revealed. I can only point you in the right direction. There is a unique, liberating gift waiting for each one. Again, no duplications. Similarities, yes. Duplicates NO. I am afraid I am  may be entering the arena of redundancy, for the sole purpose of re-awakening the depth of meaning, waiting for you, in that simple word, MERCY. What is the dynamic power of  the mercy-filled gift, offered to us ? The Prodigal Father's mercy, has the power to: heal, soothe, comfort, strengthen, protect and of Its essence has the power to transform and transfigure us. When does this happen ? It can only be encountered in the present, now moment. 

 What mercy-filled love The Risen Christ offers in, Shalom, as His first Risen Life words. No hint of shame, no " Peter, what did I tell you ?", "Where were you , when I was in agony on Golgotha ?" to those absent from the shame based crucifixion. No !!!! In this moment of their guilt, fear, and shame, they were given the power to forgive sins. (The power to baptize. will come later.) I always wished Peter was around for my celebration of,  The Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is, as Fr.Rohr reminds, "the sacrament of Reconciliation, NOT, the sacrament of obliteration." We need mercy filled priests, for such a gentle and accepting celebration. We have to have the experience of celebrating with one understands the eternal Tridium we are all participating in. I was formed in the belief that you err on the side of gentleness and kindness. We need considerate celebrants who can facilitate a journey from guilt, fear, and shame ( the toxic, trinity) into our predestined freedom. The freedom that is ours, as ,beloved children, of our, Prodigal Father. This your,  RIGHT. Do not settle for less than total recognition of the human condition we all share.

  My Eater wish for 2026, is may the power of, The Risen Cosmic Christ be allowed to rise within your moment to moment lives. There is an emerging number of orphans, courtesy of I.C.E and a heartless administration. What is the evolution of our world, our home, of failed peace talks, going to look like ? Golgotha will be experienced on an ever deeper level of cruelty, and insanity. We have returned to our tomb time. Tomb time is permeated with the Creative, and transforming power of creativity. Are we going to see and experience the New Order ? Many of us will not. It will take a special level of cooperation to achieve this. Presently it is not even on the horizon.  Yet, "fear not, for I am, with you." The Eternal Emmanuel is where, in the gospel, of your days. Being written by your thoughts and actions. Those who will write the secular history, of these years of insanity I hope  and pray for their brutal honesty. History is gospel. As you cooperate in the authorship of your gospel, may the inherent hope of  of your  Tridium experience, be the guiding force generating  words of faith, hope and love, for those readers, yet to be born.              

   May you be gifted with Paschal faith and hope. Through silence, emptiness, and nothingness of even the darkest, of darknesses be the channels through which The  Eternal Light will appear. Gramps.

       

    

 

  

                     The Empty Tomb , 2026 .......Endless encounter with.. Despair...Failure....... freed by Hope.      

       This radically a new awakening for me, courtesy of Fr. James Martin, S.J. I heard him say, courtesy of Face Book, that the most neglected, in homilies is, the  reality of the Tomb Time, in the reflections on The Paschal Tridium. I could not agree more with this voice, which is raised in the Catholic Church being a place of welcome who frequently see themselves as NOT belonging. He is a Moses figure, a Mandela figure, as he leads those, judged by those who are looking for scapegoats. Those who judge, and act on disfunction. are those who are alienated from their Shadow Side. Because of their rejection, and self imposed harshness, they do not accept the personal challenge of acceptance. So they are looking for a powerless defenseless group, on which they transfer their feelings of guilt, fear and shame.

         Let us make a sincere effort to get inside the room in which the disciples huddled in fear, behind locked toors. The had to deal with guilt, as mostly deserters of Their Master, in His time of need. Fear, thinking they are to be the next victims of the vengeful, power-full enemies of, The Prophet Jesus. Shame, as they see themselves not having any self worth. That is the dynamic  power of shame , we loose our sense of worth, just being who we really are at this moment. What a the thoughts of Peter, destined to be the first pope ? 

   He promised to die with The Master. Now he is alive, and The Master is dead, having suffered an ignominious death, on Calvary. To make their isolation more deadly, they had yet to transformed, and transfigure by The Risen Christ. The Historical Jesus, He died on Calvary. He is NOW, The Risen Christ. The power of His Resurrected Presence, drastically brings about a physic change. When The Holy Spirit is imparted, as tongues of fire, the transformation is immediate. Where there was the dehumanizing results associated with, failure and shame, now they are filled with Hope. From the infusion of Hope, individual, local, and cosmic changes happened. Each one of us, has been chosen and called to be the  power-filled presence, that facilitated the continuation of the gifting of the gift, we call Hope.

              We actively join the disciples in feeling of, guilt, fear, and shame. The legacy of an authentic human journey. Today we are blessed with people who make it their goal in life to free us from the bondage of what I name, the toxic trinity, namely, guilt , fear, and shame.Because the toxic trinity actively wars against a healthy spirituality, we need to awaken, and reawaken to the way from bondage to freedom. Ever any church on the morning of Holy Saturday, we are confronted with the feelings associated with silence. EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE FIRST LANGUAGE, CHOSEN BY CREATIVE, AND CREATING SPIRIT for Self communication, silence in not the language we readily embrace. Noise, distractions upon distraction are the means we choose to avoid silence.

        The uncomfortable silence is. compounded by the presence of absence. No vigil light, to reassure of  The Mystical Presence. All the statutes and cross are shrouded in purple. The tabernacle door is wide open revealing emptiness. There is nothing visible that offers consolation with, a felt experience. There is nothing but nothingness. In nothingness the writers write, there is what is called Divine Nothingness. Anything we see, know, imagine is NOT the real presence of The Living Presence. We cannot point to this, or that, and say there is The Fullness of Divinity. All WE KNOW CONVEYS NOTHING OF THE ESSENCE OF WHO THE DIVINE IS. That is why way back there was a gift bestowed on seekers is is called, The Cloud Of Unknowing. A spiritual classic, revealing, what we know is not The Divinity, what we do not know, is mysteriously hidden, The Unknown. The words Unknowable, Ineffable are also met in writings.

      The book that really blindsided me, 40 plus years ago was "Merton's Palace of Nowhere", by James Finley. He was privileged to be a student of Merton. So, here is where I have arrived. I have slowly being led to this very limited understanding, the place of refuge, the safe place ,in we find welcome, is our slow and conscious immersion in Tomb Time. There in.... silence....emptiness...and nothingness we are loved, without  having to earn, deserve or qualify for this Love. This is not a given.  There there is an ongoing , moment to moment ,battle, a deadly encounter with the death dealing toxic trinity, of guilt....fear...shame. 

  We ,however, been gifted, the gift of Hope. This infinitely active, life enhancing reservoir of Love, is provided in endless quantity because of the Resurrection. Sometimes in temerity Hope is approached. The Infinitely Generous One, does not judge the effort, only embrace our reality as is and responds with all the grace necessary in every existential, moment. ( Know anybody else who offers such love ? If so, make that person your Anam Cara, your soul friend.) This  combination of thought is radically new. There will have to be serious effort on your part. I am so sorry to have, mistakes. I am too tired to face the necessary corrections. Grace please ???The blessings of The Resurrected, may they present in your consciousness, to be both your, light and strength. A Hope filled, mysterious Easter to you all.