" Thus, says the Lord, heed Me, come to Me heedfully, listen that you may have life." Isiah 55.
" All you who are thirsty, come to the water. You who have no money, come receive grain and eat. Come without paying, without cost, drink wine and milk" Isiah 55.
" Meaning as a living depth, cannot be exhausted. Our capacity to receive, can be exhausted. The false self version of meaning, can be exhausted." Anonymous.
" It is the best of times. It is the worst of times", Charles Dickens is being paraphrased to describe the existential reality, we are forced to face, in these awe-full troubled times. For the few, the entitled it is "the best of times", and getting better still. For the many, it is "the worst of times", and getting progressively worse. Scientists are telling us. " the cosmos is expanding". The cynic in me asks, "for what purpose" ? What need is there to expand the home for, the poor, the powerless, the marginalized, the exploited, the dehumanized, all those for whom life is an endless, inexhaustible crucifixion", for the benefit of the few. It is a house that demands up-keeping, that is getting progressively more demanding, and expensive.
The vivification Joe needed to be " Bread for the weary, wine for the depressed, experiencing hopelessness and despair," is found hope in the power of The Word. The Word, The Historical Jesus, who is now The Resurrected Christ, The Eternal CosmicShepherd, whose compassionate Presence, all have been chosen to be. No empathy, active compassion for the crucified is demanded. In this is freedom. Too be who we are really meant to be. In this is liberation to be led into being " new wine". New wine, needs new wineskins. The Spirit has, and is blessing us with a Liberation Theology, also offering a spirituality grounded in the deepest of Realities, The Crucified"
A Theology of The Glorious and Triumphant Kingdom, was viewed as superfluous, redundant. What was needed was a theology of liberation, meeting and ministering to the Suffering Christ in His deepest reality. Out of the pain of the masses, whose deepest reality is now seen as, The Sacrament of Christ. It is within the depth of their reality is found,The Presence. The Christic Presence, The All dwelling within, the all. This creative and creating Presence has gifted humanity with a new Theology, founded on the living truths, revealed in, The Paschal Mysteries.
Liberation Theology, let us be brutally honest, was not readily accepted by those whose fundamental lenses were, European. Yes there was, and there is an ongoing battle for the acceptance, validity of this new vision of, The Suffering Christ. We have been blessed, with Pope Francis, whose foundation and formation was in The South American Church. He was from his earliest, education and formation, immersed in the Liberation Theology of the exploited masses whom he ministered to. He was a witness to the power of The Small Faith Communities.
What a dynamic, power-full presence small faith communities are. They vitalized the Catholic Church in South America. The powerless became transformed and transfigured by The Creative and Creating Spirit. The same Power gifting and challenging you, as you read this effort. The new listing of The Communion of Martys, in ways that have yet to be revealed. It would not be politically crept to do so. The list of martyrs is vast. How many of us in The Western Hemisphere are even aware of their sacrificial deaths ? I had the privilege of working in the same parish one of the martyrs.
Pope Leo spent 20 years in South America. Though a Chicago native, he is continuing the vision of Francis. Pope Leo is facing tremendous opposition. He is desperate need of the support of those who accept that the Catholic Church is a church of ,The All. This Awe-full Presence is to be reverenced in the all, TheMystical Body of Christ. In reality, all of us. We are all together, unified and empowered by The Cosmic Christ, our Origin and Destiny.
Isiah 55 offered hope to the exiled chosen people, and to us who are exiled from ourselves. Yes, The Jewish people, the chosen lost their home, and were banished into exile. Being the beloved, does not inoculate the beloved, from reality.(Take time out so you can reflect on the treatment, The Beloved Son. What meaning is gleaned, for inspiration and motivation ? Actions ?) The Creative Spirit selected Cyrus, a gentile for the work of liberation and renewal. In their time of alienation they were reminded of Covenant Love. Covenant love provides for the starving, and penniless, " grain and wheat to eat, and milk to drink," all without cost. This is the power of sacramental powerlessness !!
The lesson for us, in this transactional world, is we cannot earn, deserve, or qualify for this bounty, it is all free. It is all grace. Today we find the same reality is found in the transformative word, beloved. We are all, the beloved, of The Beloved. No questions ever asked. Yet, do not we question our belovedness , endlessly ? Money, power status cannot buy the Living Water we are so desperately thirsting for. It is always offered, without cost, in the sacrament of the now moment. For me it is the sacrament of the, nanosecond ???
We are all challenged to enter our depths and discover the in-depth meaning, the unique gift waiting to be discovered and then bestowed, for what purpose ?? How do you personalize Isiah 55, and its inherent challenges. We all are need of radical freedom. Cast off the chains that bind us. Walk freely and discover the " new heavens and new earths " waiting to be revealed, and actualized. A new creation emerges, because we are free. This is why we so desperately crave freedom, but the price.... ????? Are we ready for The Paschal immersion, with meaning This is where our personal understanding of Liberation Theology and spirituality fulfills our present existential needs as we emerge into ??? In all reality, Reality awaits you. Meaning is never exhausted, we get to be, exhausted. Vivification awaits. Not a stroll in the park, The Via Dolorosa, never is...................... You, have survived and endured , and ?? Gramps.