"The endurance of darkness, is, preparation for, great light." John of The Cross.                         "                                   " If a person wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and                                                                   walk in the dark."          " To the saints, slumber is prayer." John of The Cross

" Cyrus, my anointed one, I have called you by name, giving you a title, though you knew Me not" Is. 45   Well, how are you doing, now that you know, your limitations are sacramental ? They are always drawing you ever deeper into the mystery of " Who you are, Who, it is, you are becoming, called to be, called to do, and Who it is that is doing the calling." These are really tough questions, but they must be answered. Why? so there will be a gradual unfolding of the call,  each received in eternity. You are NOT some biological accident. You existence, and the universal plan have the same beginning. That is why there is within you the eternal. You were created outside of time, but destined to find life in this " fullness of time." Your unique creation was the creation of The Infinite Creative Spirit. So there must be a certain presence, of The Creative Spirit within you. Our life's destiny is to discover the uniqueness of The Presence within, and not settle for anything less. Settling for less only brings disquiet, and unhappiness.

      Your sacramental uniqueness , is what your true self is fighting, every nanosecond, to reveal to you. Your path is not anybody else's path. When we want to imitate another's path, we are told that is, THE WRONG, Path. How many of us make that mistake ? Joe, for one, travelled the wrong path for decades. It took gigantic upheavals for me to see, and then accept, I was on the wrong path. Externally Joe was doing pretty good, for a time. Then the inevitable happened. There was great fear, and great pain involved. That is true to this present, yes, nanosecond. The false self is bombastic, to say the least. The true self is quiet. That is why we must stop, be silent, pay attention to what, is. Writers tell us the secret lies in our embrace and understanding of what, is. Issness, look it up. I will, just screw it up.

   Isiah, being The Divines mouthpiece, a prophet, foretold an event that was to happen approximately 150 years in the future. And it became a historical event.  Cyrus is a historical figure. He was a pain, yet The Divine call him anointed. For the Jewish that sounded blasphemous. Call a pagan anointed. You have been anointed as well. In The sacrament of Baptism you were, are anointed "priest, prophet and kink". As Cyrus, the kings, and priests were also anointed, chosen, set aside. To do what ? The prophet had many roles to play. In discovering what they were will provide an insight into the role of prophet, and your chosen calling, today. When anything is said or written concerning the past and contemporary prophets, it is all about you. 

   Yes you have been chosen, with your unique gifts, talents, abilities, and limitations to be the one who speaks truth. The one who will take the risk to confront the lies, injustices, spiritual and moral abuses. Prophets in The Hebrew Scriptures was a very high risk calling. The prophets in many circumstances were murdered.We That was true of The Prophet, Jesus, Who became The Christ of The Divine, through His death, and Resurrection. You are called to tread the same, Via Dolorosa !!! We follow in the same footsteps, so we are charged with a Mysterious Presence. NEVER, ALONE !!!!

   Take the prophetic actions of the residents of Minneapolis, what has been the effect of their actions, on your vision? Have their risky prophetic actions  had any effect on your actions, as you view this now moment?  What prophets we were gifted in the life and Papacy of Francis. His prophetic role, has been accepted by our, Pope Leo. How blessed we are to have such a prophet for our time. Look at the prophetic stances he has taken, and the extreme opposition he had to endure, in such a short time. He has not been reticent in challenging the most powerful figures. All the time being an advocate for the marginalized, all those who do not measure up to some "sacred" odious standard of those who are the self appointed judge and jury, of, the most vulnerable, the poorest of all. This is how "the least of the brethren are treated in this moment in time.In their disquiet they are using every means possible, and they do wield, financial and  secular power, have deliberately chosen to make sure their chosen victims, The contemporary  Crucified Christs, are consigned, destined to share their, HELL, and hellish living.

  The intent of Aisling On Earth is NOT to provide easy answers, directions, for your unique journey. The goal is to give inkling of some, Reality, existing way beyond my ability to express in finite words. Your essential reality, when gradually revealed, will lead you to your unique path of endless awakenings. A path chosen for you in eternity. You originated in a reality beyond time and space. You are called to live within the limits, confines of space. You challenge is to discover what you have been called to cocreat. After all Vatican Two has confirmed we are " cocreators and coperfectors, of creation." What injustices, do you see, need to be addressed. Start with your own life." They who have not been in the desert, are unable to lead others, out of the desert."Your desert experiences, they are sacramental. Love and blessings. Grandpa.

 The injustices, the deliberate, crass, lying, the exploitation, the acts marginalization, the acts of dehumanization, the deliberate starving of innocent children and their parents, must be addressed. Unlawful wars, are not to be under any circumstances tolerated. This is meant to echo the prophetic statements of  Pope Leo, X14. We did not cause any of these dehumanizing conditions, but each one of us is take responsibility of meeting and working on the solutions. This path is tread one step at a time. Each step guided by the promptings of The Creative, Creating Presence. That presence lies within the tabernacle of your depths. 

      We are to embrace silence, The Divinity's first language, emptiness, and loneliness for a connection that will be the channel of all necessary guidance, strength and nourishment. We will then encounter the mysterious workings of grace. "as it was, so, it is, and ever shall be." " We are called, we are chosen, we are Christ for one another" how often was that sung. We do not choose " the other". The "other" is always chosen for us. Then we meet the sacramentality of The Other, present in the wounded, sacred, other. "The least of the brethren" are crying out and ....... ?????  " We are to let go of the images, we have created to contain the Divine,"( St. John of The Cross), otherwise, the result is ...St. John of The Cross.                     Love, prayers and blessings. Great gramps.

               "  Let go of the images, through which you contain, the Divine." Meister Eckhart.                                                 " To come to the knowledge of all, desire the knowledge of nothing." John of the Cross.                                                  " The most beautiful experience we can have , is, the mysterious." Albert Einstein.

  "  The Lord, is my Shepherd, there is nothing that I shall, need.... even though I walk in the dark valley                                                                              I shall not fear, for, You are  with me." Psalm 23.                                                

Welcome all you, foursomes ? Have you already forgot your "four-someness" How is your new emerging reality, of being a foursome, effecting your  every, hour, moment, and nanosecond?  It is so awe-full to experience what happens when a nanosecond spirituality is being developed, as the result of discovering the sacramentality of moment to moment actions. One action laying the mysterious foundation, for the next experience of reality. That reality, recognized and reverenced, will lead us,  to an ever deeper understanding and relationship with, The Real. Gradually we will be lead to the mysterious discovery that The Creative Guiding Spirit is ever and always, nanosecond by nanosecond,  operating in unseen ways. Joe, always wishes The Gracious Creative would become more transparent, agree ?? This would make our dark journey of faith a little easier, the false self, loves this !!!

 Nano-spirituality  is the key to a mysterious new way of seeing, being and acting.  Are you beginning to experience, in a little way, a mysterious exciting newness ?  This is where my three emerging friends are a great help. Joe is being slowly lead to this realization,  Silence, Emptiness and Nothingness are three essential realities to be reverenced  for our spiritual journey, into the, sacramental, the sacred. S.E.N. will not become a friend, friendly,  with, the false self. S.E.N. are deeply challenging to the binary lens, darkness, uncertainty are not welcomed.  Remember we are actively involved in an everlasting battle between spirituality and religiosity. How long can you expect it to last ? The battle royal will cease with, the final breath taken and exhaled !!!!! Then we will enter eternal, peace, joy and love, death and darkness will have no hold. Remember you and I meet this challenge as a,  FOURSOME. There is no, I, or, me, only wee. The  Triune Divinity is be  seen as a  community of active, ever creating fruitful, Love . Where One is, there all Three are waiting, for ?? 

   As spiritual beings, immersed in the human experience, we are always going to encounter, limitations. Encountering limitations is an essential experience of us a spiritual beings immersed in, the human condition.We must gradually envision, the word encounter as essential, on this journey through  liminal dark valleys, and transformational mountain top experiences. Remember how Pope Francis was always emphasizing our need to be present to each reality we encounter. These are  privileges to experience. These encounters are unique, as they are reserved to enhance, and reveal our chosenness . "We are called we are chosen", to be the place of encounter, as Christ, meets, Christ ??? Each encounter is unique. Never again to be repeated. There is also an essential uniqueness to the experience. Hint !! Remember  we enter the river of life, only once. Why is that? There are two circumstances ,involved. Hint 2 !!!

In these my senior, senior, senior days it recently dawned on me, there is a sacramental dimension to limitations. Over the years the theology of, sacraments, and sacramentality has change. There is a sacrament, with a small "s", and Sacrament with a capital "S". For now, we will deal with sacrament, small "s". There are billions of them, why ? Every person, place, event, action, that brings us into contact with the deeper realities of live, and ultimately with The Divine Reality, is a sacrament. (Sacrament with a capital will, HOPEFULLY, appear at a later date.) For our purpose today, do you view your limitations as sacramental ? Hitting the wall of our limitations, takes us on a voyage of discovery. ETERNAL, discovery. Can we see it this way: "wall becomes  a question, a question becomes a search, a search becomes a relationship,  relationships foster community." Are we a broad community mysteriously linked because of limitations ? Limitations reveal possibilities we could not see, while relying on our, alone !!!

     This is where our developing relationship with The Cosmic Good Shepherd, is essential. This is where I have nothing easy to offer. "It would not be good for you." This was a favorite response of Pat Hennessy. So from Dad to you !!! By accepting  the limitation of not knowing, you are led into a personal search which will take you way beyond the threshold of these present limitations, into a vastness, a void, pregnant with gifts, unimagined right now. Threshold ,reverence is essential. Now see your thresholds as sacramental. Not easy. The spiritual journey is not," a walk in the park." Far from it. That is why you are a foursome. My foursome, Prodigal Father, Cosmic Good Shepherd, Amazing Grace, and wondering, wandering Joe. I can honestly say, limitations are truly sacramental. Agree ??                         

    " Have in you the same attitudes ( cf. The Beatitudes, Matt 3 1;12) that is in Christ Jesus. Though He was in the form of God, He emptied Himself, taking on the form of a slave, coming in human likeness, found human in appearance. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death                                                         " even death on a, cross" Philippians                                                                 " God became man, so that man could become God." Saint Athanasius, of Alexandria.                                               " Become partakers of The Divine nature." Second. Peter  1:4      

        Joe, through grace, and only through grace could it happen, had another birthday. Using golfing terminology, I know the tee shot has been hit, to begin play on the 18 hole. For those not familiar with golf, when you have teed off from the 18 tee box, you are now playing the last hole. After completion of this hole, game over !!!!  The last hole, envisioned  playing, is the glorious Pebble Beach's closing hole. The tee shot has hit the fairway, next to the large tree. Am I going for the green? I think not. This is the last hole so I am going to play, so, stretch it out. NO RUSH !!!! An long iron will get me in proximity to the green. The next shot, a pitching wedge, my worst club, hopefully on the green ? No way, I am going to shank it into the sand trap ? This where I lie, buried deep in the sand. What a glorious place to be writing from."Old men, WILL, dream, dreams." Acts 2:17. Why not Joe? 

    Honestly, I am not dreaming as I attempt to write the following. Notice the word, attempt !!!What you read here, is not the final, anything. It is meant to encourage each person to enter the depths of who they are becoming, and there discover, The Gracious Creator's Unique Dream for you. It is an eternal dream. Now "in the fullness of time" for you, you, through grace are exposed to The Everlasting Dream and your invitation for, participation. You are. in every nanosecond, invited to go to where The Truth Dwells, and become willing, over time, to receive The Aisling, The Dream. Have no illusions about the journey. It is a real slog. It involves a commitment to hard word. The work is NEVER undertaken alone. Never in isolation, but in connectedness. What quantum theory today sees as entanglement. There is no, me. There is only we. Our weness ,is created and empowered by The Trinity. So it is The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit and by consent, each created human being. Consequently is is not the isolated I, in this now moment  it is a Foursome. What a Mysterious  Foursome that is ? Ready to discover your personal existential invitation to enter The Aisling,  and the inherent dignity dreamt for you ? Preciousness !!!

     Now we are going to explore the depths of the mystery of, Kenosis, and, Theosis. Kenosis is the name given to  the free action, chosen, taken by The Christ. He freely emptied Himself of His divinity, so as to become an authentic human being. A human being " like unto us in all things except sin", Whose ministry was directed to those who had lost their way, and thought themselves as rejected, abandoned, and totally outside the reaches of Compassionate, Mercy-full Love. They, and "the they in us", were, are,  exposed to a love, that was "unconditioned, unlimited, and unrestricted." (Rohr) The Emptied One , is known as the historical Rabbi Jesus. He entered The dread, the darkness of The Paschal Mystery and exited the tomb as, The Risen Christ. The pattern each one has been chosen, to follow. The challenge is to grow in the gradual acceptance of discovering the uniqueness of all that you are, and The Mysterious One you have been chosen to reveal. Not through your words but by that which reveals your deepest truth. When was there a recommitment to the dream search ??? 

 The wholeness of our human  journey, the participation in The Paschal Mystery, and from that participation come to experience, Theosis, asleo called by mystics, divinization. Becoming sharers, participants in the Divine Nature, all powered, made possible, by the workings of The Holy Spirit. The Gracious Creator is Divine, by nature, we are " divine" by participation. This Theosis happens not in an instant. This actually happens, like all realities of the spiritual realm, through a process. This again an never ending process. There are three continuous stages into Theosis, as grace is responded to. The three stages are, Purgation, Illumination and finally Union. You are responsible to research the meaning of the three stages for you, personally, not for anybody else. Where have you encountered all three, or, are encountering one in particular, at this time. There is always a stage to be travelled. Grace is relentless, in the commitment to our journey into Theosis, or individuation.  Radical honesty is required. If you cannot reach the desired level of honesty, pray for the willingness to be willing. The false self fights radical honesty, it just plain hurts. Paschal pain !!! A gut honest prayer ALWAYS works. Your true self is in honest loving communication with The Self.

 Each one walks, trudges, the unique Via Dolorosa created for their  preordained individual, "gifts, talents and abilities" Paul. We are not destined to walk the walk of another. It is the wrong way. Our unique path is tread in the darkness of uncertainty, yet, still guided by an Unfailing Light. Mysteriously this light appears out of the darkness. This light cannot be overcome by, darkness. The Mystery to be entered into, light appears out of darkness, and light has its birthing in darkness. The Mysterious Spiritual journey appears to be an endless journey into paradoxes. Sorry Joe !! Life is a living paradox. We live to die, we die to live. Confused enough? The answer is to be found in silence, emptiness, and nothingness !! Could this be called, participation in tomb time ? Womb time ??

    As much as we glory in our uniqueness, we are, Not, alone on this journey from Kenosis to Theosis, individuation.  We have literally millions of companions who are joined together in the process of, seeking individuation. Another word for psychological wholeness. That is why it came as a revelation that wholeness and holiness are interchangeable. This had a radical effect on the materials used in homilies. There were a lot of questioning faces looking at me. Has he lost it, in his old age? Old age has brought wonder-full mystery laden insights, that has not allowed complacency to set in. Each one of you contribute to my nagging inability to settle for, what is.  Horizons have been gifted. Thank you all for being companions in the process. Horizons are not destinations, Joe has painfully discovered. We have no permanent home, only silence, emptiness, and nothingness !!!!

 The process,  that is the journey into individuation, is a wonder-full gift from Carl Jung. It took him a long time to discover the patterns that developed in individuals who sought out the path to individuation.  As the years have passed, we now have reached this best understanding of today's thinkers, when we speak of Theosis and individuation we are speaking about apples, and apples.  "Kenosis is the psychological price of admission, for both journeys. To  reach spiritual deification, (Theosis) or psychological wholeness, (individuation) the immediate surface level ego must willingly empty itself, step down from it's throne, and serve a higher transcendent Center." This means you have a great deal to share with fellow human beings, who may not share our beliefs, but we all have the same destiny, holiness-wholeness, Theosis-individuation.

    Joe has always been devious, and or, mischievous. Now that I am is a senior, senior senior citizen that is going to surface more and more. I have presented you with Kenosis, Theosis, and their reflective reality, individuation. Now to really place the fox among the chickens, get ready for it!! Whatever search engine you use to research Quantum thought, and theory, ask this question, look at Kenosis, Theosis and individuation through the quantum lens, and be ready for ? Mischievous Joe.

 

  

 

     

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h              " My thoughts are NOT your thought, nor are my ways your ways, says The Lord.                                                "          As high as the heavens are above the earth......so high are my ways above your ways" Isiah 55.   

   " As far as the east is from the west, so far have, I, set your sins, behind you." Psalm 104                               "            " Seek the Lord, while He may be found...... call on Him, while He is still near. " Isiah 55 : 6      

   I am sorry for the delay. I had my back "shot-up", and the results, were not very pleasant. They have not improved. So this effort comes to you through, a murky, haze. You may a lot of work to do," more than usual", you may well, ask? There never was a promise of smooth sailing, that is not life's, reality !!

This is a " bookmark", Sunday. Not because of what is written, but because of what is read. This is a very mysterious, Sunday. The scriptures offer us layers and layers of mysterious, hidden, meanings. It will take the rest of your linear time to plunge the depths of what we are, gift-offered. Like any gift we have the freedom to open the gift, or allow it just to lie there. Neglect, is a common human response ? " All creation, is charged with the glory of, God." (Hopkins.) When we are attached intentionally to creation, we are plugged into the Infinite PowerSource. A Source, in Whose's Reality " we live, and move and have our being. This Power Source is never exhausted. The Power of creative Love is" renewed each morning". As That Power is renewed, so we being attached, are renewed, and invigorated as well. A day of new challenges necessitates a reinvigoration.  Renewed to continue to seek, and search for "the buried treasure", " the Pearl of Great Price". The Price of The Pearl is great. It is gifted to us." We cannot "earn, deserve, or qualify"(Rohr) for this gift. We are invited to open, to unwrap, said gift, in each moment. In 2 Corinthians 4 6:7, " the gift comes to us in, earthen vessels" and the unwrapping,  moment ? It is known to us as, the present

      The reception of this gift is given to all, as gift. To some minds this is hard to accept. These minds raised in the transactional world have real difficulty accept the working of The Giver Who is " Gracious and merciful... compassionate towards all His works." That word "compassionate" is such a strong word. It means, " to suffer with". Yes ! our Ineffable Creator great plan is not to be, "distant from",  but to be.  "immersed in". Why ?  because, " His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways," and to add to the mystery," as high as the Heavens, are above the earth, so high are my thoughts, above your thoughts."( Isiah 55.)  That is why " his ways are unsearchable". Yet there is some Power within our depths that draws us into an endless, seeking, and searching. There is always the hope that in some book, in some sermon, in some ???? we will finally arrive at an answer, that will enable us to cease the endless journey into mystery. St. Augustine summed it well oh. so many years ago, " You have made us for Yourself O Lord, and we will never rest, until we rest in You"

        The You speaks about in within you, and I, we are the presence of The Ineffable Presence. Is that any radical than say, in our "weness", we are The Body of Christ.The power lies in the 'we", not in the I. Reflecting on The Mystical Body Body will aadd so much as  to how we will enter the community, experience the strengthening, transforming power that is gifted through that simple word "we". There is another exploding field of thought, where the power and challenge of entanglement is essential for the evolutionary new awareness. There is that contemporary challenge of seeing some similarities between Christian Mystical though, and the broad scope of Quantum thought. That evolutionary reality adds so much to  our sense of security, so necessary for our present journey into, insanity.  

"Weness", is essential for a healthy mysterious journey. Then, "My thoughts  are not, your thought", and they never will be. This does not prevent us from wanting to make "our plans" the Creative's Spirit's plan.We can blame anthropomorphism for that. The ultimate idolatry, creating a higher power according to our image and likeness. We are wrapped up  in the endless process of making, our plan,  and mistaking it for, The Plan, The Way.  There is only one Way, and we are not it. We are called to have insights These insights are just a drop of water, compared to the expansive, ocean. These lines are from a prayer I love; "Make your way, my way. Make our way, be a revelation of The Way". 

        There is no change without, Paschal pain, leading to Paschal death.There is terminal pain, and then Paschal Pain. One signals the end, the other a new beginning. Something has to die, so, a birthing can take place . The pain of surrendering to The Plan is a sign that something new is taking root in our reality. This is The Power of The Cosmic Christ, ever present , and acting in us, then as a consequence, present in our evolutionary universe. As the health of the cell, so is the health of The Body. Now, where will this fit into your evolutionary reality, Galatians 2 " because I have suffered with Christ, it is He who lives, and not, I. The I no longer has an individual existence, (cf, entanglement).  We have to become new "wine skins". The old cannot accommodate the expansion of "the new wine". Where have you found space to accommodate the challenges of, " The Christ in you", Colossians 1:27 ?? All of creation is waiting for your answer. We must " act our way into a new way of thinking.

  So today we are to obey Isiah 55, and seek The Lord. Not "while He may be found", but " seek the Lord" Who has first found us. This was a life changer for " doubting Joe", "when you search for The Divine, it means that Divinity has found us." He has  first found us, in the darkness of eternity. We have been brought into the light, and life. We are to do our "seeking" in the darkness of our depths, where The Light is, ALWAYS, to be found. Calling out, to The Lover in our depths, in silence, is ???

         

                

                        

                                                          Labor Day 2026.                                           

       " Labor is not a mere commodity. Work is the expression of Human Dignity" Pope Leo X 13th.       " The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly  that The Lord of The                                                               Harvest, to send workers into His vineyard." Matthew 9: 38.          "             "The first thing to secure is to save the unfortunate people from the cruelty of men of greed,                                        who use human beings as mere instruments for money"  Pope Leo X 13th.

              " Faced with injustice, inequality, where the human dignity is trampled underfoot, where                             " the fragile are silenced, take a stand. To hope is to take a stand." Pope Leo 14th.                 I am stuck for words. Yet, there is a flood of words, backed up, waiting to be be released. Floods, are required for growth, and production.  Floods, are also destructive. Our home is being visited with floods, that are so difficult to observe, as instruments of destruction. Today it is sometimes very difficult, on the internet, to distinguish between actual destructive flood waters, and what is the creation of technology. I do not envision the following to be harsh, but harsh words are indeed necessary for the True Gospel of Justice can be preached, and here written, about. I am not speaking, writing from a dearth of knowledge. I have been blessed to share in the lives of some of the most vulnerable, namely the agricultural field workers. I was involved with a, " green onion strike," back in the mid 1970. What a challenge that was. Being hit with the concerns of both sides, with the Social Gospel as the ultimate authority. That Gospel of Life, was so difficult for some to understand, and accept as the true rule to be, faith-fully followed. A long time friend and I found ourselves on opposite sides. This happens when there is a commitment to, Gospel Social teachings. 

    One of my greatest privileges as a priest was to celebrate mass, for the undocumented field workers. The Eucharist was celebrated in some fancy church, or in any church for that matter. Most Sunday afternoons it was celebrated under the same orange trees that they picked fruit from, and slept in. Not under, IN. Yes, you read right, IN the trees.The trees were their homes. Their place of community, care, and aid. The altar was a barrel, turned upside down. Those barrel altars are still vivid in my minds eye. Sharing Eucharist with that church, with those men, who took THE RISK of gathering to be The Body of Christ, and receive Christs Body sacramentally,  truly radicalizes a person. There was one eye on the barrel altar, and another on the sky. Why ? They never knew when an immigration helicopter would come searching for them.  What risk would you be prepared to make to attend Sunday Mass?  If loss of lively hood, was at stake would you risk going to mass ? Research on how the growers used to call in the immigration to do their devilish work, when it came time for the workers to be paid ??????

Such were and are the lives of those actual members of The Crucified Christ, as He continues to be exploited and dehumanized.  These are the ones who are demonized, so politicians will have raw meat for their supporters. Our sisters and brothers innate dignity, as human beings is being denied, and then trampled on. All for what end ? While you pick your vegetables reflect on Who it is that were the original harvesters ?  Yes, come to believe it was your sisters and brothers, your Christic Presences !!!!! Yes, these the original pickers are your brothers and sisters, as all, make up The Body of Christ. Can the dignity of being a sacramental Presence be denied ? All are the continuous incarnation of The Mysterious, Presence. YES !all are the bodies through which, The Incarnation continues to be a living, lived Reality.I hope this will trigger the necessary motivation for you, " to take a stand ". Be informed, I beg you !!!!!   Indifference and complacency are two of the attitudes that enables this crucifixion to continue. Self-righteousness leads to destructions, untold. 

      For now, only for now, or as long as we have the necessary water, the harvest is plentiful. The global weather patterns are changing so must our planning. Our present powers that be seems to be blissfully ignorant of the inherent challenges that must be addressed. They are ignoring the pleadings of the scientists, and of the two recent Popes. The Holy Spirit has given us Pope Francis and Leo who both assumed the mantle of prophets, in the biblical sense. They both have spoken and now Pope Leo is a true worthy prophet for our times. The prophetic Papacy of Francis, began the call for the in-depth changes for the Catholic Church to be an authentic prophetic voice. A voice that spoke truth to power. Francis the began the return to the seeds sewn by The Holy Spirit, in the documents of  The Second Vatican Council, under the shepherding of St. John, XX 3rd. I was coming to the end of my formation in the seminary. Later like all seminaries to be called " the home for expectant fathers." On hindsight there was more truth, than poetry in those words, agree? Then I began to live the changes in the following tumultuous  years. The changes were opposed vociferously then. The war against change is our contemporary sad experience. The Holy Spirit being The Spirit of Truth cannot guide the church into error. 

  Pope Francis, a gift from The South American Church, of necessity came with a different understanding of catholicity.  Liberation Theology has an innate power to provide different lenses through which the poor, the exploited, the marginalized are seen. The Paschal Mystery anchors the foundational beliefs. Mercy was his calling card. Not for those who had the necessary money, but for all. "Tutti, tutti" was his mantra.He reintroduced to The Prodigal Father, whose mercy never fails. It is in infinite supply, naturally for those who do not loose faith and confidence in mercy's infiniteness. His great words of encouragement, " The Father NEVER tires of offering mercy. It is us the rebellious and resentful children that tire of asking. Sad to say, religiosity and binary thinking contributed to the "tireing", of many. The qualities of mercy-full, love can be found in past blogs.

 Having The Holy Year of Mercy was intended to bolster the sagging belief in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, not obliteration (Rohr). Synodality was introduced, as a way of sharing the power of decision making. Boy !! did that ruffle more than a few feathers of the churches ostriches.  Now add women to places of authority at the the highest levels at the Vatican. Sad to write this shame-full truth the infighting has been furious and nasty. Change, of necessity is always opposed, especially by all those who are unwilling to let go of their fear of losing power. What prophetic letters he wrote." Laudato Si " was a voice of change. Change essential for the survival of the human race. The earth existed before the evolution of the human race. It will have existence after our disappearance. There have been five previous extinctions. Yet evolution continued. The lasting image of Pope Francis, " The church is a field hospital, next to the battle." We are called to be "wounded healers" not continue as "wounded, wounderers". ( Nowen) 

     Pope Leo X 14th is also a product of The South American Theology.  Born in America, but in his adult years was exposed to the positive dynamic presence of Liberation Theology. He was appointed bishop of one of the most deprived, drastically poor Dioceses. He shepherded That poor, deprived, exploited, Body of Christ. That experience has lead him to be contemporary, "voice of the voiceless". He speaks Gospel Truths to confront and confound the purveyors of deceit-fillled half truths, and in so many instances, downright, lies. He definitely is the shepherd our church and greater community aches for. He challenges the waging of an unjust, and unlawful war. He is The Good Shepherd who is to be found in event the outskirts of The Sheepfold. No person or place is beyond his pastoral outreach. Yet he finds opposition within the catholic community. He is not enjoying the unwavering support of those obligated to support the chosen one, gifted us, by the Holy Spirit.                                 " Holy Spirit awaken us to Your living, and active Presence, in the tabernacle of our depths. We need Your promptings, to encourage us to take the necessary steps, required, so all may live in a more just and peace-filled, cosmic community. Open our eyes so will not be blinded by false promises, and deceit-filled practices. Yes !! " the Truth will set us free". Freedom comes to us at a cost. Strengthen, then, our resolve so we may not weaken, be sidetracked by the comfort promised by lies. The Father of Lies is a powerful presence. Your Presence, Oh ! Spirit of Truth, will lead us to all truths. I believe, strengthen, Joe, in the areas of his, disbeliefs. In all truth, they are so, many. Help !!!"  Amen.