The Cocktail...

"An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day "
" We must walk like a camel, which is said to be the only beast which ruminates while walking" Henry David Thoreau.

Last Sunday, I had no morning Mass. I got up and went for a hike , in the wonder-full , early silence of a Sunday morning. There is just something different about the silence of Sunday that speaks to me in a way other mornings fail to do so. Is that your experience? I hiked up Telegraph Pass. I got to the road, took a left, and continued on the National Trail. That trail is like the mercy of God, or Fr. Joe's sermons, it goes on and on and on. When I got into the rhythm of the hike, I began to think about what this blog was going to be about.

In the beginning, as often is the case, there was a blank. Then the thought of Henry David Thoreau became a reality, [thank God] "ME thinks, the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow."
So I started to think about the last number of weeks, and what has bubbling up on the inside.

Well as you know, I have been reflecting on an incident on a hike in Steamboat Springs. It was a very difficult hike for me. I was lucky enough to be able to experience a very refreshing, restorative rest on a rock. That reflection was followed with some thoughts on what it means to be authentically human and what it takes to be at home, in our as yet, not fully redeemed humanity. Then, the thought struck me 'since these are the realities of the spiritual life, then they must be connected, right?’ All that is real, is interconnected. So, how about making a cocktail of the past weeks and see what happens?

So here goes the cocktail. Warning, this may be dangerous to some pre-conceived ideas , in which we have, up to now, found security. Really a false security, which when lost, leads us to unnecessary pain and turmoil. Thank God this so called, 'Losing', is in reality the beginning of a NEWER, deeper, and a more life giving relationship with the Living God.


Pain-full ? YES
Lonely ? YES
Shattering? YES
Discouraging? YES
Wonder-full and Liberating? YES

All leading to a NEW way of acting. which in turn, leads to NEW way of thinking. These gifts are not for ourselves, they are given to be shared. It is ONLY in the honest sharing do we come to realize what has been gifted to us. This experience somehow lessens the previous pain, as we now realize that suffering was not in vain. A new wisdom has somehow has been gifted to us. This wisdom as it comes to us from the application of our faith to our everyday living, to our everyday life. Wisdom is not the same as knowledge. Wisdom comes with the experience of living in a reality, that is grounded in a God, in whom, "we live and move and have our being.

We go from wandering wanderers, to wondering wanderers. We, through the miracle of grace , are led from being wounded wounders, to the miracle of being wounded healers. Truly amazing grace, which allows us to see the connection between all that is. We, slowly come to the realization that the poverty, we are so in dread of, is in reality the rock on which we rest and find peace. Not only that, surprise, surprise, it is a net into which we can safely fall into. There to embraced by our loving father-God.

John Halifax,
"Our weaknesses become our strengths,
the source of our compassion for others
and the basis of our awakened nature."

Now that is strong drink. It is deadly for the ego. It is encouraging, and nourishing for the real, true Self.

Drink Up.

A dreamer’s journey continues….