My brothers and sisters, as Neil Diamond sang, " the road is long, with many a winding turn, that leads us to who knows where, who knows where." I first heard those words many years ago and for some reason they struck home, like so many of the lyrics Neil has gifted us with. these following words have haunted me for years; "Be as a page ,that aches for words, which speaks on a theme that's timeless" are more mysterious words that have never left my unconscious. These words surface, pop into my head, at time when I am facing the unknown. A "winding turn", around which, I cannot see. Then I am faced with this truth "we walk by faith not by sight". Is not this journey, into the darkness of faith, a journey we are called to make, bye some inner voice ? A Gentle Voice, which needs real deep silence to be heard. We do not surrender to that space very easily, but by some 'winding roads" we are lead to this place of peace, and rest. It is," a buried treasure".  Like anything buried,  this "treasure lies in darkness, but we have been gifted with the light of The Spirit, Who will lead us to All Truth, and the freedom that is ours being the beloved daughters/sons of our Gracious Creator.

             St.Paul tells us that this Spirit is The Spirit of freedom, not the spirit of fear, leading us back into slavery. This is The Spirit which enables us to cry out, Daddy, to The power Who created all, out of love, for love. We are  called then, to be a people of freedom, not cowering slaves, bound by the chains of guilt, fear, and shame. This toxic trinity we do not have to face alone, as beloved daughters/sons, we have an inner strength to strengthen us for the moment to moment battles , of daily living. The community of The Holy Trinity dwells within. Do not we spend our whole lives in the discovery of the  mysterious meaning  being ,tabernacles of this Holy  Trinity, and the power that is always bubbling up from our depths ?  

           Richard Rohr has written the following:" The Spirit is always a gratuitous gift. It  is always an unmerited gift. It's always pure grace. like wind it cannot be seen. like smoke it cannot be controlled. The spirit is elusive, blowing where It wills. yet like fire, The spirit can be felt. The Spirit  is experienced as the warmth of God's love. Like blood it is experienced as an inner vitality. The Spirit is supremely intimate, yet supremely transcendent."  Love prayers and blessings to and on all. Great grandpa Joe.

 It has been awhile ?  They say " absence makes the heart grow fonder." Then one day, a teen of my acquaintance, added this bit of reality, " absence, makes the heart wander !!!!!" Now I live in the reality that, it is not about either/or, it is always about the both/and.' We are challenged to live out our given bodily existence living in the BOTH/AND. The Generous Spirit strengthens us to live in our reality, whatever it may be. The spiritual journey is always a challenge, it is hard work, but we have been chosen for the journey, and we never , "walk alone." ( This will have deep significance for Liverpool F.C. fans). That was a great , 'send off", they gave their present coach. That was a deep spiritual experience for many, many fans. This has been born out of their pain. How, awe-full, and wonder-full, it is to see and hear. 'Heart speaks to heart amidst the roar of the waves".

                   There is a very special person who reads this effort. Luke has created a very special creation, and has named it Lucinda. A creation that has touched the deep recesses of his heart. He now wonders whether this will be in his reality, in the Resurrection of the dead ? Luke, many years ago I heard a famous preacher say, about dogs, " if you need a dog to be blissfully happy in your Resurrected life then you will have it." So consequently if your Resurrection experience is not complete without your Lucinda, you will have it. Luke congratulations on using your talents to add to the beauty of creation. When you draw, paint, you are adding your unique contribution to the perfection of creation. For this you were born and in the continuation of your art Luke you will be fulfilling the purpose for which you have been created. You have been part of The Creator Father's plan from the beginning of time. When you were born, you came from The Infinite Loving Womb, and in your birthing the eternal met time. You have been living as " an eternal spiritual being, who lives now immersed in the human condition." When you paint you are allowing the Creative Spirit, The Holy Spirit to work through you for the betterment of ALL CREATION. I pray you will allow The Spirit of Pentecost to work freely through you. All your art work is sacramental for those who are privileged to view it. That means when you and others view that piece of art, as it is with all art, you are drawn out of yourself and into the realm of The Spirit. Luke continue your sacramental presence, and may The Gracious Creative Spirit inspire you to continue your unique contribution to the perfection of our creation. Luke you will be fulfilling what The Second Vatican Council's vision for you, " To be a co-creator an a co-perfector of ALL of creation. Spaceship earth is blessed with your unique presence. Luke you pray for old grandpa Joe. You are blessed with a special connection to The Power of Love Who moves both "heaven and earth." You are the beloved. Live your life as such. 

                The Season of Eater ended with the celebration of Pentecost Sunday. The day that is called " The Birthday Of the Church." On Pentecost The Spirit became united to the body, and we then had The Church, the living, contemporary reality of, The Risen Christ. What was, up to The Manifestation Of The Spirit, a bunch of frightened individuals, has been transformed into a living reality, offering eternal life to those who were open to their message. Those that preached on That First Pentecost, in many cases, did not know what they were saying.All they were able to do was share that which what was in their depths, and was bubbling up to consciousness. Without fear they spoke their truth, too hearts and ears aching for life giving words. The light of The Flames shone through, and a new creation came into existence. That is an essential part of our heritage, our story. In our story we continue the work of evangelization. Carrying the eternal, life giving message to a world that is facing the horrific death resulting residue,  of war. " We are individually chosen to be life givers, not death dealers". Every moment we make that choice, either consciously, or unconsciously. We never exist outside that reality. Our present cosmos desperately  needs those who will allow the power of " love, joy,peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control " which they have been blessed with to surface and explode on the world as we know it. Then there will be a transformation of this exhausted cosmos into a reality through which The Risen Christ, The Cosmic Christ can be the life giving, life enhancing source of a Power that also transfigures.

              I was privileged to be the main celebrant of The Funeral Liturgies of my mom and dad. this time it is different. I am unable to travel. So I am facing a different  set of circumstances. This reality is new to me, and I do not have any road map to follow. So it is one step at a time, enable to be able to live one moment at a time. That moment is called the sacramental now. " Now, is the acceptable time, now is the time of salvation." This moment is as full of the help of our Gracious Prodigal Creator as I need. My needs are always met. It is my unending greed that messes everything up. Love prayers and blessing from this wounded, wandering, wanderer. He is, and ever will be  a " spiritual being, who is so immersed in the human condition " while navigating the uncertain seas. " I believe, help my disbelief", " I can't, we must."

          

 Death questions the authenticity of our existence, is a thought worth carrying over, for some further reflection. Over my sixty plus years in ministry I have never encountered death without being aware, nothing is the same. Growing up in Ireland there were no funeral parlors. The person was waked from their own home. I remember visiting the homes and going into the room where the corpse lay. I used to say a few prayers. After the prayers being offered I did kissed the dead person on the forehead. Then went out.  At St. Andrew The Apostle, we were blessed to have a hospice home in pretty near the rectory. Over 20 plus years I made numerous calls to that home to supply comfort to the dying person, an to their families. Driving back to an empty home now see how many mini retreats The Holy Spirit blessed me with. The lenses through which I was seeing life, were constantly refined by The Great Optometrist. I found I was preaching from a different place. One got to the meat, there was fluffy language used. I had to catch myself, many is the time, from using some of the common language of those brought up in Ireland. We cannot hide from life in all of its nakedness. We must be real. The blessings of being real, you are in touch with The Real, another name for The Divine, for God.

            The life, sufferings, death, burial, Resurrection,  Ascension, and descent of The Holy Spirit are the lenses, through which we are challenged to see the realities of our daily living. That is why we have Christmas, Lent, and Easter every year, because on visit is not enough. The Easter egg is not dipped just once, but again, and again, and again, and..... So we as Christians, and those who face the challenges of injustices, bigotry, exploitation, dehumanization, and trafficking, will find strength in reflecting, meditating on the unvarnished events of The Prophet Jesus's three short years of ministry. In speaking , and above all living The New Truths Jesus was faced with the stern, awe-full reality of what happens when truth is forcefully spoken to power. Virginia, and all mothers of special needs, special human beings, have first hand knowledge of the hoops to jump through to make sure their child receives all that it is entitled to. It is not about extras, it is about basics. When are these mothers, along with The Veronicas, and Simons of Cyrene who minister to the Jesus Christs on a moment to moment basis be recognized as the true evangelists sent to witness today's harsh and uncaring world. I had friend Barbara who was an advocate for patients in a mental institution, her stories shattered me. How can human beings be so callously treated, by so called, fellow human beings. Suffering ,we are to be taught over a long period of time, is a mystery into which we are dipped, moment to moment on our journey following in the footsteps of Jesus, Who became The Christ through His Paschal-Easter Mysteries. Where He has gone , we ARE TO FOLLOW, when we assume the mantle of being The Ministering Christ to todays suffering Christs.

                     Some are blessed with a great sensitivity for the suffering Christs who inhabit our world. What are the fears to be faced in order for us to be authentic, contemporary healers of our wounded sisters and brothers? In the transformative mysterious encounter of care giving, wounded  wounders  become wounded healers.  Warning !!! An earthquake will occur, and "your life will be turned, upside, RIGHT" (G.K. Chesterton) The Risen Cosmic Christ arises from the tabernacle of our depths, "and it is wonder-full to behold ".May your hearts and backs  be strengthened by grace so you will enjoy the life you were chosen to lead, and live at a price. That is why so many of the mystics encourage us "to gaze, look at The Cross." I will not apologize for the results.  May that road ever rise before you. May The Spirit Wind be always at your back. Until we meet again, may  love of The Gracious Mother/Father cuddle you, in safety. May Love prayers and blessings reach you wherever you may be. Great Grandpa Joe.

 Well my sister Virginia has been taken off meds, and is now receiving only medications to keep her comfortable. Waiting for the phone to ring, or a message posted on FB, which will tell me Virginia's life's battle is over. She has been a fighter all her life. Her fight now is to let go of her special needs son Gearoid , who just turned 47. She gave him a great blowout party. Great photos on FB. He was a Special Olympics, Great Britain swimming champion, on a number of occasions. He is so proud of his gold medals. He is not able to comprehend fully what is happening. Virginia will fight like hell, to hang on. Only grace  will be to empower her to let go. Her death will not be sudden. Please pray for her to be able to let go. Please pray for Gearoid that the comforting care of His Mother/Father be a real driving force in his daily battle with loss. We do not like loss, powerlessness, letting go, liminal space, tomb time, I have had some great, long desert hikes, walks these last number of days and Mother Nature is sure great in what is revealed for hope and consolation. I have been saying for years now, "Got a problem take a hike." A deep woods bath would be awe-full. A wood bath sure soothes the troubled soul, and a new provides all that is necessary to continue the slog of, " being spiritual beings immersed in the human condition". Virginia will return to the  Infinite  Loving womb  that first gave her existence and life. There she will be reunited with The Loving Power  which  first loved her. Virginia was so loved that she was given human existence. She was sent, as all are sent, to continue the work of creating and perfecting. Yes the world has become a better place because the decision was made to bless all of creation with her presence. Would Tha all of us could have this written about us when our days as co-creators and co-perfectors of all of creation. 

      Quantum thought is breaking into our consciousness and revealing the immense  power of healthy thoughts in the ongoing creation of our mysterious creation. The health of each human mind is essential for a healthy creation to not  just to exist in but to grasp life, and live it to its fullest. Then the purpose of The Cosmic Christ will be fulfilled in each one of us. " I have come that you may have life, and have it to the fullest", " My joy may be yours, and your joy complete." Go for the gusto, and do not settle for less. " It is expensive, but I am worth it."

                Some random thoughts are all I have for you. I have been taking the journey of  the wounded wanderer. So all I have to share are the scattered thought of this moment. Some of you who have been reading my efforts can vouch for Joe, as one scattered individual. If you ever heard my homilies, you would be taken for quite a ride. One though, one train of thought did not last too long. I never had anything written so The Gracious Spirit took all on a mysterious ride. We got to reach some places, from which we were never given the path home. The sermons were meant to challenge further thought, not to provide  canned and easy answers. It is same with this wandering effort. I do not have the power to answer your questions fully. That's the job of The Gracious Spirit. 

      My job is to get you fired up, so you will never take my for anything. You will see this as pointing you in the direction The Creative Spirit desires for you. I will never be privy to The Gospel that is being written and will continue to be written. May The Holy Spirit be your true guide as you contribute to the magesterium of the people". There is an inner authority in your depths. Foster a deep relationship with That Reality. You will then be a prophetic presence in the place you are planted. The powers that be, may not like the gospel you share. It is not for them to like it.  They are responsible to have a listening ear, and an open welcoming mind. Pope Francis is the model to follow. It is so sad to see that those who need to follow him the most are so actively opposing his every effort to make our Catholic Christian Faith into what is laid out in the Gospels. Then prophets are never welcomed. They are opposed by those uniquely challenged, and are fear-filled when it comes to change. Being a prophet guarantees you one thing, you will be killed. Death is a friend that takes you to places you otherwise not dare visit. Death always questions the authenticity of our own existence. That has been my experience. May it never cease its complacent  shattering questioning. The answers are meant for.......