ADVENT 2025.   " There is in all  visible things, a hidden wholeness." Thomas Merton.

" The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." M.Proust.

"Come, O Holy Spirit, transfigure and transform, this hardened, and faithless heart." (jhi)

" At the center of our being, is a point of nothingness that is the pure glory of God, 

                                                                                     " untouched by sin and illusion." Thomas Merton.

" Go to your cave, and it will teach you, everything, you kneed to know" was the advice one of the Desert Fathers gave, when asked for answers. Centuries later we are challenged to respond to that challenging exhortation. " Go to your cave." In those days women and men, choose the nothingness of the desert, to be the place where they immersed themselves. Immersion, for what purpose ? For what purpose ? so as to be led into an ever deeper awareness of The Unknown, The Divine Presence, God. They choose an isolated cave to be their dwelling place. It was not a place of comfort. With none of the conveniences of todays living. In the emptiness of those caves the wisdom we all ache, and search for was, revealed. Thanks to, The Gracious Giver, of all that is essential for our journey their wisdom has been preserved and has filtered its way down to you and I. 

So here we are, journeying into the,  unique cave each. A cave that has been chosen for us, from eternity, as an essential part of the evolution taking place on the  many levels of  our individual  evolving souls. As the evolution goes so goes the health and well being of the collective unconscious. The wisdom of the desert offers a contemporary guidance, to us the desert mothers and fathers of 2025.  Their apophatic wisdom offers us a wisdom that will challenge the given, the certainties, the comfortable places we have found, and will defend to the death. Yes ! it will take many, many, deaths, Calvarys for us to be blasted out of that comfort, so St.Theresa of Avila warns us. Bethlehem, the manger, the crib, its inhabitants and visitors  is the dynamite we most need ,  so as to be blown out of comforting answers, for our uncomfortable always challenging journey. A journey in the vivifying, contemporary, meaning-full,   supernatural Mystery of, The Incarnation. 

 If we complain about comfort, lets us ask Mary, of her endless journey, which began with her, YES !!!! Mary is the model that is presented, not for our comfortable admiration, but for our challenging, response, embrace and  imitation. To remind ourselves of this  awe-full reality, we are Mary. As she was chosen, so we have been chosen, from eternity. She was born free of all the ravages humanity had, has to endure. We are chosen to endure the legacy, of humanities rejection, of the original plan. It did not come without a price, her Son took care of that. We are the contemporary Marys challenged to renew our YESES, again and again. Why ? so that the mysterious work Mary began can continue, into eternity.

 Many years ago, I think this has been previously mentioned, The Bethlehem scene was presented to the community as happening within a cave. The same cave reappeared for the communities journey into Lent, and the celebration of The Paschal Mysteries. Yes, the same cave, evolved as reminder the The Incarnation event and The Paschal Mysteries are one continuous vivifying reality, always happening within the cave of our souls. (The,  deepening belief and acceptance of  this reality, is only a resent gift.)  How we prepare and celebrate leaves a lasting legacy. 

What is the legacy we are preparing to leave from 2025 preparations ? Do we recognize this challenging, awe inspiring, deepest reality, we live within  a contemporary, Bethlehem. How was The Christ Child, and His parents treated ? How do we see children and  their parents being treated ? There was no welcome to be found, in the busyness of the inn ? They were sent to a place of silence, emptiness, and nothingness. In that place of abject poverty The Divine Creator choose to be the birthing place of His Son. This begs the question, where is the place of abject poverty that The Christ will be incarnated within you? What are the challenges the Bethlehem at large offers, in your Via Dolorosa, that can lead to apathy, complacency, and the deadliest, indifference ? 

Yes !!! "there is a  hidden wholeness in  everything." "Everything Belongs"(Rohr) The Gospel accounts are NOT about 2,000 years ago. This is the lie that somehow has developed credence. We are called to confront the lie. To BE the living answer, The Gospels are alive and well, do you not see it in the gospel that I am have been chosen to write. You, and I, by our actions create, write, a living gospel, for the people who have been chosen to read it today. In this, now, moment. For all, " Now is the acceptable time, now, is the time of salvation." You, the now, your manger and crib within  the Bethlehem of the existential ????

 All the answers, must be ALLOWED  to bubble up.  These challenging answers are to be embraced, no matter the cost, and the guaranteed inconveniences. Ask Mary about, challenges and inconveniences ?? Yet the power, of mysterious grace, brought her safely through. As it was for her, let us beg the grace for us to really and truly embrace the challenge, the danger of being the contemporary Mary. May the fruit of your womb be an everlasting blessing, for now, as it impacts to collective unconscious ,for, eternity. 

 Advent 2025    " Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven, is at hand." John The Baptist.

   " The soul is transformed by Uncreated Light, not by moral striving." Gregory Palmas

   "Come, Holy Spirit, and transform, this hardened, and faithless heart." (hij)

   Grace, is The Power of Infinite Love, acting in the depths where we cannot act." Athanasius

 " We do not think our way into a new consciousness. We, awaken, because Grace has already restructured us, from, within." Richard Rohr, in," Falling Upwards".

 Well !!! here we go, another journey, into the unfamiliar territory of soul, unfolding. This is my very limited , human effort to draw you, the reader, into what been, bubbling up from you Tabernacle depths. This bubbling up has resulted in new, awakenings. Awakenings that have resulted in the, radical, reshaping, of past and treasured understandings. More steps, are essential,  so we can be safely guided along the tough, challenging trail which leads into an ever deeper, and still deepening, mysterious darkness. As this reality is gradually accepted, by acts of willingness, an ever deeper relationship is somehow developed with the evolving reality, of, The Mysterious Darkness. This being our first home, and our, final, eternal,  destiny.

        I have slowly been introduced into the challenges that follow into a conversant relationship with the Greek word, METANOIA. Metanoia cannot be translated with the English words, "conversion" and "repentance". There  two words fail to capture the depth of meaning the full essence of, metanoia. Metanoia is more radical, it is the ongoing  action of The Infinite Creative, and Creating Power of mercy-full love. A Mercy-full , divine action, that frees us into radical freedom. Freedom always comes at a price. The price is, we must surrender and be led on an endless journey into, silence, emptiness, and nothingness.  The false self, this little self plunges, into the panic mode, and begs," there must be an easier, softer, way" ? The only answer is a resounding, emphatic, NO. Taking all this in consideration, are you willing to journey, on  this, the apophatic path? To journey with Mary on her Via Dolorosa, from Nazareth to Bethlehem, to Nazareth, and ultimately to, Calvary?

      We cannot earn, deserve or qualify for the infusion of the Radical Grace essential for this apophatic journey. When we actively indicate our willingness to be accepting of this gift, there is a radical change, within our depths. With metanoia everything changes. There is not even a  remanent left of, the past familiar.  This radical change is NOT going to be accepted without a serious fight. War is declared. There is a vain effort to retain comforting control. The reassuring presence of will power must be defended, by any means necessary. We are not very welcoming of the radical loss of ego power. We have to choose absolute surrender, to the unknown, the home of The Unknown. Let the battle begin. Question, in reflecting have been awakened to your invitation to a, BATTLE ?

     In our Advent adventures, into the radical newness of awakening Mystery, we have been blessed with the mysterious adventures of Mary. Mary, the teenager from Nazareth, and her silent, righteous  husband, Joseph. Mary, just as WE Are, was chosen for the most challenging ,of challenges, to be the instrument, the human body which will be essential for The Eternal Plan to become, Reality. Her yes, Mary's "fiat" triggered a cosmic evolution, leading to cosmic revolution. Our moment to moment consent, freely expressed, guarantees the continuation of a mysterious plan. We can also use, " The Mystery of The Incarnation" to the accumulating, hidden treasure. Plan, this leaping from the Heavens, is reenacted, given life by us imitating Mary, and repeat," I am the servant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to Your Word.".  

    We, as present day "Marys", make The Mystery of The Incarnation an ever  new,  and continuing ,Reality. As contemporary " Marys", we have been eternally chosen, uniquely gifted to continue the revelation inherent in the depths of our being. A Reality to be endlessly awakened. These days of Advent are recalled, each year, to awaken a newer understanding of this Eternal Mystery. We must, in our moment to moment living, meet the challenge of, I think Thomas Merton, " Be, who you already, are." Nothing to be added to you, in this or any other moment, to think otherwise, and act accordingly, is to life a lie. 

 There is no vivifying power in this, living a lie. The lie is, and always has been, both seductive, and destructive. Somehow we find the lie, very welcoming, but it is the threshold into being a resident in the prisons, of, guilt, fear, shame, and one of the most abhorrent places to CHOOSE to live, the hellish prison of, perfectionism. We all have to face this question, are we choosing to meet the contemporary of being Mary, and journey into, the chosen unknown. In that experience of the unknown, we encounter, ever anew, The Unknown. The same Unknown Who is patiently waiting for our trembling, " Let it be done to me according to Your, Word"

   Those who know, or those women, and men,  been led to this knowledge challenge us to consider this challenging, mysterious reality, the cave of Bethlehem IS, the cave of your soul. All that happened in Bethlehem is now happening in our depths. Our challenge is, to bring what is hidden, into consciousness. We are challenged, to cooperate with Mysterious Grace, in allowing what is being revealed, to all contemporary "Marys", to find life. To continue the journey of The Cosmic Christ into both a radical, challenging, and vivifying, Reality. A reality that is evolving into what is essential for a healthy response, to today's life threatening, and life destroying efforts. These efforts are antithetical to the vivifying teachings of Him, who is to enter our cosmos as its most vulnerable, at birth. There is not another new born, except the human child, that is not equipped with instinctual survival instincts. The Creator-Father sure set His Son up for "easy living"? 

 Now question, what was awaiting them in Bethlehem ?.Would you go if your were in the same position? Do not worry, you do not need to make that decision. It has been already made ??????

      

                                                             

                                            

                                                          Advent 2025. 

" What good is it if Christ is born in, Bethlehem, if He is not born in me." Meister Eckhart.

" 'We are all meant to be mother's of God, for God is always in need of being born." Eckhart.

   " Come, Oh ! Holy Spirit, and fill the hardened and fear-filled heart of this, faithless one"(hij)

" The ox, knows its master, and the donkey its masters crib, but Israel does not know Me,

                                      My people do not understand." Isiah I:3.

A very, very, very Happy New Year. This are the first days of a new, Liturgical Year. Liturgy is, the work of the people. We are all included, in each liturgical celebration, whether we are conscious of it or not.  We come to each liturgical, just as we are. There are no qualifications, or moral standards demanded of us. The spirituality of the liturgy is summed up as follows,  This is the authentic voice of, Divinity Incarnated " Come, you are penniless, weary, frightened and exhausted. Ye, who have nothing, and are looked on as nothing come and find radical acceptance ,consolation, mercy-full love,  and Myself as Your food.  In this our encounter  with your emptiness an awe-full, wonder-full, miracle happens, through the unique action of grace.  The emptiness, the place of nothingness will be filled  with My Presence, and I will never leave you, I am unable to leave you. I am sure you have been victimized by statements denying this truth, that is all baloney,  malarkey at its best.There are a lot of lies bandied about, originating with those who do not understand, and have no willingness to learn, so as to understand.  There are none so blind, as those who will not see." This is the revelation of, covenant love. No transaction involved here !!!! ACCEPTANCE.

   This new year is meant to celebrate the ever newness of mystery, in The Mysterious. This newness is evolutionary, a process dependent on, willingness. We receive new nourishment, in each new, and unique celebration. There are no duplicates. The Creative Gracious Spirit does NOT do, duplicates. Each and everything in creation is an, evolutionary and revolutionary  newness. Our lenses, however are  in constant need of is  of tweaking !!! As we cast our gaze out we see that is going to be a, happy new year for some of the cosmic community. For other members of our shared community, sad to say, it is anything but happy. While the minority experience wealth, and wellbeing, the majority are subsisting on, a pittance. If they are lucky. Their eyes cannot wander from their empty bowls. Licked clean, of , every morsel of food. Many cannot count on another sparse helping of nourishment, while millions of tons of food are conveyed to, the garbage. 

 This is also, The First Sunday of The  Advent Season. We are being afforded four weeks, to again be lead into the necessary understanding of, The Mystery of The Incarnation, as it applies to you and I, right now. Through the instrumentality The Holy Spirit, the NEW insights demanded, for our effective and creative presence is uniquely gifted to to us. We cannot fulfill our unique vocation, by looking at how our companions are doing it. We must listen in stillness. Responding to the command,"Be still and know that I am, God". We are not looking at our hours and days. We are encouraged not to look anywhere but, the PRESENT, NOW MOMENT."  For, "now is the acceptable time, now is the acceptable time, now is the time of salvation". The present that is gifted to us in each unique, now, moment. Not today, but in what is being revealed, communicated to, in this present moment. Thank The Gracious Spirit that lead me to the understanding of, the sacramentality of the present moment. Here, in my Autumnal living, the challenges I face have to be met with being concentrated on where am I right now. The gift of simplicity is much appreciated. 

  Bethlehem is not a place one visits, that is speaking of spirituality realities. Each person will be placed on a unique path, to tread, not lightly. We will  be introduced to what it means to be challenged to, slog!! On the slog be vigilant for the immersion into your unique understanding of the inner reality of  the historical,Bethlehem, now a spiritual reality, WITHIN. Each person we read about in the gospel narrative, is already present, in our depths, right now.  Waiting for us to enter accept their, individual real reality. From this dynamic encounter a new life emerges. Into that unique newness,The Christ Child, will be born, always anew. This newness is the power that draws us into the excitement awaiting us in our Advent-Christmas- Epiphany journey here in 2025. We pray for the openness to embrace all the truths all the exciting and sometimes frightening, challenges. The Christ Child is holding your hand. Entrust your whole hand into His gentle hand that both seeks, and accepts our trembling hand. We are experiencing an inner safety. Make that place of safety your home. The home to house you as we enter a....... you finish !!! 

" The way you look at things, is the most powerful force, shaping your life." John O'Donoghue.

 " Keep something beautiful in your heart, to survive difficult times, and enjoy the good times.' J. O'D. 

     " The Kingdom of God, is,  within you" Luke 17:21.

   " Come, Holy Spirit, and transform the hardened and frightened heart, of, this faithless one." (jih)

  " An eternal and universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, 

                                               a kingdom of peace, justice, and love." The Preface of Mass for C. T. King.

  For all who are conscious, of who they are, and, the who, they are becoming, everything is evolving into something new. This newness offers a great challenge.  At times, there is great fear involved. Especially for those of us who like, desire, control and certitude. That is why the spiritual journey, is a great, challenge. We have to, eventually, and absolutely let go, of all of our old ides.  Yes everything must go. Speaking for myself  this has been a life long process. I wish the process had a "Go Fast, jump" button, so  I would/will be able to skip the steps required for my journey into uncertainty and darkness. Yes !! Light will shine forth from the darkness, but why does the Brightening, take so much time? 

 We do not look into our yesterdays for the answers, knowledge, required to continue the evolution  into living effective reality. Yesterday's answers will not facilitate what is our vocation which is to allow, what, is in our depths, to become reality. We must pray for the grace, the prophetic courage, to become free, so as to live the radical life, that is demanded. There is no, choice , involved.  Each one has been created, fashioned uniquely, to be an essential , "living stone" required for the continuous evolutionary creation of a " Kingdom of peace, justice, and love."

     This is our unique, eternal destiny. Our's, before the dawning of time. The mists of antiquity must be penetrated, so we " will know who we were, before we knew who we are." Our joy, lies in our becoming our authentic self. NOT the false self ,of comfort, certainty, and assuredness. "Faith is doubt grounded in hope".  What comfort I have experienced in the reflection of that truth.This is the Holy Year committed to our supernatural gift of,  hope.  What are the joy-filled beautiful moments that have risen up from your depths ? They are the graced powered memories that will help you, " to survive the difficult times, and enjoy the difficult times", quoting John O'Donoghue.

 A mere glance at our current death dealing reality, where "peace, justice, and love" are just words on a page. Are they not words,  so so often written on the pages of an election stump diatribe, to what effect ? They get no further than the nearest garbage pail.  Sadly, and maddening are the ubiquitous lies, spoken not from a place of truth-filled sincerity. They are responding to the false self. Their actions are the liturgy reserved of  those who worship at the altar of life, and soul annihilation. They bring their desire for"power, property, and prestige" (Rohr), to a place where the only experience is, into journey into the embrace of   life-less-ness,  and  sadly, slow, soul destruction.

   Our eternal calling is to recognize the power that lies within. Within the collective unconscious, there waiting for our, "YES". "YES", to become the vivifying agents, we are called to be. YES, whomever is reading this effort, where has your "YES", lead you to ? Heartache, rejection, alienation, a feeling of failure, then reflect on ,the throne of The Divine, the cross. As king he has to have a crown, right ? How about a crown not fashioned from gold, but a crown, fashioned from merciless thorns ? That is not the end. In every ending there is a beginning. 

        What are the new life enhancing, vivifying  " new beginnings" that have awakened from the tomb-tabernacle of our depths, are  they not now gifts beyond our understanding ?  The King has willingly chosen, experienced death,  as to  bring rays of  light and hope, to the darkness of your Calvary. If so, then The Resurrection Life is the new mysterious life you are participating in your  lenses have experienced serious readjustment . Failure and rejection,  powerlessness are  stepping sones we must tread on,  so as  we can be lead to an ever new awareness of Living Kingdom, we have always  been  destined for.  Reality is so difficult to accept. Our A.A. friends will glad share that acceptance of all realities is the way to, "sobriety, sanity and serenity". The Kingdom within !!!! Failure is an essential experience, are there experiences I can reluctantly grow from ? Love, prayers, and blessings. Great great great grandpa.

"The soul that journeys to God, but does not pass through ,the nothing, will never reach The All."  

" We will never be led into a darkness, that will overwhelm us"

"Come, Holy Spirit transfigure and transform, this, wounded and hardened heart, of Your, beloved" (hij)

" Your longing, desires to take you towards the absolute realization of all the possibilities that sleep in the clay of your heart, it knows your eternal potential, and it will not rest until it is, awakened"J.O'Donoghue  

   " Hold on to your hats.  Tighten, the seat belts." We are going on a trip into, what was unknown to me, until this afternoon. I am to say the least,  I am very apprehensive, if not scared.

     This happened this afternoon as I was surfacing from my afternoon siesta. This habit, has been partly responsible for, the reality of my 86 years of ? I was going to say living, but that would not be the truth. For many, many decades I was  just eking out,  existence. The I began to take the challenge that goes with, " Some people die, without ever, living". Was that going to be me, or is that me today? I have deep gratitude those who have lead me, challenged me, to not only seek the truth, but live this truth: "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings immersed in the human condition." My life, like all of our lives, began in eternity. In the womb of Infinite Love.We are first and foremost eternal, spiritual beings. Who will never really experience death as an end in itself. Death is the beginning of a transformed life, a new life that requires new vision. What is you deepest understanding of what happens when you see yourself, penetrating the veil of death ? Is there unbridled, joy, yes, JOY.

      Well, here goes !!!  The thought came to me that those two feasts we celebrated, All Souls and all Saints are really on feast, celebrated over two days. Is there another example for us to reflect on ? Does it not take us three continuous days of celebration to celebrate,  Paschal Mystery. Celebrating the death of The Historical Jesus, which lead Him to being The Christ Of Faith. In The Risen one, we live and move and have our being"." Awareness leads to realization", is a saying that has been kicking at my door to gain attention. There is,  awareness. That very slow process  which occurs as we come to be awakened, woke, to the" fullness, vitality and Power" inherent in us.  When ALLOWED this empowers to the living life, and, living it to the fullness." These must not be words on a page, but words so blazoned, that our sight must ever embrace their challenge. Conversion is a process. What is the rugged trail, you are trudging?

      "We have eternal potential", John O'Donoghue, has written, and we are to have no rest until it is awakened." To accept the gift of living in ,the non-binary world,  is not forced we are free to accept or reject. Have a nonbinary vision is essential as, we move forward. In the spiritual life there is no either/or. all there is, is, the both/and. Those of us brought up immersed in binary thought, we were seeing the right, and wrong, the good and bad, acceptable, and the unacceptable etc. etc. What hard work goes into embracing the both/and. I was lucky enough to have been taught by my mother, " There is as much bad in the best of us, and as much good in the worst of us, I am as good as you are, as bad as I am." Mothers are always right. Right ? 

      Yes there is a life, our participation in The Ineffable's Unconditioned Love, that is being shared with us, in every now moment.It is a gift that has never been taken back from us. In fact, it can never be lost by us. What happens unfortunately is, we loose our perception of who we really are, the living sacrament of Beauty, Love and truth. The false self will attempt, and persist in the effort, to use every means to have us loose, deny, or live lives that are a lie. Coming to live in the truth is how some see us living our Purgatory in this life. We all are confronted with the lie lies we have bought into. You have to be beautiful, athletic, smart, gifted, etc. according to some accepted standard, that some perfectionist, very religious person thought up so that they or some family member will look perfect ,on the outside. This person, and persons are actually experiencing Hell on this Earth. There are no consuming fires, as there are no consuming fires in the next life. The perfectionist lives in the hell, created by the false self. Living Hell is seeing ourselves  being locked  in the prisons of guilt, fear, and shame, sorrow anger and remorse. 

           One well know it the Purgatory being  experienced by those who work the Twelve Steps, (the essence of spirituality. Rohr)  leading to recovery, and a  life, lived in  the radical freedom, of truth. The egotistical ego has to be faced, and steps taken to say a consistent NO, to its demands. Purgatory is the lived existential acceptance, that, " That, The truth will set you free". Now-a -days  some add, "but first it will tee you off". Vigilance is essential. The false self is, the speaker of the lie is, "cunning, baffling power-full, very patient and insidious". We have within us The Holy Spirit, The Advocate. Why do we need an Advocate, Defense Attorney, because opposing is The Prosecuting Attorney, also known as Satan.

              All deaths, are both, pain-full and transformative. We will do a lot to avoid, duck, deny the existence of death. Where do you see yourself being forced to face, death in its many forms ? What are the fruits that have appeared, or are you in the process of being awakened, to the inherent gifts?

I failed, to reach my goal.  I got side tracked, as usual, some will add. This is not a newly acquired, trait. This character defect is a friend. With friends like this, why would I ever entertain any new manifestations of the insidious false. Now I ask you where did I get lost ? How will The Feasts of All Saints, and all souls be viewed, accepted as one continuous feast ?  Hint, we are loved  and will eternally be loved with a restorative love, NOT to be condemned because of, punitive justice. " I will NOT the death of the sinner rather that he/she be, CONVERTED, and live." "There is always next week." Is not this a kinda flippant remark for  a person, of my age ??? Well  may love, peace, and joy be your, chosen, companions. Gramps.

 " The voyage of discovery, consists not in seeing new landscapes, but having new eyes." M. Proust

" Awakening is not to new facts, but to a new way of seeing, 

                                                 and becoming responsible for what we see." Thomas Merton.

               "Awareness, demands, response" (Anon)

       "Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for You are with me." Psalm 23.

The above quotes can be used to describe my life's journey, up to this point in time. I hope and pray that complacency does not set in, for one reason or another. Can I  say, "Joe, You have been working for decades now, why don't just put your feet up, and relax. Take it easy, you have earned it." ? Words that sound vey tempting, but are the words of the false self, wanting to lull me into, inaction, and that death dealing, state of, complacency.

       Remember how often our beloved Pope Francis, acting as prophet, challenged us to face our individual, and collective, sin of indifference. Can we honestly say, as we view today's individual, and collective  inhospitable and death dealing actions, that there has been any real compassionate actions directed towards relieving, what ? The gruesome burdens of our victimized, exploited, marginalized, dehumanized sisters, and brothers. "  These, "The least of the brethren" are seen as always been the dwelling place of, Divinity.As it was, so it is, and ever shall be, long after those who read this are, dead.

               PLEASE, do NOT even think or imagine that I have come, to the new insights, shared have somehow come by the much desired, "easier and softer way". The, may I say Golden years, have not in any way been golden, in the accepted sense. I am being awakened to this reality, the true, invaluable  lasting treasures of old age, have come ever so slowly, and not according to my, expectations.  My expectations emerge from my false self, and it's insatiable appetite for "power, property, and prestige" (Rohr)  I have placed this little reminder, in my direct  line of sight, as dishes are wash dishes, " Expectations, are PLANNED, resentments."

      Does it work, to be brutally honest, I may catch myself once, in every 40-50 times. That is on a good day, when I am most, vigilant. WOW, the places, events, and circumstances my expectations have taken me would fill volumes. All of which would challenge today's, sensors. Attempting to life in real reality, not fantasy land, demands such effort and discipline. Being disciplined is an essential part of my story. Misdirected discipline can and does irretractable damage.The death dealing, and the abortion of healthy embryonic life, is the  residue  that lasts a lifetime, especially when it comes to sexual abuse. When you say, " I love you" do not expect a heartfelt response to you expressions,The inability to respond, finds it's origin, in the wound that can never be, healed. We must. always be guided by, reverential light when expressing the desire, to really know,  a person, and their in-depth story. The requirement for this real, healthy encounter requires, NO, demands compassion, not empathy. 

            I am sharing with you what has been gifted from my Paschal Journey, into being, AWOKE, and the process of awakening. I was prepared for this  recent, intensely  challenging journey, when I discovered in my library Keating's book " Reawakening". I remember reading his other book. "Awakening." Being in the process of becoming "Woke" we asked, really challenged, to meet the moment to moment change of vision. This is an evolving process. This challenges us to become more and more conversant with, what, at one point in our lives was viewed as unthinkable, a demand to have a personal response to the systems of inequality, loss, sexuality, environment, and global injustice. 

 We all have to accept, and embrace  the local and cosmic challenges, no other generation  has been forced to personally and globally, such challenges. Be gentle going forward. The solution(s) will not come to consciousness upon demand. The answers lie in our depths.  They lie within the collective unconscious, which we all contribute to.  We must have patience with the birthing process. Birthing can be a very slow and extremely pain-full experience. Can we expect any less, as we participate in the cosmic birthing that is happening through our cooperation and instrumentality ?

      Take heart. Make Psalm 23 your own. Yes !! we will with certainty enter dark valleys, We will see that those dark valleys  were in reality, wombs. Fertile wombs from which a vivifying something, un-definable , responding to the darkness of our existential, as our true, reality, emerges.  Again, slow and pain-full, are the operative words. This is how we  to recognize our true destiny. Sadly it comes with a very slow  birthing. That adage: " No pain, no gain" is truer than fantasy, or fiction. You have a Gospel to write.Wrong, Joe. The new gospel, emerging from the collective unconscious, is being written.  The challenge is to bring it to, consciousness.  Maybe this will be the only spiritual reading, gospel-book, some  people will ever be blessed to read. This is your destiny. It is your, eternal, destiny. Great gramps.

     " The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,

                                                                       and from all their distress, He,  rescues them"  Ps 34                                                                    

                " God leads every soul, by, a separate path." St. John of The Cross.

       " Faith, is a dark night for humankind, but in this very way it gives them, light" St. John of the Cross.                      

          '"Come, O Holy Spirit and strengthen the wounded heart of this, Your, faithless one." (jih)

      We are living in an environment, under circumstances which really tests our, essential mettle. Our spiritual values and priorities are, moment to moment, being challenged. " Every blessing, is a curse, and every curse, is, a blessing", is an essential truth that is being truly tested. The blessing is, these ever evolving challenges to the spiritual, physical, sexual, and psychological well being of our sisters and brothers, is now being seen as not just a personal local challenge, but an universal one. We all share, whether we know it or not, in the corporal oneness, of "The Mystical Body".  So then, we are faced with this undeniable, very uncomfortable fact "As we go, so goes The Body of Christ."

   We all belong to the same cosmic community.We all share a co-responsibility that cannot be ignored, or denied without mind blowing consequences. Who can make any sense of our present day,cosmic happenings  The tick up in the instances of natures extremes, is to be our oncoming, everyday experience, so the scientists are warning us. So many of the voices of those  occupying positions of power, have been muted by the destructive power of money, lest the come to own, actively meet their sworn responsibilities. When they assume their responsibilities, it is only then can we with gut honesty say, " YES!!!!  we have a future to look forward to. Scientists are not prophets of doom, they are working, yes working realists.

         We are all Contemporary Christs required to face the existential, moment to moment, dehumanization, exploitation  of  The Christ, found in all those who suffer. We are somehow being blinded to these, the very challenging words of The Historical Jesus, now being encountered as The Cosmic Christ, of a lively faith, Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it unto, (wait for it)  Me." 

         Is there a reason these words do not really reach the hearts, the depths of today's spiritual consciousness ?. Have they ever been allowed, invited to plunge the depths of the collective unconscious, so that their challenging  truth may slowly come to consciousness when invited, or demanded by circumstances. The ministering to today's living, suffering, again Crucified Christ is being cried out for. The cry is being directed to you and I. In The Hebrew Scriptures they went under the code words of "widows and orphans". To day there are living breathing sacraments of The Suffering Christ, and can be seen human beings having actual names. Is it not sad, even reprehensible that their anonymity is destroyed. Their anonymity is broken, only, when their names are announced, publicly, as those counted among the dead. Only in death does name recognition come to them. 

        Theresa of Avila has said it best, centuries ago, when she wrote the following. Easy to read....but  ?

     " Christ, has no body now, but, mine. He prays in me, works in me, looks through my eyes, speaks through my words, works through my hands, walks with my feet, and loves with my heart." Do not these speak to our depths. Speak to our souls. We all have souls that have to be nourished and reverence. As we reverence our souls, so the souls of the immigrant, the disenfranchised, the LGBTQ+, Muslims, all those whose presence is ignored, or  derided into an apparent nonexistence,  have souls that must be nourished and receive reverence. 

   Each person,  mentioned above, does have the same sacred tabernacles in their depths. Read past history. See what happened  when when denial  of the  existence African American"s soul was used to excuse slavery and all of its horrors. YES, YES, each fellow human being on that above list, have in their depths, that sacred  space, where The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit  have freely and eternally  chosen to dwell. Not just dwell in time, NO !!! this is their place of, eternal dwelling.

 This  personally, and cosmic challenging darkness ,so abhorrent to our sensibilities has to be seen through our, WOKE, eyes.  This is an process. Eyes that are forever in the process of being awakened, to realities hidden from us. The  Creative Spirit of Love, never sleeps, always on guard.  We are always, whether we like or not, in the infallible gaze of The Creative Loving Power. That is a Power that is forever bent down to hear our cries of  anger, frustration and powerlessness. This is the apophatic way as opposed to the apophatic way.. We have been placed on that trail, to the discovery....of what. Awakening does not just happen. Your personal experience is....... The spiritual journey is HARD WORK. Love. Great gramps.

- " I'll bring my storm-tossed, torn sail story to tell...

                               " make room for the little light" Jelly Roll, at  St.Peter's Square, Vatican City, 2025.

    " The invitation, not, to the illusion of comfort, but to the vitality of faith." ( Anon)

       " The Word of God is living and effective.....Proclaim the Word, be persistent, whether convenient or      inconvenient. " 2 Timothy 3.

       Recently the words sung by Jelly Roll really struck a cord with me. I was able to connect with the words of a song. It was if "heart was speaking to heart", the essence of communication. His message has become so real, so authentic, he was able to pack St.Peter's Square, with 80,000 beings, for a concert. His greatest joy was to be able to shake the hand of Pope Leo. On reflection there is a common thread which runs through both their heartfelt, consoling, and illusion busting messages we so desperately need.

   Deep down we know of this, the voice that challenges, the injustices, the dehumanizing, the deliberate  destruction of family. Somehow there is a power that is afraid of the power of faith. Faith that is challenged with opposition in only STRENGTHENED. Never send the church underground. There it is strengthened beyond human understanding. History has proven this repeatedly. So then, we must not allow  the death dealing voice of complacency, power of fear deaden, if not annihilate the message that aches for revelation and attention. Then like Jelly Roll, we will all have a storm tossed, torn sail story to tell. 

  Jelly Roll and Pope Leo are both fulfilling the exhortation contained in the The Second Scripture of todays' Liturgy of the Word: " Be persistent whether convenient or inconvenient". The message that challenges our, collective and individual comfort zones is not, just  a soul challenging, Gospel message. It is a message that eventually demands a radical annihilation of all the false self,  demands of us. Conversion, will push us onto the rugged uncomfortable trail, rugged path of,  living the radical truths of the essential gospel. We are to be immersed, into, the reality of the gut challenging message, of The Social Gospel. Each one is responsible for the active response to the promptings of The Creative Spirit.  These are frightening,  repulsive words to the ears of some. Your heart felt response, rekindles the fire of The Holy always Creative and creating, Spirit. When that happens we are in very dangerous territory. " Be not afraid, I go before you". I am your guardian, shepherd, who never goes to sleep. I am Emmanuel !!!!

   Power-full, vivifying, and energizing  Words of The Historical Jesus, now dwelling as, The Risen Christ, The Cosmic Christ Presence  is now illuminating deepest darkest depths  of our being.  We must vigilant less we enter,  be led into, the "blind alley", that is the result  of our reliance on self-will." Self will avails us nothing", the truth contained, really hidden, in those five words takes a lifetime of existential mining. This is why the illusion I had, in my self created, illusion of sufficiency  has to be surrendered to and smashed slowly by the acceptance of, radical truth. " Of myself, I can do nothing, but I can do all things in Him that strengthens me". " Even though I walk in the dark valley, I will not fear". As we journey deeper into the unknown, we are slowly and gently becoming aware of our connectedness, and immersion into  The Mystery, The Divine Secret.

        "Of myself I can do nothing" that will contribute to my eternal vocation," as a co-creator, and a co-perfector" of the universe" (Vatican Two)   "We will do our, and God will do the rest", is the acceptance of a sacred responsibility. All work is sacred. All work is sacramental. There is nothing more real that the efforts of a sweat-drenched person. That "sweat', can be the result of many, many various and varied acts  of creative ,sacrificial, endeavors. Our contribution to the cosmic consciousness, will demand we live out The Paschal Mystery in some way. We can look, reflect on the present reality, and challenge ourselves where we encounter , The Cosmic Christ, in the here and now. So ???

        Our self created  illusion,  are illusions  that will be revealed, will be slowly shattered. Our ego busting journey into the comfort and security of a lively faith will replicated the journey of The Historical Jesus. This "lively faith' will keep us grounded in this consoling reality, all that we are doing that is healthy, is our continuing mysterious  dark journey, into Mystery. There, there is, our home. Our place of security, and safety. A refuge where we are empowered to welcome, and be the contemporary, The Good Samaritan. Illusions smashed is not only a death, but the participation in The Resurrection, as understood in contemporary spirituality.

           Each one of us is called to make both an individual, and collective, social to the challenge of The Radical Gospel. This will trigger radical change. May The Gracious, Creative Spirit gladden your hearts, so you may encounter a joy, not happiness, in every sacramental, now moment of your journey into The Cosmic Christ, and cosmic consciousness.     Slainte. We all need this, for this journey. Great great gramps. 

   " Together we suffer, together we exist, forever we will recreate one another ." de Chardin 

     " The Word, of the Lord, is, not chained"  2Tim.

       " Come, Holy Spirit, come and strengthen the fear-full heart of this faithless one." (jih)

        " Sing to the Lord, a new song for he has, (and is. jh) doing wondrous deeds ."  PS 98.

   I love to hear again, and again the songs of the 50s, 60s, and some of the 70s. I guess that is called, being nostalgic. That is well, and good, but that keeps us in the past. The words of the song that we are called to sing are not for the past, and never will be for the past. The past does not exist, only as the reality  we bestow on it. The song we are to sing is  to be, an honest, truth-full outward expression of our inward reality. Complacency, can and does rear it's ugly head, voice, as it encourages us to settle for what was, the non-threatening, non challenging,  comfortable familiar prayers of  yesterday. Having no connection with the existential, the here and now. 

 I have had to learn, unfortunately the hard way, My Gracious Prodigal Father, is only present in this now moment. In this now moment all that I need, not want, is being gifted to me. Prayer life from me, has to be grounded in, honesty. I am  becoming acquainted, gradually getting to know the gifts that come from, "reckless honesty". The leper in me, intuitively knows the only true, real song I am given to sing, originates, bubbles up, from the depths of a beaten and battered  heart.  The WORDS USED, will not words we use in polite conversation. In his book, "Mystical Theology" William Johnson teaches that the Dark Night will result, in, rebellion. Yes, raw naked rebellion. That rebellion will have to be given reality, otherwise we will be plunged into the state of helplessness, and powerlessness.

    As we listen to, the gospel story, of the  recovering raging alcoholic, drug addict, we hear it was from the depths of their diseased being, helplessness, and powerlessness  a prayer was given. This prayer was  to involves a large number of curse words. Yes! cursing God. The result of their brutal honesty, the  priceless gifts of recovery, "sobriety, sanity and serenity", were freely bestowed on these present day, mystics. Who are these present day mystics, they are our sisters, and brothers, who speak a different language. It is the language of awakening ,and entrance into real, freedom.  It is directed as a gift that is being offered ,our  present day  addicted society.  Like all addicts, our first reaction, is denial

Honesty, demands we challenge society of its, denial of its , addictions. Dare we challenge the addictions, yes , we must.  There is no other option, if we desire to have a real, life giving and life sustaining presence. In this uncluttered reality, presence, Presence, and Real Reality becomes awakened. " The Glory of God, is, the human person, fully alive."( St.Irenaeus. ) The Word of The Lord cannot be chained. Even if it, lies in chains, those chains will be broken. This "breaking" will happen, through the emerging, real truth, honesty,  and open-mindedness. These will then have become the norm for an awakened, recovered, sober-minded  society. In this society we will all be judged, if judged, by the " content of our character", alone.

     Look up the definition, description of, mystic. This little action will have a lasting effect on how you see, view those who accompany us on the slog, we call life. What will each one of have to do so we will be able to call our reality, real living. Freedom comes to us and our cosmos, at a great price. Rereading the above quote , from de Chardin ,we are comforted with this reality. We are never alone. We are intimately connected. Otherwise, how do we dare to say, "We are, The Body of Christ". It is through our honest being, and becoming, The Cosmic Christ, becomes a living, owned reality. 

                  " Dig, beneath the surface of,  life"..... Pope Leo, X1V.

        " The capacity to learn...Is a gift.     The ability to learn....Is a skill. 

            The willingness, to learn...... Is a,......CHOICE." (Anonymous" 

           " Come Holy Spirit and humanize, the hardened heart, of this complacent one"

     The prophet Amos, " Woe, to the complacent....they are not made ill, by the collapse of Joseph "

  The Prophet for our time, Pope Leo, is encouraging us,  "to dig the beneath the surface of life", to my present understanding, this means to, GO Deep, and be open to the revelations that will come from, soul work.  Honest, soul work, is an never ending process that we human beings are called, destined to participate in, as a life long challenge.  Souls work sinks roots, for a healthy growth of the trunk, branches, leaves and fruit. No roots, no fruits. The more we respond to this challenge, the deeper we will go. The journey into the depths results in us gradually discovery of a well.  From this well is springing all the nourishment, grace, we are in need of to make an, authentic,  human journey.The more we drink from this well the more we will be in touch with our unique, sparkling,  vivifying, true selves. This nourishes the spirit within,  so we can join The Dove, in spiritual flight. WOW !!! WOW !!!!

 Our ongoing, soul work, gradually reveals the, moment to moment battle, between, the true  self, which is The Gracious creation, and the false self which is our creation. The false self is created so we are able to endure, survive in a, dysfunctional world.  The false self, whose sole occupation is the possession of endless sources of " power, property, and prestige." (Rohr) We make, "power, property, and prestige" (Rohr), the barometer, the gauge for the judging , our intrinsic value and worthwhileness. Now we are going to add to these  real life destructive addictions, " control, comparisons, and contradictions, and we find ourselves in real life choking, life destructing, doodoo . 

How do we break free of these life destruction forces ? Sad to say there is no way into the freedom of the true self, except for, a real life reclaiming, conversion. I am really sad, really sad, to share with you   conversion only happens, at least to my present understanding (2025), trough these contradictory  statements, " Discover the powerlessness of, power, and the power, of, powerlessness"( Rohr) This power is the result of our Paschal Journey, being repeated and repeated. The Historical Rabbi Jesus, endured His Calvary experience just once. We make the journey through suffering, death, tomb time, Resurrection resulting in the experience of a new way of acting and a new way of thinking.

  This reminds me of this old  adage, " we cannot think our way into, a new way of acting, we have to act our way into, a new way of thinking." To be brutally honest, I wish I never was exposed to this life changing, life enhancing challenging reality. My false self, wanted,  no constantly demanded an easier softer way. That ended in my experience of deep alienation, isolation and life destructive practices, which lead to Joe  believing the lie of the false self,  this is really living. Living a common lie, not in The Truth.

       No, Joe now says , that  experience of Joe slowly realizing that he was dying, because of his life destructive addictions, and compulsions.  Through grace, I was blasted out of complacency. into the journey of discovering, the powerlessness of power and the power of powerlessness.Because I was so very selfish, wanting complacency   eventually lead to the change of heart, the conversion. This conversion that was ESSENTIAL, a conditio sine qua non,  for the discovery, and entrance into  a wonder-full, awe-full experience.  Real freedom, supplanting apparent freedom.  This new freedom was, experiencing the freedom of living the life of, the true self. I now know the existential meaning of, " I have come that you will have life, and have it to the fullest" By writing this, I pray in some mysterious way this will be your experience. Complacency will not get anyone anywhere on the harsh, and crooked trail that leads one into the experience of an authentic, healthy  spiritual reality. "  First blog ,as an, 86 year old. 

                                               The exhalation of The Holy Cross.

         " The denunciation of  injustice implies the rejection of the use of Christianity 

             to legitimize the established order."( As a result ) "so many of our sisters and brothers live in poverty......the lack of respect for one's human dignity, the unjust limitations placed on personal freedom in areas of self-expression, politics, and religion." Gustavo  Gutierrez. 

 " Christ Jesus...emptied Himself..Taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness, and found 

     human in appearance, He humbled Himself, He became subject to death, EVEN, death on the cross."

         " May you know the urgency, with which God longs for, you". ( John O'Donoghue )

 Life, in all of it's formations, is, a sacrament. In all realities, both hidden and revealed,  are revelations of The Real, and Ultimate Reality.  After I first read the following of the following I found it's ubiquitous  presence, in so many of the homilies of the preaching years: " Life is not a problem to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived." I am being lead into  accepting that, all the mysteries we are drawn into, is   preparing us for an ever deepening understanding and as  consequence an evolving relationship with, The Ultimate  Reality. In all that is, we have been chosen to experience. The Immanence of The Divine. St. Paul reminds us, this gift is  "NOT for ourselves, alone. but is to be used for the building up of the community, the common good". To  exist in aloneness in not our destiny. We are called , as social  beings to live in relationship. To live a life within community.   As a result of  being immersed in this, "life within" our existence is inextricably linked to all of the lived experiences of said, community. What a challenge lies within that, "lived relationship", and all relationships. We are, now, adding the word cosmic to better explain the gift and resulting challenge.

        All that I am sharing, is not something I left, St.Patrick's Seminary in Carlow city with. I was ordained with 30 others on, June 8th, 1963. (Added a necessary exciting, Celtic, dimension to our six years, we were  blessed with a Scott. A rabid Glasgow Celtic supporter, to booth. He was also a veteran.) Those six years were like living in a holiday camp compared to what was, to follow. Beginning with being deliberately locked out of the rectory, that  I was to call home, and in the twilight of my years the understanding of, The sacramentality of The Cross, has been, and is, in every nanosecond, being taught to me. 

   This "teaching" did not, and is not taking place in visions, or earth shattering revelations. I was not aware of what was happening in, the every here and now moment, the existential. What I have come to understand, and that process of moment to moment teaching, can be summed up in one of my often used quotes, " We live life looking forward, but we only understand it looking, backwards". What is happening right now ? More and more clarity is, very slowly, Oh !! so very slowly,  breaking through. That is why this process of writing has become, in hindsight,  is in reality, sacramental.  The place, The Unknown, is being revealed. I desperately hope and pray, this leads, each  of  you beloved ones, to embrace  the sacramentality of your EVERY, lived experience. Blessings, on the Now moments, that you are to live.

       " The life of the Historical Jesus, is no longer a human life, submerged in history, but a theological life, an icon." Way back, the following blew me away, on my first reading : " Jesus's story, is our story today" (John O'Shea)  What I read, or we read, in the gospels are given to us as lenses to see beyond, the ordinary, into the mysterious reality within.That which I see is NOT my deepest reality. All that bubbles up to consciousness is how we see ourselves as we really are. The raw naked truth !!!! As we live, so, we write. We by our "living life to the fullest", write own personal, contemporary Gospel.  This Gospel,Your Gospel may be the only gospel some people will EVER get to read !!!!!! Awe-full ???? 

      This is really getting, very verbose. Hands up, all those, in agreement !!!!! So I will end, really, with this. The cross, our daily encounters with, "failure rejection and nakedness." (Rohr) will not be the end, but the beginning, of our lived encounter with the faith-full-ness of ,Mercy.  Being in the embrace of Mercy-full  Love, we are being: healed, soothed, comforted, strengthened, and protected by a Power greater than ourselves, also named The Unknown. In Lamentations we are gifted with this  amazing truth: " Because of The Lord's steadfast love we are not consumed, ( by guilt, fear, and shame. jh) for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faith-full-ness...His mercies never come to an end". So then Pope Francis encouraged us, "to never stop asking for mercy". "So at the end of the day, we give thanks for being betrothed, to The Unknown." (John O'Donoghue)  May the gifts of peace, joy, and love, permeate you whole being. Be, the cosmic gift ,you have been called to be. GGPJ.

    

   

         

      

"The Father of orphans and the Defender of widows is God, in His  holy dwelling. God gives a home to the forsaken." Psalm 68.

"Come, O Holy Spirit, come, strengthen, and inspire the heart of this faithless one." (hij)

"The pivotal shift in spirituality's meaning for the twentieth century is the birth of a worldview of interdependence or relationality. In the broadest sense,... spirituality is the relational component of lived experience." Katherine Zappone.

"The Father of orphans and the Defender of widows is God, in His holy dwelling." We are blessed (?) to be challenged by today's worldview; it reveals that our Prodigal Father God is not tucked away in His comfortable Heaven. She/He finds a permanent home in the tabernacle within our depths. It is NOT one person of the Holy Trinity who is present as our guest: all Three are making Their dwelling in that same tabernacle made of frail human flesh. A tabernacle that was created, fashioned in eternity, and now has found enfleshed presence in today's cosmic reality. There is never a moment that we are not bearing that tabernacle; as we go, where we go, so goes the tabernacle. We were created in eternity, and for eternity we will be bonded.

Just mere existence is not enough for us to fulfill the destiny that has been chosen for us. We have to come alive. "The glory of God is the human being fully alive" (St. Irenaeus). We must pray for the courage to embrace the mystical and cosmic paths that have been chosen for us. They have been created to be essential for the Divine Creative Plan to find perfect completion. Our constant prayer of surrender to The Plan is, "Not my will, but Your will be done." As we continue "to trudge the path," we are actually in the process of accepting those words. Process is not an event. "We do not think our way into a new way of acting; we ACT our way into a new way of thinking." So sad, but unfortunately, all too true.

I have serious problems with constantly attending to what is happening in my life and the challenges it presents. Here are some thoughts that are bubbling up. They are disjointed, unattached to what is being reflected on, but are real for frail, and becoming more frail, powerless Joe.  As a person advances along the calendar of finite time, one's ability to exercise self-will becomes less of a challenge. The desire to have one's own way, no matter the cost, remains strong and in some areas stronger. Thanks to the blessing of old age, we cannot carry on the fight for any length of time.

"Every blessing is a curse; every curse is a blessing." Acceptance of that reality sure eases the burden of the journey. The resulting anger and frustration are tough to own but necessary for our evolving relationships both with humanity and the cosmos. Let us pray that we will respond to the grace that will lead us through challenging, dark valleys and transforming mountaintop experiences always safely and gently. We are always ,beloved daughters/sons, who are always abiding in an unconditioned love that cannot  be earned, deserved,  or qualified  for. It is a pure gift. It is grace, also understood as The Prodigal Lover, in action.

This  Prodigal Cosmic Lover loves the littlest ant, the most alienated person, both within our perception, and society's prejudiced eyes. The existential challenge is how we are to work for change. Change within ourselves, which will then help change the lens of a dysfunctional current society. Change is always slow, and difficult. Well, that has been, and my past experience. My current experience. sad to say, is no different. That is why my mantra ,"Come Holy Spirit come and change  my hardened heart" is prayed, repeatedly Ever make an effort to change the mind of an older person ? well I am considered to be, a senior, senior, senior citizen. Welcome to my reality. By the way it is awaiting all who are privileged to reach, the so called, The Golden years !!!!!!

As you read the  first sentences, what struck you, What emerged from your depths, from your deepest reality? Is that not the quiet workings of The Holy Trinity, always existing and celebrating in the tabernacle of your uniqueness ?  How personal did you allow those enlightening and life giving to become ? Did the thought, hit you, despite the always slow reaction to, uncomfortable challenges,  of how personal that first quote from Scripture is?  The Father of orphans, The Defender of widows, IS presently at home.  His Holy dwelling, in today's reality, IS EACH ONE OF US.  We have been chosen, from eternity, to be the dwelling place of The Creative Spirit, and Family, Within our individual and collective depths lies the answer(s) to all the challenges provided ourselves, and  to the collective, the cosmic. The Creative Spirit always uses human instrumentality, to achieve the fulfillment of creation's destiny. Mary's place ???

         The above words, are to be, actually consciously encountered with deep reverence, not just glance at. As a result,  may todays "widows and orphans", the powerless, the disenfranchised, the marginalized, the rejects of polite society become the place where, acceptance and Samaritan care, is offered, by us, and others. The resulting, cost ?  That will be personal for each one. Prepared to pay ?

  " May your prayer of listening, be deepen enough to hear in the depths, the laughter of The Divine"

          The marrow in the skeleton bones of creation , the cosmos, is The Cosmic Christ.

           The Skeleton holds us fast, while the marrow of, The Cosmic Christ, fills us up.

       Come, Holy Spirit, come, and strengthen the  weakened mind of this, faithless one. (hij)                                   

                         This, mystifying reality, is beginning to take hold. When the oriental horizon is slowly being illuminated on, September 29 2025, I will be entering a moment,  I have never dared to imagine, the possibility of Joe entering that stratosphere of being, get this, 86 !!!!  May, The The Gracious Creative Spirit, Who has guided my journey to this mysterious ,NOW moment preserve, protect  me as, " Expectations, are planned resentments."  My, false self, is still very much, alive !!!!  My expectation that it would die because, of  the aging process was, laboring under, a misconception !!!. My reality is with the passing years it seems to have caught up more energy. 

    Please put in a good word for me, as you are celebrating your connectedness with your Higher Power. An evolving relationship with, The Prodigal Mother/Father, has been a blessing for me , and I wish the same for all you who read this effort. A person does not, nor cannot exist, cannot evolve, in, isolation. There is, in these mysterious, fruit-full now moments, a  tremendous evolving, developing  emphasis on humanities' relationship with, The Cosmic Christ. You are reading, and hearing the mention of The Cosmic Christ.  Here is a thumbnail nail sketch of how I have been lead to understand His Reality today.

" The Cosmic Christ is a theological and mystical interpretation of Jesus Christ that extends beyond the historical figure of Jesus of Nazareth. It views Christ not merely as a personal savior or religious teacher, but as a universal, Divine Presence, that permeates all of creation. This understanding draws from  Christian Scriptures, early Christian mysticism, and contemporary theological developments , especially within the realms of process theology, panentheism, and eco-theology." All things one in Christ, especially within the Body of The Cosmic Christ. " In Christ were created all things in heaven and on earth : everything visible and invisible...... Before anything was created, CHRIST EXISTED, and Christ holds all things in unity ". (Col 1,15-17) Efforts at disunity war against The Reality of The Cosmic Christ,

We are not islands, then, living a disconnected existence. Back in those days that are  now, lost in the mist of time, it took me some time to plunge the depths of this reality, " no women/man is an island". " Alone, we can do nothing"(Paul)   Ireland, was and is, an island, and was surrounded by many, many  islands. In school, their names and locations, had to be memorized.  Many of these were inhabited, and flourishing. So then, can we believe, "One can flourish as an island," ?That belief can, and will lead to dysfunctional behavior. Are we, not now living an existence that is, death dealing , rather than, as The Gracious Creator intended, be life giving.  We are called, destined from eternity to be co-creators of new life, not co-destructors of that same fruit bearing, life!! 

Back then, and in some  vapid teachings, and preachings of  today, our god was presented, communicated  to be of the transcendent ,variety, " God was in heaven and all was right with the world". The evolution of scriptural scholarship  understanding, and dynamic fruit bearing  revolution of The Second Vatican Council, lead to the revelation that Our Infinite Creator is in reality, Emmanuel. Emmanuel brings with it the transforming reality, that, THE DIVINE GOD,  Is,WITH US, what is more awe-full, The Creative Presence is ever and always within us. What is even more boggling  to the mind is  the Mercy-full, The All powerful cannot leave us. WE are bound together in a covenant of love. Now we celebrate That Loving Transforming  Presence "  in Whom ,we live, and move, and have our being."There is no moment that we are in presence of  Creative, Transforming Prodigal Lover. " "Christ is present, in all things that, are" Gregory of Nazianus. Add " Christ holds things in, unity." That statement is certintly 

       Wow !! how we struggle to make that mystifying reality, the ground of our reality. We are thereby gifted with the Foundational Rock, with Whom we can exist, live, grow, and be a creative life giving and life enhancing power of love. " The logos of God has become human so that you might learn from a human being how a human being may become Divine." Clement of Alexandria  Another quote that got me  having to dig deep, when at that moment in time, I only wanted EASY solutions, in my troubled life. This was the time of deep searching, as it was then, so it is now, and ever shall be until, my last breath.
" God became man, so that man could become God".Wherever there is The Logos, Love  is in the process of creation.  Yes ! there is a new creation breaking, through into existence.  Creation is  being being continued, anew, renewed, transfigured, and transformed , through the mystery of grace in action,

   A hard fact I have only recently begun to accept, wherever there is death, there ,new life is, mysteriously birthed. Life and death are the two sides of the same coin. From the moment we are birthed we are beginning to, live. As we are living our daily lives, we are closer each lived day, to the day of our death. Then begins a new life in a deathless resurrected reality  " Death, is, no more". Love, great  grandpa Joe.

     

          

  " Go out to all the world, and tell the good news" Mark 16:15

" Unwavering is His kindness towards us, and the faith-full-ness of the Lord, endures forever" Psalm 117  

" Come Holy Spirit come, and fill the heart of this, faithless one." (jih)

  "Preach the Gospel wherever you may go, and, when necessary, use, words" St.Francis of Assisi 

    

        Well, as you work through your daily slog, what is the Gospel, that you are gifting your cosmic home with?  What is the song you are singing, as you supply words to through your actions ? To those who are companions on this challenging journey, what is the life giving gospel message, the life enhancing  bread

  that  they  are receiving, from your song of action? The life story they are reading, and being educated by, may be the only Bible they will ever have the privilege of reading.

 They will be taught from you wordless preaching the depth of mystery ,that is coming to consciousness through your lived encounters with The Paschal Mystery. Yes !! all of your life tells a story, which is the revelation of Infinite Truth.That story is told ,under the guidance ,of The Holy Spirit.  Where The Spirit is there also is, living out an infinite story of love with Beloved Son, and  The Prodigal Father. There is NEVER a moment that we are not caught up in the embrace of, The Holy Trinity.Can we get the message across that we are not journeying into hellish suffering, alone. We are following in the footsteps of Him Who is, God, enfleshed within the confines of our, fleshiness. 

       We are being strengthened by Him,  who is in  all, reality, otherwise it is not real. our strength finds its originThe Suffering Servant of His Father,  whose reality we exude. As we grow in our suffering surrendering, gifts are gifted way beyond anything we could ever imagine. This  life giving strength  has Its  origins in our depths. For, this life-giving strength, to come to consciousness a life of in depth prayer, is asked, NO, demanded of us. We have to look, through  our Gospel lenses, at the lived experienced, of our abused,  again crucified , suffering Christ.

          Where did that first horrendous abuse and crucifixion take place ? "The name of the place was Golgotha". We do not have Alligator Alcatraz, we have, GOLGOTHA, YES, Golgotha, presented, this time ,in living color.  It is mind boggling, as these acts of abuse and can be presented to the nation, a supposedly Christian  one, as something to be publicized, admired, and now, unfortunately imitated.  What deranged minds could ever condone, not to mind imitate, such places of horrendous abuse, dehumanization and  barbarity of the beloved daughters and sons of  our common Father.  We a have ICE detention centers, whose real names must be recognized, for what they really are, Golgotha !!! Where Jesus our brother was originally abused, ridiculed, tortured, and ultimately, crucified. The ignominious death reserved only for runaway slaves. Golgotha, Calvary is front of us. "Let those who have eyes, let them see. Let those who have ears, let them hear." Let those who have hands, and feet, let them become the contemporary Simon and Veronica for todays reality, of Suffering Reality.

         A realistic picture from todays dysfunctional country, world of the Body of The Crucified One, can it be replaced with the face of a child, returning to it's empty  home. Mom and dad have been carted away, to be deported ?  Is it possible for us to stop, and honestly imagine the feelings of abandonment these our sisters and brothers are forced to endure ? The many  myself included, who have to deal with abandonment issues, can more than just empathize, they are blessed to be  able to be a, compassionate  presence. Veronica and Simon will leave the Gospel pages and become, living presences for todays suffering and abused, Jesus Christ. Each follower of  Christ must allow themselves to be challenged, ever anew, by these existential treats to our, Gospel values. 

              

       To add to the insanity of the reality we are asked to survive,  and  live in, we have the shooting of school children, gathered in the school's community, Eucharistic celebration.  They were in celebratory prayer honoring the Essential Mystery of our faith. With the flash of a gun, these Innocents  became Its horrendous reality. Here is a question, is there any distinction to be made, between the children's blood on the floor, and The Precious Blood, in the chalice ?? Are they not both , The Blood of Christ ??  Where does this encounter with rawboned  Reality lead you to?

                                            Let us take whatever constructive we can to bring about.The Kingdom, of real peace, equal justice, for all, and real transforming love. This IS ON its way, let us give it a boost, so the reality may be hurried along.    A stunned, and mystified great grandpa Joe. Why did I have so long that The Crucifixion has become so enfleshed in my reality ??? Love, prayers, blessings.

        "Be, as a page that aches for words, which speak on a theme that is timeless". 

        "Sing, as a song in search of a voice that is silent" Neil Diamond.

         "Blessed are the people The Lord has chosen to be His own" Psalm 3

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called out to go to a place..not knowing where he was to go"

         "Come Holy Spirit, and fill the heart of this, faithless one"(hij")

         Well !!! Well !!! I am wondering what is going on within you now ? What are your thoughts ?" Have these words stopped you, and are carrying you to, where ? Maybe to, silence ? Or has the phone been hung up ? Each person will have her or his, own very unique, response to the above words. These words are intended not just glanced over, but are allowed entrance to your depths, where they are intended to go. The above words are sacramental, and given to you and I, now. In this now moment they are given as a nourishing challenge. A healthy  spiritual stretching, which will enable us to go beyond we can go the familiar, the comfortable, the nonthreatening, the place  where our false self luxuriates. 

  This is a placed of,  indifference, prejudice, starvation This is the place where our true selves, the one where the Great Creative Mercy-full embraces us, just exactly as we are. We do have to "put on a show", to show our Infinite Beloved that we somehow deserving of unconditioned, unlimited, unrestricted love. That boat has long sailed, and is not available for boarding. Let me be very ,clear the false self is ever so comfortable on that vessel of  comfort,  selfishness, prejudice, self occupation ,denial, and death. 

 There is that page, that place within you, which is waiting for your unique song, sung in silence. In that sacramental, sacred silence your uniqueness is being revealed to you. As we are told, "Silence is God's first language" in our silence our unique story is written. Whether that ,ever sacred story ever reaches it's intended destination depends SOLEY on our free will. What an awe-full gift free will is. The Awe-full, All Power-full One, cannot force us to to anything we do not want to do. We are getting the message that, love is freeing. We life our lives in thee freedom of being, the beloved daughters and sons of ,THE BELOVED. Our belovedness is a gift we must recognize  and claim, a thousand times a day. Why so many ? We are be aware of this frightening statistic, we ABORT, our souls, a thousand times a day. 

 Like Abraham we are being called to go forth traveling, one step at a time, into the darkness of the  unknown, where in the tabernacle of  silence, The Unknown, is  patiently waiting. Waiting so that we will consent our eternal destiny of being cocreators of an evolving, mysterious, ever greening,  cosmos. What a dignity that is imprinted on our souls. Never to be lost,  removed or obliterated. Dare to embrace your unique choice of song. Do not just sing it, rather shout it out. An empty world is waiting for that sound. Can creation continue to it's authentic evolution without your unique , constructive contribution?  Love, prayers and blessings is my gift to you all. May The Gracious Great Spirit continue the work that has already begun with in, and because of the exercise of you creative freedom. Great grandpa Joe.

      " May the gracious, (kind), care of The Lord, our God, be ours."  Ps. 90.It is ours. Let, our moment to moment actions, reflect this living mysterious truth. 

    " Come, Holy Spirit come, and fill the heart of this faithless one."

    " Today, if (when,) you hear the voice of God, harden not your hearts"

   " The denunciation of injustice implies ,the rejection of Christianity, to legitimize order."G. Gutierrez

  " Today, if (when) you hear the voice of God, harden not your hearts." It has been just over the last number of years I have begun to see the need to change the "if", which for me denotes uncertainty, to "when" which forces me to concentrate on "the here, and now". Corinthians reveals to us that "now is the acceptable time, now is the time of Salvation." Here and now, ALL , that The Gracious, Creative Spirit, in infinite Wisdom, knows I need to be an authentic co-creator is being channelled into me. NOTHING, but NOTHING is missing from this sacramental,  grace imbued moment. Nor, from THIS sacramental , and this, this.... ad infinitum.  As is was in, eternity ,so it is ,now, and ever shall be.

     I, we, must make " Lord, that I may see", " Your will be done, and not mine", are spiritual bromides  I must bring to consciousness again, and, again. Then, at least for me, this acceptance of my  innate powerlessness, to do anything on my own, results in the emergence of a reality, way beyond anything I would ever be able to imagine. I am getting to be in deeper acceptance of what I heard Fr.Rohr  first say, many decades ago, " The powerlessness of power, and the power of powerlessness". I have been growing in the acceptance of this challenging spiritual truth, not through any successes I may have. 

      The mysterious truth of this bromide comes  ONLY , through loss, failure,  suffering, rejection,  and isolation. This is the spirituality of imperfection, the apophatic way so many of us have been chosen to tread. Is it not great to know we are never alone on this slog. Yes, strength is found within the bonds of  those , the community who are  embracing the challenging of living  in daily living, depth reality of the Paschal Mystery. This community is vast. To consider  Christian Nationalism, is to consider embracing a contradiction.  It is too restrictive in its outreach and vision. Of it's essence, it is powerless!! 

    As Gustavo Gutierrez writes, we must denunciate a Christianity which ties to legitimize injustice, exploitation, dehumanization, denial of the basic needs of the human person. This can be applied, unfortunately, most certainty in our day and age. Is this not both sad, and embarrassing in a country that is looked on as educated, enlightened?  I even read recently " once there is talk of "social justice' the "privileged begin to resist." 

I have from my own experience seen people,  walk out, loudly disagree, and in one case be invited to seek a transfer to a " colored parish'. The word colored was not used, the repulsive, denigrating word was hurled in anger. I asked the person,  who encouraged my immediate  transfer, if he had  received  The Eucharist? The reply was a very definite, "yes". It was then, I hung up. I was early on in my journey in the priesthood.  Boy!! did that  initially both shocked, and rattled me. On the other hand, my resolve to face  the social,  financial ,and other injustices was strengthened from that moment on. There are some things you do not challenge an Irishman with. Especially if he comes from County Cork and was raised the many exploits of Michael Collins. We share some of the same DNA !!!! 

            

               "Lord, on the day I called You answered me; and built up strength within me.

             " The Lord will complete what He has done for me."Psalm 138.( In spite of my doubts and fears)

             "Come, Holy Spirit and fill the heart of this, faithless, one"(jih)

               From one of my favorite Irish songs.   "Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears Isle of freedom, Isle of fears but it's not the isle you left behind

        That Isle of Hunger, Isle of Pain you'll never see again,But that isle of home is always on my mind."

 The events of our present history offers us the challenge of facing the awe-full  harshness of what is being perpetuated both at home and abroad. It boggles my mind that living, maybe existing is the right word,  in this supposed most advanced civilizations we are forced to face repulsive realities. We are challenged by "the barbarity of war" (Pope Leo), famine, and can we actually say, the possibility of, genocide?

    For me, "that Isle of Hunger, Isle of pain" will never again be seen by this alien, this Irishman born I County Cork. I was raised  with thought "that freedom was not free". My family really paid a serious price for freedom.  From my earliest youth I was a student of Irish History. Famine and genocide, are words not foreign to the sad history of Ireland. Before the beginnings of the genocide, NOT FAMINE, there were 8 million people in Ireland. After the horrors of the  deliberate, and well thought plans, actions of The British Government, Ireland was reduced to four million.  Records now available reveal that there was NO drop-off in the exports from Ireland to England during those Genocide years. The deprivation of food was looked on as the solution to the  'perceived",Irish,  problem.  Papers now available paint a dastardly picture of the English political mind. There is plenty of research available to make the word "famine" disappears from  description of what happened in Ireland,  and replaced, as it is now, partially, with,  GENOCIDE. 

Facing the growing challenge of hunger in so many parts of our home, we must also face this horrendous fact, there is food available but obstacles are placed to the way of the victims of  famine, and todays genocide to receive such aid. Thank God some countries are  now taking the initiative, and food is being air dropped. Blessings on all those who are brave enough to feed  the present day, SUFFERING BODY OF CHRIST.  The starving Christ was in the body of every Irish person, as He is, to day, in all those suffering in Gaza, Ukraine, and the starving hordes to be found in many continents.  

     " Those to whom much is given, much is expected" are Gospel words that cannot be sloughed over. We must counter attack those who would belittle such prophetic thinking. As some unfortunate leaders are  betraying Their Christ-like , humane calling, and are following The Hireling Shepherd. Our time, these times call out in desperate manner, for shepherdesses and shepherds faithful to the the Gospel's Social Teachings, irregardless of denomination. WE are being called to unite so as  to bring about seismic change .This seismic change has to find  its, origin, beginnings, in The Power that already dwells in the depths of  all hearts. As you read this I hope there is a new AWAKENING of the call to vocation of  being prophets. Prophets always speak the truth to power. History bears out that was not, "a good move", the prophets voices can only be silenced for a little while. From the blood spent, springs up a new breed of prophet. A prophet more committed to the radical demands of The Gospels.  

    Why would you choose to encounter to receive  That Creative, Always Creating Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation and Priesthood. Sometimes, when, I am gut honest, I sincerely question the actions of the hireling leadership of our Catholic Faith. Not our past and present popes who are breathing life into a new awakening. A new and more startling revelation of the Power of The Resurrection.

 Catholic means, "you all come". All are welcome and to partake, without money, without having to pay any price, of the blessings The Generous Creator has bestowed. There are to be no door checks, no validation of the required status, for entry to any celebration. All are called, all are chosen, by Infinite Love from It's Womb of Infinite love. We all are conceived and then called forth out of the impenetrable mists of  eternity. We had the beginnings of our  eternal communion  in the  infinite  depths of The Womb Of Infinite Lover. We must remind ourselves, and communicate  this truth to our human family and all creation of a Love that cannot ever be lost, or taken from us. From infinity we all enjoyed being called " BELOVED. The Lord will complete what has begun, but we are cocreatorrs in all the mysterious creative action necessary for  the creative evolution of "New Heavens and a new earth."..... GGPJ.