How is your desert journey ? Is it challenging, disconcerting, uncomfortable , fear-filled, I invite you to add the challenges you are confronting you at this time. All of us are in the same boat, or should I say desert. All of us are meeting the moment to moment challenge of being; " Spiritual beings immersed in the human condition". What is bubbling up from within as the result of our destiny to be contemporary authentic living realities of The Suffering Servant, The Revelation of the unseen Divinity, the gospel writers of a contemporary gospel. Written, as were the original gospels, under the unique guidance of The Holy Spirit. The same one that worked with the human actions of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
To carry the above thought further we are, as St.Paul writes " already citizens of Heaven, as we live upon the earth". That word live is a loaded word. Another, four letter word, to add to your acceptable vocabulary, to add balance to your ability to express yourself. Us Irish who have advanced degrees in bad language are in desperate need of acceptable four letter words. Many, many decades ago, I read the following , "we are called to live life, not merely exist". Yet there are billions of our sisters and brothers who are very lucky to be able to eke out a mere existence, while many more billions are living way beyond the lap of luxury.
Suffering is a mystery. Suffering is a sacrament. As we journey through the dark valley of suffering we are brought to face the stark reality of what it means to be human, limited, vulnerable, and deficient in so many ways. We are faced with our powerlessness, and are forced to our knees to cry out " Lord, be with me for I am in trouble." As it was with the chosen people of old, so it is with you and I today. Our Gracious Mercy-full Creator "sees our afflictions, our trials, our oppression ". In those moments, hours, days, weeks, even years The Savior sees our distress and from all our distress we are rescued. A person in trouble has to be able to surrender to the rescuer, otherwise there is no rescue. Right?
Got to be honest here. I can share with you the fact that I am reluctant, hesitant to accept help, until I am in the most pain. Then I have come to believe, It is then and there I am rescued from all my distress and broken-heart-then- ness. Yes, The Lord is close to the broken hearted and in each moment we are offer the grace necessary for us to exit the valley of despair and darkness into the Resurrected Light of hope and brightness. Yes, it is true " no pain, no gain". No death, no Calvary, no Resurrection and new life. We will have CHOSEN to choose existence rather that be filled with all that is necessary "to have life and have it to the fullest ". This is what is offered in, "now is the acceptable time now is the time of Salvation.
The Good Shepherd was "driven into the desert". Lucky for us. He awaits there to be our strength and guide. A Faith-full Good Shepherd who NEVER deserts His Lambs and sheep. We are lead to refreshing wells of life giving waters, springing up from our depths. So this is the outline of each person's Lenten Journey. It is NOT for just 6 weeks out of the 52. It is our felt experience each of the 365 days. To be more specific now is when all of this is available to us. How do we accept the invitation, " Come back to Me with all your hearts , do not let fear keep us apart". We are told we journey through raw naked fear into an ever deepening intimacy. Let us all strive , as best we can, to embrace the stark reality, "Faith is a journey into uncertainty, not certainty." OH!. ! OH! OH! how I wish it was not so. For this in mysterious plan of The Gracious Creative Spirit. Who is always journeying through you, with you and within you.
Is it not great, we only have to take one step at a time? There is death in the overloading the present moment. In this you go to war with the false self. A war we fight to our dying breath. Our ultimate surrender, that takes us to " new heavens and new earths." Fight the good fight and do your best to refrain from the darkness of powerlessness, which is your stepping stone to WHAT ?? Your personal honest answer." Honesty is progressive " ( As Bill sees It) Your fellow desert dweller, wounded, wandering, and wondering........ Endlessly.
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