- " 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.