" The only true wisdom is, knowing , you know nothing."  Socrates.                                                                                         "Be willing to be a beginner, every single morning ." Meister Eckhart.

                                          " Now we see in a mirror, dimly." St.Paul. 

 Before this week I though I knew, nothing. After this week, I am CERTAIN now, I know nothing. What blows my mind is this, to more I respond to the invitation to accept, embrace, the fact that is, that in the reality of knowing, nothing, there is no better place that Joe can be. What does the commercial say ?" Nothing is , everything". I got plenty of nothing, so I am, blessed? Now if you get/got, anything out that exposition, you are a far better person than, I. Have you hung up, or just pressed a key "

        I have been blessed to have an evolving relationship with Meister Eckart for a number of decades. In his time he ruffled a few feathers, and was looked on with suspicion. Not over the recent decades, however. Now he is viewed with respect in the fields of Catholic Mystical thinking, and, get this, in the exploding field of quantum thought. That is so very difficult  to fathom, Quantum Theorists  and a  Catholic Mystic, from the 1440 A.D., being in  respectful dialogue. Needless to say, all the expression of appreciation is on the theorists side. What Meister wrote is being researched through more expansive, nonbinary lenses, than the narrow binary lenses used by those who sought to  condemned him. The dialogue between science and spirituality need not surprise us. This was Pierre de Chardin prophetic vision, in the early 1900s. What is emerging from the collective unconscious, and coming to consciousness de Chardin named it, the noosphere.We are all benefitting from this respectful dialogue, as we are being challenged to explore, an ever deeper understanding of the moment to moment reality of, reality. This exploration has led us now to be blessed with new lenses, leading to new discoveries. Discoveries that are, endless.  The Unknown, awaits in the, unknown.

         Nonbinary lenses reveal the deeper realities that were ALWAYS present. They had to be searched for. For eons Mary and Martha were looked on as two women united, yet very distinct, in a gospel narrative. Way back In the 1440 A.D. Meister must have rattled  the cages when he championed the teaching, Martha and Mary, are not two but ONE in the same person. He poured more fuel on the flames of astonishment when he championed Martha actions as being more mature. Space prevents me from quoting at length that pertinent quotes from his sermons. They are really worth the time investment. His radical approach was disturbing, back then. That approach as seen today is in lockstep with what Quantum Theory can offer us. The quantum lens reveals layers and layers of new knowledge, leading to new understandings, leading to....?  

 " What appears fixed and simple at one level may reveal hidden complexity in another.The seen is not the whole story. Reality resists being reduced to surface description."This is where the blessing and the curse of free will come into, play. So much transformative knowledge, food for your  awakening spiritual, appetite. So much is being offered ?? There is no good reason to languish in non-vivifying  spaces while all the time " New heavens, and new earths" are being offered to both you and I. I will miss the greater part of the unveiling. All who read this effort great challenges await, but so do exciting solutions. Be active not only in asking the question, be seriously involved in seeking, and searching  out physical and spiritual answers from that which already present, but where ??     

   I need to correct Joe. There is no new knowledge. The understanding has always been there. It's home has been the collective unconscious. New insights, evolving wisdom, are the triggers for these new transformative, life enhancing, "pearls of great price". Complacency, fear of change, deeper fear of the unknown, will keep us mired in the comfort of certainty, of the familiar. Take from this, senior, senior citizen there is no better way to confront the ravages of prejudice, and crass ignorance. Today's challenging questions demand new answers. These answers are waiting, "IN YOUR DEPTHS". So what are you and I being confronted with ? Fence-sitting is NOT allowed.  Can we take the chance that atrophy, will set in ? 

  " Gracious Spirit enliven again, the hearts of faithful. Enkindle and set ablaze the fire already tabernacled in those hearts. Awaken in all, the fiery response  demanded by the exploitation, of the powerless, marginalized  and all those who are so vulnerable, " the least of the brethren ". From The Via Dolorosa of 2026, cries come forth from, today's Incarnated Christ. "I, thirst". I thirst, that My inherent  dignity, as a incarnated human, being be recognized and restored. I especially thirst, that the wellsprings of mercy-full justice, may once again burst forth transforming the deserts,  of injustice, hunger, isolation, neglect into a  greening place of abundance. A place of overflowing abundance where I am, welcomed unconditionally, garmented, and fed abundantly. Veronica has again stepped forward. As her ministry was welcomed on my Via Dolorosa, it is no less welcome in those I suffer with, now." 

   In the nonbinary world, there is no, either/or. The Gospel narrative  reveals the contemplative Mary, sitting at the feet of Rabbi Jesus. Listening to the new wisdom, intended to change humankind. Martha is neck deep in all the challenges that are inherent in being a good hostess. It is getting to her. So she looks to their close family friend Rabbi Jesus to come to her rescue. I would like to think that she has already sat at Rabbi Jesus's feet at moved on. There is a time when it is essential that we move on from contemplation, into active service.  Fulfilling the challenges that Matthew 25 is forever offering.A spirituality that does not lead to active ministry is very suspect. It becomes a possession to be selfishly hoarded, and eventually lost in destructive ,egocentricity. "What you keep, you loose, what you give away you keep" is a very uncomfortable teaching. " The truth will set you free, but first is will tee you off." Active ministry without the grounding of prayer, is destructive. It evolves into ego boosting, rather that a sacrificial, Christ centered way of ministering to today's suffering Christ. We must keep Simon of Cyrene, and Veronica always before our eyes. "Not for our admiration, but for our imitation.  Finally, yes finally, " Pray like everything is up to, God, but ACT like everything is up to, you". Balance ??? Weird word coming from an Irish person. May all the blessings, wished by  Irish mothers, be yours in abundance. Gramps.

  

 

  " Christ, is not Jesus's last name, Christ is a Universal Reality" FR. R. Rohr O.F.M.                                          "The age of nations is past. The task before us now, if we would not perish, is to build the earth." Chardin.      " Concepts created idols, only wonder comprehends, anything." Gregory of Nyssa,

" The sufferings of the present, are not worth comparing with the glory

        that will be revealed in us."    "All creation is groaning as in the pain of childbirth." Romans 8.

 The false self is saying, and has been saying repeatedly, " enough of the @#%@**** it is time to sit back, put your feet up, get a great cool drink, and vegetate." Why ? Here Joe is, retired, and is working harder now than he ever did, in the seminary. With Pope Francis at the helm, and now with Pope Leo pushing all the right buttons,  a transforming energy has been generated. From sitting and relaxing in my LazyBoy comfort, I have become so enthused about the challenging transformative messages, that are forever on The Catholic Conveyor belt. This endless flow of compelling insights, and challenging exhortations  are triggering excitement and  hope in the lives of many, but anger, despair, and resentment in other lives. I pity the Poor Pope, who is charged with the shepherding of all. The atmosphere in the sheep pen is a little, tense !!!! The competing bleeps, can be so bleeping, disconcerting !!!!! 

     We are,  actually physically living in Kronos time, a long way from The Calvary reality, the dehumanization, of crucifixion event. Yet!! not really.  The spirituality of the present moment is revealing   we are, NEVER, Absent. Absent, yet present, paradoxical language ? Paradoxical language stretches us. Stretching is pain-full. Ego, the false self wants no part of that reality.  It is, ONLY in the fantasy, illusional,  and in world of denial are we ever, not, encountering, The Suffering Servant.  Acceptance is the key that unlocks the door, labeled, Fear-Denial.

Where are you, right now, in your theological,  sacramental  understanding , of the spiritual reality of The Crucifixion ? Is it being seen as a past unfortunate event, with no connection to the present, lived reality ?  A tough question, right ? Makes you think about pain, unbelievable suffering, crass dehumanization, and your Kairos understanding ? The Kairos moment is the eternal now moment, finding life, reality in your here and now. This is your deepest ,reality. This is where, The Divine Reality is again,  Incarnated.  Where you are, Bethlehem , again is !!!!!   How are you celebrating this, Christmas Day, where The Paschal mystery is also a reality, to be discovered ?  Reflection on this paradox will continue the revelation of both your dignity, and destiny. This paradoxical reflection will vivify  your eternal journey of awakening into, " Who it is you are ? Who it is you are called to be, and Who it is, that is doing the calling ?" You are not just a, statistic. A blip in the heartless algorithm, which now appears to control, every thing and every one ?  The human influence is completely absent. Now, take the time to reflect the awarenesses that are bubbling up from the collective unconscious. Please  make it reflect your deepest honest, awareness of the reality you are  being sacramentally immersed in. Mysteriously leading to transformation, and transfiguration.  Paul reminds us, "that which is given, is NOT for ourselves, but for the building up of the common good."A practice that will challenge, the many, and encourage all the good samaritans.Bless you.

This blog, Aisling on Earth, is intended, NOT, to give you answers. It is to encourage the reader to ask  new questions, so that, the new, possible, will emerge.  We must always be aware  of being in the process of awakening. Awakening to the answer that has always been, clouded, but the clouds are disappearing.  That which lives and lies within becomes for you, what ? You are never taught anything new, you are only  being awakened to answers that always within and are now bubbling up into new and challenging awareness.  Awakening  to your unique dream, your Aisling  is a process. Take it from this senior, senior, fellow companion on the journey. 

  Aisling is the Gaelic for, dream. There is a great reservoir of Aisling poetry in the history of Ireland. Aisling poetry was the poets answer to denial, exploitation,  persecution, and dehumanization.They dreamt about what was possible for the inhabitants of Ireland , despite the horrendous, draconian Penal Laws. Now add to that the Genocide of the mid 1800s, this begs the question, how did the Irish survive. Not only survive. There are 40,000,000 people, that claim Irish heritage, at this time. St. Andrew The Apostle was founded on a dream, in the 1986. What would happen, if you joined the Spirituality of Imperfection, with Incarnational Theology, topped off with wisdom, gleaned from, The Twelve Steps. They were dynamic components, leading to the acceptance of the unconditioned, unlimited,, unrestricted Loving embrace of the all, by, The All.

    Spirituality can be summed up in Paul's words, " What is seen is transitory, what is unseen, lasts forever." What you do not see, but can intuit, is the life you are fundamentally called to, discover. Once you are allowing the process of woken-ness to be recognized, and the innate challenge, even reluctantly accepted, will. result living the life you have been called, chosen to live in. This chosen-ness is an essential part of the universal creative plan. A plan that finds its foundational, creative energy, in The Creative, and Creating, Spirit. We are, today, being awakened, to the evolution of creation. This is the creation we have been chosen to live. Not as passengers, or spectators but are co-creators of this evolving cosmos. Those words revealing to you, your "co-creator" choosiness, is leading you where? Horizons????

    We must be forever guided by The Wisdom and The Power of The Risen Christ. The living and life enhancing Love of The Cosmic Christ, is a gift we are just beginning to  recognize and process. The Resurrected Cosmic Christ reveals, death in all of its forms is NEVER, the answer. An answer accepted by the many who suffer needlessly. As we embrace this reality, all these Paschal Moments, are gifts intended to deepen our understanding of one of the most fundamental of paradox. Paradoxical living, IS, the spiritual life. What we see, is not really,  what is. We must be given new lenses, so that "new seeing" may be ours. New insights into the depths. and those new vivifying realities, will be the engine that will lead to " new heavens and new earths".   We cannot look to yesterday's answers, for the solutions to, today's questions. The challenges offered by Pope Leo, quantum theology, the insights offered by quantum theory, as it looks at the challenges innate in a healthy spirituality will encourage a blossoming. " Not my will, but Your will be done" is saying, yes, to, The Unknown. Your, Aislings will revel what? Awaken, be aware !!! 

       

                       " YOU ONLY AS FREE, AS YOU ARE WILLING." Anonymous

      " The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, compassionate towards       " all His works. The Lord lifts up those who are falling..He raises up all who are bowed down."

     " We live life looking forward, but understand life, looking backwards." WOW !!!!! "' How often am I to read that quote ?" you well ask. Until something new bubbles up from the unconscious layers of my being, or I read something better, for now, you are unfortunately stuck with it. We have just completed the 250 anniversary of The United States proclaiming independence from the oppression, and exploitation, inflicted on the majority of the inhabitants by the, occupying exploitive forces.  Freedom from oppression,  would result in,  FREEDOM. Yes !!! Freedom, for all. That was the ideal but the reality of achieving real freedom for all, was slow pain-full, fear filled evolutionary process. The process has hit a rather large bump in the road, and we are all suffering because of it. "If, one, is not free, then, all, are not free". 

     St.Paul reminds us of the connectedness that is present in The Mystical Body of Christ. Would I be correct in saying, that the current understanding of "entanglement" can possible lead to the same conclusion. Have you been aware of the  blossoming mutual admiration society that is developing between Quantum Theorists, and Catholic Mystics. What deChardin purported in the early 1900s is now becoming a reality. A reality that is leading to the explosion of new insights, new revelations, all leading to a deepening understanding of the sacramentality of all, that is all, no exceptions, that is real, in our home, we call the, cosmos. The Cosmic Christ is the Original Life source of  that is fruit-full and essentially,  good. Of your essence you are good. So your joy-full, vivified life, becomes the sacrament of The ever-creating Cosmic Christ. Your daily renewal of your commitment to be this awe-filled sacramental presence is essential for the ideals of the spiritual, and physical worlds to be slowly realized. The opposition to your acceptance, willingness will be fierce. You will find the opposition funded by powerful corporate executives of tech conglomerates. Add to the opposition is the unknown power of the Algorithms, who are guided by responsible, social and spiritual, truths. 

     Then there must be someone who will have the courage to speak truth to power. They are those who have been chosen for the very dangerous, risky vocation, of being prophets. Do not look around so as to identify a prophet, just, wait for it, look in the mirror. You, YES !! you are by your  very existence are a prophet. In The Sacrament of Baptism you were anointed prophet.  Anointed," as Christ was, as prophet, priest and king" so the Rite of Baptism proclaim. Baptisms were a great opportunity to reinforce the Baptismal call to serve. In the above quote, your contemporary job is described for you. Read it again so s to become very familiar with your current job description as a member of The Mystical Body. Quantum sees no one existing in disconnectedness, there is that power-full word entanglement. Research that word. Make its truth be a driving force in your life of service. The way you love yourself, is the way you love others, and allow them to love you. Now the big one, ready, the way you love yourself, is the way you ALLOW The Gracious to love you. A love you cannot earn, deserve, or qualify for. Unconditioned Love really takes the pressure off, so do not impose any obligation to, qualify. There is no qualifying test. Love, grace is the essence of fredom. In the Bestower and the recipient. Yes, is that which enables !!!!  The ego, the false self hates that truth. When you are free, you become a very dangerous presence, in the world that demands conformity, and obedience. Have you ever breached conformity ? Good for you. Those scars are battle wounds, through which mercy-filled Love enters.....??? What are you learning, about the ways of Mystery ???

    As you reread the above quotation, wherever you read the word Lord, place your name in it's place. From what has been posted, your essential dignity is to be the living active sacrament of, Lord. That essential sacramental dignity is yours. This has been yours from eternity, and is now being realized in time. You are to be gracious and mercy-full, first of all to yourself, then to the people that WILL BE PLASED IN YOUR PATH OF LIVE. The challenge is to be a life giver, NOT, a death dealer. Look around and make yourself aware of ALL the ways your fellow companions are being deprived of the essentials of life of life. What they are experiencing is mere existence, where abundance of life is their real destiny. 

  Gracious, is a word that is not commonly used in America. I was brought up with it. When a person is gracious, that  person is kind, courteous, and compassionate. Research the word, compassion, and begin to own and accept the responsibilities, and challenges in making their inherent realities in poorest of the poor. Those who are being dehumanized by the senseless acts of those have, only temporary power. When that power no longer exists, then there is "hell" to be faced, endlessly. They have created hell on earth, for those for whom The Gracious Creator has a fundamental desire for, His People, to be loved as they have been loved from eternity. Remember all of us have been present in Womb of The Gracious one. There we were, one. So....???? Before you hang up, Joe will say, thanks.