" The  first meaning, guides you, the second meaning, TRANSFORMS, you." Anon.                                            " The wisdom of God, is revealed in, simple things. " Paul Coelho.                                         " The next message you need, is right where you, ARE." Doss.

          "My house, shall be a house of prayer, for, all people." Is 56: 7. " Tutti, Tutti." Francis,  Pope.        

       " The gifts of God, are, irrevocable." The gift that you are, just as you are, is an irrevocable gift to the ever evolving story of cosmic, evolution. A revelation, a truth, that is appearing in The Gospel Of The Right Now, is finding life through all your  best efforts. All, being the best version of ourselves as possible, is an indispensable, living contribution to the, contemporary Cosmic, gospel. This authorship does not require perfection. Perfection is a disease. Perfectionism is also seen as a coverup for toxic shame. The better we look on the outside, the sicker we are on the inside.   As our minds expand, the container of the gospel also expands leading to new revelations ?  Revelation bubbling up, not for ourselves but, for all. We are channels. Channels that need constant maintenance, and proper healthy care.

 To day we are able to contribute to the power -filled  good news, innate in, embraced  radically in spite of all imperfections.  The real extent of our imperfections, and character defects are revealed only when we have the mercy-full container necessary, for such ego shattering honesty "We do our best, The Creative Creating Loving Spirit, does the, rest." It is our savior, again and again. All efforts are powered  by The Presence of The Cosmic Christ. As our minds expand into new awarenesses, so will the theology and the language appear through which we will be, empowered.

    Empowered enough so as to be able express the emerging, evolutionary, challenging, Wisdom. A gospel for and of an evolutionary,  ever expanding ,life. The authoring  of this gospel, of the unseen life will continue into The Eternal Silence. A Silence that we will be continuously drawn into, in, endless eternity. It is a daunting challenge to be a co-author, and at the same time being called to be, "a co-creator, and a co-perfector" (Vatican Two), of this ever expanding reality.  Reminder, remember, we are never alone. We are never alone. The wee word we, precluded aloneness  Once we embrace  the 'wee' word we, word we never again walk alone. " Of ourselves, we can do, nothing.. all things are possible, through Him who strengthens us" Paul.  

 The strengthening Presence is an irrevocable gift. The Giver has to be faithful to the process of the gifting. To deny , revoke, the gift is tantamount to denying His Covenant, founded,  to reveal His unconditioned eternal love for us. In The Lover is found ineffable, acceptance. Way beyond our ability to understand or comprehend.  Yet, we are exhausting ourselves in the pursuit of the impossible ? ( What is driving you into the pursuit, of the impossible ? " Acceptance is the answer to all our problems." AA) We still are drawn by The Unknown to plunge the depths of, The Unknowable. To seek the meaning lying beneath the meaning we have discovered, is our destiny. That is also named the spiritual journey. " 

 The meaning beyond the meaning is, The Meaning , never possessed, yet always being approached That, drawing to, that innate attraction, will NOT cease with physical death. Eternal life is now the continuation of the life first created in the eternal silence, finding visibility in reality, and a reality returning to being reunited with The Creative Eternal Silence. Such is the dignity and the destiny of created spiritual beings, immersed in the sacramentality of the human condition. Spirituality and reality are one, and in that  deep oneing, Oneness is slowly revealed.

  All that is required of us is to ,make the conscious effort to be as honest as is possible for us, right now, taking into account our immersion in the, wounded human condition. Lets relax and join the  truths taught by the schools of spirituality, our efforts will be OUR Best, not the best. We are not "citizens of this world", or eternal home is The Womb Of Love, that is forever drawing us homeward. We are ever and always, homeward bound.  Do not settle, make a home in the, what is, ......why?

     Every place we are at, is NOT our home. Homes, dwelling places can not be created in fleeting now moment,  the nanosecond. The blessing of the nanosecond there is no room for the regrets of the past, or the fears for the future. In spite of the speedy transition of the nanosecond we have still will have to fight the false self, who, ever and always wants to build a lasting home. It expresses its insatiable demands for certainty and security.  Scripture warns us about the temptation to find security in created things, " What is seen is transitory, what is unseen lasts forever."(St.Paul) The false self, wants security, certainty, assurance, and will fight tooth and nail to defend its indefensible position.( what battle scars have you to show from this intense, deadly struggle? 

  Wounded-ness is a gift. It is through our wounds, all the teachers teach, that the light enters. All your wounds are sacred. All our wounds are openings for, Wisdom, to enter.  There is no real source wisdom apart from pain, wounds  which is the ongoing immersion in the Paschal Mystery. We encounter endless  opportunities to be "wounded healers".( Now take some time to reflect where you blessed to be a "wounded healer" ? Is a prayer of thanksgiving slowly bubbling up ? 

   Where have you found yourself wanting to wound, and did not surrender to the temptation? Where do you need mercy-full compassion for the actions that contributed to the  deepening of the wounded-ness of another ? " I am sorry " are three healing words. "I forgive you" are three words you need to hear for your own spiritual health and well-being. You destiny is to be a channel of peace. It is in the giving of mercy and compassion real peace is being channeled, infused, into the wounded universal human body, and the wounded-ness of our Mother Earth. All these actions contribute in a mighty way to an emerging spiritually healthy environment for the birthing of " The New heaven and new earth". Can you see yourself being called to be the mid-wife in the birthing process ? Love, prayers, Papa J.

                                 
 

                 " Silence is golden, unless you have kids. Then, silence, is suspicious."                                       "Retiring, into silence, and solitude, woman/man, are exposed, to their nakedness" Benedict XVI                 " Silence is the place where, the unseen gathers, before becoming speech." Anonymous

                We come from, Silence..Silence is the souls natural home... silence is the language                                                                    of God, everything else is a poor translation." Rumi.                                         " The most profound statements, are found in, silence" St. John of The Cross

         " Keep silent, and I will teach you, wisdom". These are the words spoken, by Elihu to Job and have filtered down to you and Joe, in these sacramental moments. The sacramental moments moments, days for you, are "sacramental nanoseconds" for me. A nanosecond of silence is a great place to start. It is gone in a flash, but the gift bequeathed ? is ,eternal. I wonder did Paul have this in mind when he wrote, " Now, is the acceptable time, now is the time of salvation." The emerging  wisdom  those words, and their in-depth meaning evaded me, not for years, but for decades. 

  Let me make an attempt to explain. You see, I had the knowledge, but the wisdom, in time, has become a very welcomed visitor. A visitor, for whom I have ached, as Joe hiked the "highways and byways" of my Via Dolorosa. Because of grace, the workings of The Cosmic Christ, I am beginning to understand this visitor in now more like, a Permanent Resident. A Resident over Whom, Joe has no control. How often have I approached, His dwelling place, the prophet Elijah had a cave, have a room, only to find I am greeted by, silence.  Not just silence, but sheer silence. often accompanied by sheer emptiness. That place of  unmitigated, absolute silence and emptiness, has now become a room I do not want to go to, but Joe finds himself  being  mysteriously drawn to. There is always awaiting him either a welcoming, Presence, or an Emptiness that welcomes his endless questioning, and  the uncomfortable, challenges inherent in, troubled restlessness. He is beginning to understand "he is a spiritual being, immersed in the human experience." de Chardin.  How, awe-full, your awe-fullness ! 

      Wisdom comes to all. Wisdom comes not instantaneously, it will take days, and speaking from experience, decades.  She appears as a consolation for the pain endured from failure, rejection, abandonment, and endless encounters with nakedness. In other words, encounters with The Cross, The Paschal Mysteries, and The Cosmic, Risen Christ. " In Whom we live and move and have our being". Apart from his Transforming, and Transfiguring Presence we do not nor cannot have existence. So when another companion offers the compliment, " you are very wise, or, you have been blessed with wisdom" it is another way of saying, "You have a made lots of mistakes". Mistakes that spun you for a short or long time, but they were not allowed to define you. This mysterious happening was because of The Transforming Power, Who entered your life, AT, the  exact times of failure. "  "Creative Creator I offer myself unreservedly to You. Yes, my false self, and, true self. Remove from me every defect of character, that stands in the way of my usefulness in the revelation of  your Cosmic Creativity. I may be just a dot on the screens of many, but You have me front and center, never to be moved, eternally."

   Prayer, an honest acceptance, owning of who one is, where one is,  and how powerless one is, is essential for transformation and transfiguration. Any prayer, or communication, will fit the bill. We are not perfect, so our prayer will be imperfect. The more brutally honest, one can be, not in proper or accepted words the more ???? This paradox, one has to experience for oneself....."The Spirit will guide you into all truth". The results are not to  be hoarded, stow away, they are to be given away. In the act of giving, they become a Presence, " the wounded, becomes a wounded healer."( Nouwen)  This is the power experienced in the meetings of each and every 12 Step Program. In the rooms of every twelve step program, The Wounded Good Shepherd is present. He is looking on each one of his beloved flock. He looks with mercy-full care, and never looses focus, even for a nanosecond ??? 

      Elijah did not come to the refuge of the cave, on a winning streak. He was a frightened, be-wild ered prophet. At the end of his rope. The teachers, reaction to his predicament ," Elijah, you could not be in a better place." The retort will be instant, and very impolite.( Us, Irish , have a very pity phrase, that fits perfectly, for occasions such as this. I am not going to tell you, you have three guesses, and the first two, do not count.From my experience, the shorter, the better.) Spirituality begins with, TRUST, not perfection. Perfectionism is the greatest obstacle to an honest, healthy spirituality. We are all perfectly imperfect, the challenge lies in the acceptance of that truth, rather in the dis-functional comfort of the illusional, toxic, lie.  Perfectionism is a deadly, controlling, destructive disease It takes a great number of trips down the trail of the illusion, until some earthquake happens, to shatter that illusion. Years ago I was blest with this earthquake like honesty, " Joe you are an egomaniac, with an inferiority complex." That honest assessment was the earthquake essential for beginning of my endless journey.  Earthquakes are essential for, healthy evolution. It is only in hindsight we slowly begin to comprehend the value of our earthquakes. Where are the earthquakes in your life ? What are the challenges you have to face, to facilitate the emergence of your true self ? HONESTY, must I ? 

 Earthquakes are the one constant in the process of evolution. That is true for both the physical and spiritual worlds. We are experiencing tremendous earthquakes as our common home is being rattled, and cracks are appearing. Those cracks, are the passageway through which the truths essential for a healthy spirituality, filter into our lives. Reflect on the dynamic power Quantum has released ? Science and spirituality are no longer in tense opposition. Now they are being accepted as being, complimentary. All will ask, " Is there another way" ? Do not wastes your time, in ducking avoidance, of the harsh truths we are challenged to face. Remember The Presence in sheer silence ? That Presence will reveal, slowly, the healthy steps required for the unique Via Dolorosa you are destined to take. Follow in the steps of The Wounded Shepherd Who has gone before. These are the simple words we are destined to hear, again, and again. "Come, follow Me. Come, follow Me." He who is eternally calling, is Himself, The Bread of Life the enhancing strength we crave. In His Gospel journey, He was chosen, blessed, broken, and given. Big footsteps to follow, in companionship. G.J. 

       

         

 

        

                                   

 "   Thus, says the Lord, heed Me, come to Me heedfully, listen that you may have life." Isiah 55.

 " All you who are thirsty, come to the water. You who have no money, come receive grain and eat. Come without paying, without cost, drink wine and milk" Isiah 55.

" Meaning as a living depth, cannot be exhausted. Our capacity to receive, can be                  exhausted.  The false self version of meaning, can be exhausted."  Anonymous.                                                                                          

" It is the best of times. It is the worst of times", Charles Dickens is being  paraphrased  to describe the existential reality, we are forced to face, in these awe-full troubled times. For the few, the entitled it is "the best of times", and getting better still. For the many, it is "the worst of times", and getting  progressively worse. Scientists are telling us. " the cosmos is expanding". The cynic in me asks, "for what purpose" ? What need is there to expand the home  for, the poor, the powerless, the marginalized, the exploited, the dehumanized, all those for whom life is an endless, inexhaustible crucifixion", for the benefit of the few. It is a house that demands up-keeping, that is getting progressively more demanding, and expensive.  

        The vivification Joe needed to be " Bread for the weary, wine for the depressed, experiencing hopelessness and despair," is found hope in the power of The Word. The Word,  The Historical Jesus, who is now The Resurrected Christ, The Eternal  CosmicShepherd, whose compassionate Presence, all have been chosen to be. No empathy, active compassion for the crucified is demanded. In this is freedom.  Too be who we are really meant to be. In this is liberation to be led into being " new wine". New wine, needs new wineskins. The Spirit has, and is blessing us with a Liberation Theology,  also offering a spirituality grounded in the deepest of Realities, The Crucified"

           A Theology of The Glorious and Triumphant Kingdom, was viewed as superfluous, redundant. What was needed was a theology of liberation, meeting and ministering to the Suffering Christ in His deepest reality. Out of the pain of the masses, whose deepest reality is now seen as, The Sacrament of Christ. It is within the depth of their reality is found,The Presence. The Christic Presence, The All dwelling within, the all.  This creative and creating Presence has gifted humanity with a new Theology, founded on the living truths, revealed in, The Paschal Mysteries.

      Liberation Theology, let us be brutally honest, was not readily accepted by those whose fundamental lenses were,  European. Yes there was, and there is an ongoing battle for the  acceptance, validity of this new vision of,  The Suffering Christ. We have been blessed, with Pope Francis, whose foundation and formation was in The South American Church. He was from his earliest, education and formation, immersed in the Liberation Theology of the exploited masses whom he ministered to.  He was a witness to the power of The Small Faith Communities.

             What a dynamic, power-full presence small faith communities are. They vitalized the Catholic Church in South America. The powerless became transformed and transfigured by The Creative and Creating Spirit. The same Power gifting and challenging you, as you read this effort. The new listing of The Communion of Martys, in ways that have yet to be revealed. It would not be politically crept to do so. The list of martyrs is vast. How many of us in The  Western Hemisphere are  even aware of their sacrificial deaths ? I had the privilege of working in the same parish one of the martyrs. 

Pope Leo spent 20 years in South America. Though a Chicago native, he is continuing the vision of Francis. Pope Leo is facing tremendous opposition. He is desperate need of the support of those who accept that the Catholic Church is a church of ,The All. This  Awe-full Presence is to be reverenced in the all, TheMystical Body of Christ. In reality, all of us. We are all together, unified and empowered by The Cosmic Christ, our Origin and Destiny.

Isiah 55  offered hope to the exiled chosen people, and to us who are exiled from ourselves. Yes, The Jewish people, the chosen lost their home, and were banished into exile.  Being the beloved, does not inoculate the beloved, from reality.(Take time out so you can reflect on the treatment, The Beloved Son. What meaning is gleaned, for inspiration and motivation ? Actions ?) The  Creative Spirit selected Cyrus, a gentile for the work of liberation and renewal. In their time of alienation they were reminded of Covenant Love. Covenant love provides for the starving, and penniless, " grain and wheat to eat, and milk to drink," all without cost. This is the power of sacramental powerlessness !! 

 The lesson for us, in this transactional world, is we cannot earn, deserve, or qualify for this bounty, it is all free. It is all grace. Today  we find the same reality is found in the transformative word, beloved. We are all, the beloved, of The Beloved. No questions ever asked. Yet, do not we question our belovedness , endlessly ? Money, power status cannot buy the Living Water we are so desperately thirsting for. It is always offered, without cost, in the sacrament of the now moment. For me it is the sacrament of the, nanosecond ??? 

      We are all challenged to enter our depths and discover the  in-depth meaning, the unique gift waiting to be discovered and then bestowed, for what purpose ??  How do you personalize Isiah 55, and its  inherent challenges. We all are need of radical freedom. Cast off the chains that bind us. Walk freely and discover the " new heavens and new earths " waiting to be revealed, and actualized. A new creation emerges, because we are free.  This is why we so desperately crave freedom, but the price.... ?????  Are we ready for The Paschal immersion, with meaning This is where  our  personal understanding of  Liberation Theology and spirituality fulfills our present  existential needs as we emerge into ???   In all reality, Reality awaits you. Meaning is never exhausted, we get to be, exhausted. Vivification awaits. Not a stroll in the park, The Via Dolorosa, never is...................... You, have survived and  endured , and ??  Gramps.