Third Sunday in Lent......... The woman at the Well.

      "Drink from your own well."  L. Boff.

   " Grace, Love, the mercy-full action of, The Creative Spirit, works, through the difficulties of life."

    " Conversion, is not, seeing new landscapes but having new eyes, with which to see." 

        The Divine Mystery, hugs us in all-encompassing arms.... The Mystery of The Divine...

                                                          hugs you, in Its all encompassing arms" Hildegard of Bingen."

 "Confession is good for the soul." I have, been graced to journeyed through the deserts, of many Lents. This year is so different. I am working through the frightening, challenging  experience of being again converted. That illusion has been smashed. As ALL of illusions must be, annihilated. Annihilated , by our ever deepening immersion, in, "The Paschal Rythm". This conversion is essential for my  sobriety, sanity, and serenity. WOW!! have I really written those words ?At eighty six and a half, I, FOOLISHLY, expected a very ordinary desert experience. I was so smug, thinking I could rely on some old familiar "chestnuts", to get me through this year. What a mistake that was. Never get smug, complacent about the spiritual journey.  Paul challenges us, I Romans 12:2 to"be transformed by the renewal of your mind," In First Corinthians, the exhortation, "Put on the mind of Christ." Conversion involves being blasted out of our many states of illusion. 

It is, always, being led into the place of, absolute powerlessness, where in order to survive one has to let go, absolutely. This process my ego does not like, it will not even tolerate these  moments of movement. There is absolute war. I order to survive, this blog writing will help me process all that is happening at my unconscious, aching to be brought to consciousness. This battle must be shared, so you are my reality, check. Don't you really love reading this effort and you are being drawn into this challenging experience ? Please, answer,  HONESTLY !!!!!

  As I repeated a number of times, we are, every person, that we encounter in the scriptures. Binary thinking,  does work here. Our guided journey into nonbinary thinking, I am, painfully finding out, is, like everything else, an evolving process.  There are no categories in nonbinary thinking, and in this  emerging understanding of reality, all are one in The All. So then if female you can relate, as a woman, as male, this forces radical change. The workings of, the anima, in the male is essential for a healthy, psychology, and as a consequence, spirituality.

     The Parable of The Woman at the well  is all about, awakening. Facilitated through kind, mercy and deep compassion. There are no judgements. For those who can rightly say, "I am awakened",  then be prepared, by The Paschal Rhythm, to be reawakened.  This, dance, always demands radical change. The result is, real transformation, leading to a new experience of, transfiguration. Like the woman at the well we will first be, shocked.  "You are a man and a jew.?" Our old life of living in illusion no longer validates, an emerging newness. Then there are questions, and the questioning. How can this new reality, be the,  truth ?  The woman at the well encountered, The Incarnation of Mercy, and Truth, but had to be brought to an emerging  existential, awareness.Where is your experience, of, "well moments" ? The stark reality of our present challenging, experiences, have blasted complacency into the oblivion of comfort and security. Where do you see your places of security and comfort ? 

   \ We are being challenged to move into the perception and acceptance of a new, frightening reality. The blessing of being "shocked", the old comfortable and comforting ways of seeing, are forever changed, never to return.  A " BLESSING" ? Papa you, have lost touch with reality.  Old realities, Yes, but there is a new order in potency, waiting to be actualized. We are all, because this is a cosmic immersion, participating in the real, lived experience, of Paschal Death. Our faith in The Paschal Rhythm lends security in the reality, of Order- Disorder -Reorder. 

    The goal of this year's Lenten journey  is to be slowly awakened to pain-filled transformative, and transfiguring  power, of, EACH UNIQUE, authentic, human,  experience. The Creative Gracious Spirit uses all authentic human reality to awaken us, slowly, into a new consciousness. In reality this is not new, it has always been hidden in the depths, awaiting the journey into, sacramental reality. For this to happen we need new brave, contemporary, prophets. That is where each person inhabiting this earth must answer their call to be contemporary prophets. We have been given the example of great prophets, De Chardin,  Pope Francis, and our contemporary one, Pope Leo. Did you see how he challenged to  religious facade that has taken place at The White House ? This is just another instance of challenging uninformed power, with the stark reality of unvarnished truth. Our Shepherd is modeling,  the challenging road we are to follow. This is why The Fruits of the sacrament of Confirmation, are lying dormant in our  depths, awaiting their journey to where ? You are, challenged to be both the question and the answer!!! This new awareness means, what ?

          Then the woman is comforted with the fact that, there is not only a Prophet in dialogue with her. He, Whom she was led to accept as a prophet, is in reality, The Christ ? Then she went into, action? These are the steps we are challenged to make our lived experience, formation, information, transformation, transfiguration, action.  Through all  these movements  it is essential that we surrender to  the guidance of, The Creative Holy Spirit,  through prayer, mediation and contemplation. This is why we have this season. We will always have the challenges of being contemporary prophets, and Christ Incarnated. This is our  EVERYDAY vocation. No excuses, there are, no exceptions  We are afforded this time to really face what it means to be a,  Confirmed Christian, and all the fear laden steps we are challenged to take."Be not afraid, I am, with you." "I go, before you." Come rest in, Me" and, yours ? 

     

  

          

                                                      Second Sunday of Lent, 2026.  

         I have one blog written. On reading it I was so surprised, the stark reality of what has been triggered, struck me hard. This is not to take away from the horrific events taking place in our nation. It is over whelming at first, second, third etc. glances. Another war has been started, joining the wars already raging. Raging within the communities where war is being raged against humanities most victimized, the powerless, disenfranchised, exploited and dehumanized. There is no end in sight for that war. The atrocities will continue, unabated, until, " justice for all", is not just a catch phrase but a transforming power, which will release a transformation  that cannot be imagined in the current atmosphere of dehumanization. Humanities newest war, has the "proposed" life of, "four to five weeks", that is quoting our president. This begs the question what is seen as, THE END ? How are we to understand, and become reconciled with all the uncertainty that entails? These questions join the numerous questions, we are  already begging to be answered. 

  These are the current questions that are facing us. Is that all of them? Of course not. This is the Season of Lent. The time set aside for us to bring to consciousness the underlying, personal inner and outer wars. Wars that have been there, and will continue to be active, some raging, until we begin constructive work on the solution. "We are, either in the problem, or in the solution", right ?  It has been proven to be, not that easy. There is NO, "easier and softer way" out. We like, Our Good Shepherd, are in the desert, where Satan will hound us with thoughts and questions whose sole intention is to disrupt, and hopefully destroy, our peace of mind, our sanity, and our serenity. 

    Satan is the legal name for, prosecuting attorney. How well he is named. Satan has found a home in our false self. Our true self is never, in any danger. Why? it is the chosen dwelling place of The Infinite Power of Creative Love. Its Presence is described by, Thomas Merton  as " a Sparkling Diamond which can never be touched by sin." The light can never be dimmed. We are powerless, with all other powers  to remove, destroy it. Sadly we do however,  have the power to deny, reject it's Presence. Our outward, and inner actions can and do reject this eternal gift. It was given to us in eternity and will accompany us as we consciously return to, The Eternal.  The Infinite Womb of love, has been our staring point, and to the same  womb we shall return to. This our eternal destiny.  As a result,We are  also a people destined for constant attacks. The attacks, which can at times both endless and discouraging. We providentially  have our Defense Attorney, our Advocate,  The Holy Spirit Who will be with us and within us, until the end of time. That is why we are encouraged, "Be not afraid, for I am with you, always, until the end of time." Yes !!! you can take that to the bank.

       What took place on The Mount of Transfigurement, was NOT to glorify The Historical Jesus, it was intended to strengthen the faith of four disciples and, all ofUS.  In The Transfiguration,  the human body , becomes The Transfigured Body, In doing so ,The Human Historical Jesus  revealed His true identity, and True Reality, the enfleshment of His Prodigal mercy-full  Father.  This Transfigured Body was destined for abuse, dehumanization, betrayal, crucifixion, and paschal death. There was no terminal death, it was paschal death. As those four were schooled, visually, as to depth reality, we too, are learning, through the eyes of  a lively faith, the deep reality of The Historical Body of the now, Christ. The Cosmic Christ as He truly lives and breathes  in a all that is, real. Apart from reality,He does not, nor cannot, exist. This is true of both the physical, and spiritual worlds. Sorry, sorry, that is not the truth. I have slipped back into, binary thinking. Right thinking leads to this truth,  there is only ONE reality. There is No division in The Eternal, in The Ineffable. We share the oneness. Question !!! how does  this truth challenge you way of seeing and believing ? Binary, or non binary ?

       As we read, reflect on The Transfiguration, and the following historical events  we are led to this reality, indisputable truth, " Death, is never the end". A great  deal of our security is attached to permanence. Nothing is permanent. Everything is evolving. Life needs death to evolve. We cannot find security in what was, only in That Which Is, in this present moment. (For me, I have it down to nanoseconds!!!!) For now, we bolstered by,"now is the acceptable time, now is the time of salvation." We are ever and always safe, in each and moment of the sacramental Embrace, in  The Hugs of our Prodigal Father. My, go to bromide, " I believe ,Lord help my disbelief, help my unbelief". " I believe, please  help  my disbelief", is my current bromide. The one I share the most, " Father help me to love me, the way you love me". My false self wants instant, relief.  Graced reality will lead us to awe-full embrace, of  acceptance, and powerlessness. ( This is the long process that in inherent in living)

   Fr. Rohr introduced me to the concept of " Order, disorder, and reorder". We are definitely in disorder. There is no security to be found in, disorder. Then we have to accept the challenge that  beneath all the disorder, THERE IS a new order awaiting to be revealed. I will be long dead before  this new inclusive just ordered life will become a reality. The answers lie deep within our collective unconscious. We must not only pray for the revelation of order,  endless work is essential. Unless we WORK for real justice there will be no peace , and just order will not be, restored.  This cosmic realignment will have its own prophetic voice.  To each person reading this effort, in your now  response to  the challenge of prophetic action, you are now laying the foundation, of what is to come. In this New Kingdom all peoples will be from  the possibility of crucifixion, and death. Free to enjoy a new world, " Coming in peace, coming in justice for all, coming in Love." Prophetic words from Mama Cass Elliott.  As a reminder, we are either working for the solution, or we are part of the existing  problem. I am shocked, scattered, so if this is beyond the regular challenge ?????  I have to embrace this old monastic saying,  " Pray, like everything is up to God. Work like everything is up to you." Well, until, the next time, I pray there will be, a next time this is a wobbly Great, great gramps.

 

Lent 2026, First Sunday.    " For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One Who has been tempted, (knowing exactly how it feels to be human) in every respect as we are, yet without ( committing any) sin, Hebrews 4:15.

" No one needed to tell Him about human nature,

                                                  for He knew what was in each persons (human) heart. John 2 24;25

Have you seen those adorable videos on FB showing little ones receiving eye glasses, and hearing aids, for the very, first time ? The surprise, of being able to hear the voice of their mothers, and see her face, all for the first time, triggered unabashed surprise,  joy, excitement, and wonder. I never get tired of watching those videos. They trigger something deep inside of me, that I cannot ,express why you may well ask ? The English language do not have the words to covey the depth of feelings, that are triggered again, and again. Maybe it is the transformed faces of these children, rekindles the lost joy, wonder and excitement of my inner little, Joe ?

        Maybe you may ask the same question why you never tire of being gifted repeatedly , with that something, which looses its in-depth feelings, when words are used? How many photos try to capture that mother's, and father's  iconic gaze, yet they are just inanimate replicas of the real event. That felt, special "gaze" is sacramental. It reveals, upon, reflection, the eternal loving gaze, given, so our eyes can again see, and experience in time The Eternal  Loving Gaze. This Loving Gaze NEVER weakens in Its infiniteness, and unwavering commitment. NOTHING, and I mean Nothing can change that. No Pope, cardinal, bishop, minister, priest have the power to deny us that precious gift, UNLESS, we surrender to their uninformed rantings.

We need to get away from all that garbage, and journey again into the desert, where The Chosen People experienced the care, protection, and mercy-filled love, of a Power that never deserted them. The were never deserted, even when they rejected the life enhancing, faith filled guidance. The desert is a place of courtship, purification, and transformation. The silence of the desert, quells those noises, and voices that we allow to distract us, from The Voice forever calling out to us, our innate dignity as Beloved daughter/son. Being the beloved does not preserve, protect  us from the desert experience. We enter the desert again, and again.  This, IS, our collective lived experience.The Beloved was driven, by the Spirit just once. The result of that experienced drew Him, again and again back to deserted places for prayer. For communion with His, Abba Daddy. How gentle and enticing is that word, daddy?

        That is why we have Lent so we too can choose deserted places so we can be exposed to ,Daddy, calling us by name. We are told Daddy has a chosen, unique for all of us, beloved daughters/sons. I have to repeat those words, again and again, because we are constantly bombarded by lying voices. These inner and outer voices want to degrade, minimize, and ultimately destroy the unique relationship with ourselves, our fellow cosmic travelers, and ultimately with, The One Who first choose us to be the one to experience,  unconditioned, unlimited and unrestricted Passionate Love. Yes, your Lover is a passionate Lover. Lent is a journey into  ever deepening intimacy, with The One who choose us for eternal life. 

 As The Beloved had his belovedness questioned and tested in he desert. So we too, on our journeys through our deserts have our belovedness  tested, questioned, and by questioning, denied  n by the  self same Satan. Jesus was tempted to choose, power, possessions, and prestige,  to prove His Deepest reality, by The Father of The Lies, Satan.  As the beloved we do NOT have to prove anything, we just have to accept, the gift that accompanies our acceptance of, powerlessness. We cannot "earn, deserve, or qualify", for  mercy-filled Love. This Love, heals us, soothes us, comforts us, protects us, when we choose to be life givers, not death dealers. Acceptance of our deepest is ???

During this horrific 2026, we may do well to identify and reflect on the ongoing dehumanizing exploitations of the powerless,  by the combined forces who today are  addicted to, and as a consequence,  are in endless pursuit of  power, possessions, and prestige. Unless challenged, there is no ending to the horrors that can be visited on the victimized.

  In parting, a thought for your reflection, that hopefully will lead to sacrificial action. Our Brother, Our Good Shepherd, experienced the ministering of angels. Where do you see yourself, as angels, predestined to minister to, today's contemporary, Desert Dwellers ? These dwellers are in the desert of deprivation, prejudice, and the acute rejection of their innate dignity as, sacraments ? Yet they are rightly identified as, sacraments. Does your belief in your sacramentality trigger a response. Does that response demand sacrifice ? This will lead you to paths unknown. The path that will lead you to life in, ALL, of its fullness. Accept the temptation not to settle for less, but for your best. We do our best and, Passionate Abba,  does the rest. This is challenging, but we live in challenging times. Open you ears to hear the cry of the oppressed. In that practical response there is triggered something mysterious. Please, I beg you receive that which cannot be described here, but will of necessity trigger smiles. ENJOY.         Peace, joy and love, Great gramps.

      

                                                                            Lent 2025.

" Launch out into the deep" The Historical Rabbi Jesus.

 " The wilderness will lead you, to your hearth where I shall speak, integrity and justice. 

     " Long have I waited for your coming home to me, and living deeply our new life."

      Come Holy Spirit, heal, transform, transfigure this hardened, and  faith-less heart." (hij)

We are about to push away from the safety of the known, the comfort of certainty into the uncharted desert,  and sometimes, ocean of Lent.  Journeying alone, without serious help, guidance is way too much for  this  frail human heart. The Gracious Creative Spirit knows that.  So, thankfully we do not journey, alone. We are NEVER truly,  alone. How often do we challenge the veracity of that statement ?  So much of life, at least for me, was and is lived out in loneliness, rejection, abandonment and fear. We, unfortunately,  cannot expect kindness, tenderness, and existential acceptance, in this atmosphere of fear, exploitation, dehumanization, and unmitigated violence. When, and where will change happen? Each one of us is challenged to answer that question uniquely. The unique answers are then taken by The Creative Holy Spirit and woven into, as of now, unknown answer. The light of the answer will break through from the darkness of fear into the bright light of a new, and more vital and vivifying grace. We will certainly experience the fruits and be transformed by the power of The Resurrection. The carrot ?

          We are invited to enter the unique challenges of our Lent of, 2026, When was the last time we entered Lent with the challenge(s),  such as we have this year? Our Lenten journey is intended to challenge us to see in a very unique way, the changes in our understanding of  the meaning and power of The Paschal Mystery. It is The Mystery, all are Baptized into. We are being challenged to deepen our understanding of how that Sacramental Celebration, is vivifying our lives being lived out, the sacrament of The Eternal now. "NOW,  is the acceptable time, now is the time of salvation." In each unique now moment we are offered, no guaranteed,  ALL that we need, to live a life that is "happy, joyous and free". Where are you, presently, in your  belief in the existential  reality that promise ?

     How open how,  prepared are we to consciously accept, the unique grace, the  help we ache for, thirst for that, IS a living reality,  present mysteriously, in this present, moment? Each lived moment is a grace filled moment. In each unique moment The Power of Love is, operative. There are NO moments of life that Divine Power is not working in a unique way, so the uniqueness of our efforts will be in accordance with the evolving universal plan. What we are living out today, is the continuation of the life, which found its beginning in the began in the mists of eternity, and will return to The Original Womb, Infinite Love. 

     The question we are challenged to answer, are we ready for, the desert journey? I have been immersed in the Arizona Desert for 62 year plus. I have had to learn, as a part of my continuing education and formation, there is a Spiritual Reality, " perfectly hidden and perfectly  revealed." Like all sacramental realities we have to be immersed again and again, so that what we need to discover.  Each time we will  ask the question, " Why did I not see that before ? The answer is simple, we were ready for the gift. The garden of our soul must be prepared properly so as to receive,  The Seed. Once received it must be nourished, and cared for. Eternal vigilance is need, so that the combination of weeds, and thorn bushes do not choke off the intended growth and harvest.

  Each one of us has unique weeds, and choking thorn bushes. We are blessed with the gift of seven weeks, to take stock of our garden. Are there the familiar weeds, or have a whole new variety invaded the garden and brought disruption and unease to our spiritual wellbeing ? This Lent we are challenged with unique challenges. We are challenged to be led deeper into the essential meaning of, terminal death, and Paschal Death. We are  being exposed, daily, to the reality of death manifesting itself in so many ways,  at at so many levels, it will be impossible to discover all  its hideousness,  archived away in so many  of these different levels. 

 We are called to join The Good Shepherd in the desert. The Historical Jesus, was DRIVEN into the desert. We are offered an invitation, to join Him in the desert journey of,  2026.  In the desert there are no roads or signposts. The steps, even though you do not know where you are going, is the right path, trail for you. The spiritual writes inform us, " if we know the path we are on, we are on the wrong path." It is my path,  not my participation in the unknown path, that leads to, The Unknown.  The Right Way !!

 Every Lent for as far back as I can remember, The Lenten journey was a journey into what can be learned from , G. A. R. B. A. G. E. That equates to Guilt, Anger, Resentment, Anxiety, Greed, and Envy. I reluctantly said no, to the familiar, and comfortable and so you are burdened with this effort. I have already strayed from the intended path. What you are reading is ??????

 

         

                                                                             

" Through the eyes of a living faith, and ,Not,  through blindness of prejudice, will encounter The Holy, in 

                                                                   THE LOWLY" Anonymous. 

  " Life is a cosmic dance. It is as if every particle in nature is reaching to enjoy other particles, and 

                                                                      engaging in a beautiful dance." Anonymous.

" Come, Creative Spirit, transfigure, and transform this,  hardened and faithless one."(hij)

   "Transfiguration authenticates the value and dignity of the human person, and all of creation"

I am told there are no isolated particles, in nature. All are connected, intermingled. Not one is hanging out, in left field, all by itself. Nature does not allow, tolerate isolation, disconnectedness. We, as visitors to the cosmos are intermingled with all the other visitors, and receive life from the" intermingledness " of all the permanent residents. The seen and the unseen. All reality, is one cosmic reality. We can say, all is Christ, and Christ is in all. There are no isolated cells in our body. We are oneness, we are a whole, in this we all are holy. We are all The Living Body of Christ where Mystery is encountered. Not just for the act of encounter, but for the required sharing ,that is,  inherently demanded, by The One encountered. 

 St.Paul, " The gifts and talents we have been given are NOT for ourselves but, for the building up of, the common good" That precludes selfishness, and, kingdom building.  Any gift  talent and ability that is not used for the building good of all, will result in life that only knows only compulsivity, addiction, and destruction.. This does not contribute to the common good, but leads to a life, existing exclusively in isolation, addiction, and death We are witnesses to this horrific reality.  How destructive kingdom building is? We are all affected by  inhumanity. Those poor and powerless are our sisters and brothers.

 They are not the just the faces of The Suffering Christ, THEY ARE, THEY ARE the living Body of  the contemporary, suffering,  Christ. We are in need of the lenses of faith This reality cannot be couched in spiritual superficiality or a binary, rigorous  religiosity. These satisfy, temporarily, the false self, and allow  fear and complacency to rule. We need the lenses that were given to us on The Mount of Transfiguration. The disciples are privileged to see The Divine Nature break through, and transfigure The Historical Jesus.Since then that " transfiguration, authenticates the value and dignity of the human person, and all of creation."

       As we adjust and sharpen our understand of our personal reality of Transfigurement within each one of us, will we empowered, by grace, to see the reality of the transfigured Christ, in the migrant, alien, poor, the dispossessed, the homeless, the LGBTQ plus. Allow the power of your essential belief and understanding of Transfiguration lead to an ever deepening belief  resulting in,  meaningful action. These times demand a radical change in understanding leading a new vision. The embrace, the radical actions of the  nonbinary is essential in  the present battlefield for the soul and future of America, and by extension, the cosmos ( Where do you  see as the area of your responsibility ?  Your chosen, thoughtful response is ???? ) 

We are chosen caretakers of the cosmos as it is. Are we ready to won, accept the extinction taking place in all of creation?  A creation we are called to defend, protect and nourish. It is unfortunately obvious the powers that rule, and direct laws have chosen to be blind, and have abrogated the defenses that have been put in place. The answer to this horrific tragedy lies within your, power, RIGHT ??? So what does the future hold, for you as steward of all creation? What are the little steps you will take, so that together,  there will be one giant step taken for  the defense and protection of  humanity and its home?

  There will be a struggle. In The Beatitudes, what do you see, and embrace as the words of encouragement necessary for you, so as to meet the challenges, that are personal and universal ? In the plans for creation nothing happens without the cooperation of the human? On going metanoia, is essential for each one of us. no exceptions. No one is exempt. We are challenged to, awaken to be woke ?  So the existential challenges are responded to. Now rest on your laurels ? Not a chance !!! You will be challenged to, reawaken. The re-awakenings  vivifies our souls, and because of cosmic connections, all creation is affected. The Cosmic Christ will find a place of welcome, and cooperation. "As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be." Do I hear an, AMEN. A heartfelt one ?? A little unsure but willing? We become what we desire ???

     " We are forgetting the epic story, we are, tuned for."Martin Shaw.

 " Be extravagant and protracted and real in your grief.... This is a time outside of time,

                                   and extraordinary things can happen."  Martin Shaw.

  "Come, Holy Spirit, transfigure and transform this hardened, and faithless heart, of Your beloved" 

" You cannot be, pro life,  and approve the inhuman treatment , of,  immigrants." Pope Leo.

   Us Irish, are a people, emerging from the  mists of, time and eternity.. We are a lyrical people, writers of myth, and mystery. Always leaving the reader, to wonder, in their  continued wanderings,  into what has been left unsaid , just intimated.( If you have the privilege of catching a Jessie Buckley interview  you will be in a reverential awe of the lyrical and poetic way she uses, the English language. Pure poetry !!! )What mythical, and mysterious, lands are we destined to venture into ?  When we are faced with the realities of life, the periphery will not contain the answer, and the truths essential for a healthy spiritual journey. The knowledge and understanding necessary, does not come from what is seen but from what is unseen. 

      The journey, hidden in the mystery of life journey is your real journey. Life is container, the channel which  The Unknown,The Ineffable has chosen to be the place of revelation. Each channel is unique. There cannot be two, of the same. The Gracious Creative Spirit does not do ,spin-offs. There are no duplicates. Why ? May I suggest, there is so much to say, so much to be revealed, each incarnation is the manifestation , of what which is not yet said.  The revelation is embedded in the depths. Unless we respond to The Historical Jesus, "to launch out into the deep" there will be  no the fish, essential for our nourishment, and encouragement . The dark depths are foreboding. They have no attraction, except for some brave souls. Yet, we must face the fact, that the epic story we are tuned to broadcast, originates not on the, seen, surface, but is awaiting for our courageous leap, into The Unknown. 

 We have been blasted into the excruciating pain, into the witnessing  of continuous persecution, suffering, and  unexplainable murder.  Our encounters, confrontation with death, ALWAYS leaves us radically changed. There never has been a celebration of The Anointing Of The Sick, especially on a death bed, that does not leave something intangible, but so very real. One never becomes immune to the depth of feelings that spring uncontrollable, from? ( From your own life's story, what is the REAL truth, that is breaking into your consciousness, now !! HONESTY is tough, but progressive)  )I wonder how many on seeing children ripped from their necessary routines, to be incarcerated with trauma that will effect every aspect of it's  life's journey. Who will pay for the rehabilitation of the tens of thousands of individuals and families, as they face their daly encounter with crucifixion, and resulting physical and emotional challenges ? 

  " Be extravagant, and protracted and real in your grief". The Christ in His body, yes is suffering again, as His Body is beaten, bruised, and betrayed here in These United States Of America. These are not pre-civilization times. We are supposed to be civilized ? I guess "supposed" is the operative word. The power collective unconscious of America is weakened. The source of real help, is now seemingly helpless. WE, that is WE, are not collectively helpless. Those brave souls in Minneapolis are braving extreme freezing conditions to voice their disapproval of the atrocities perpetrated on their neighbors. Notice when they speak they refer to, "their neighbors", they do Not use the word immigrant. I wonder where that truth originated? Do You ? When yo are challenged to face your metaphorical Minneapolis, be assured that source of help, health and strength is,  ACTUALLY WAITING within you, for you.? Where does it lie ? Openness to its proddings ????

  The protracted Golgotha will of necessity challenge your essential beliefs. As I have written previously, " today's challenging, life orientated questions CANNOT be answered with yesterdays answers." The answers cannot be found in the  unenlightened, thought process of, MAGA. There must be metanoia, a complete turning around from where we are going,  so as to encounter the challenging depths of, Gospel Values. Your personal  Social Gospel  tenants, are ? 

  The depths are calling you. Mystery, is beckoning to you.  Those voices, singing "Hold On, Hold on my dear ones here comes the door.". We all need new lenses to recognize that depth of meaning being expressed here. Are we the door, opening up and dazzling those oppressed, with the light of HOPE. ALL THAT IS NEEDED FOR HEALTHY CHANGE, both personal and communal Is.....

    " Here I am, Lord, I have come to do your will." Psalm 40.

   "We do NOT need magic to transform our world. We all carry all the we need'

                                                                 INSIDE ourselves already." J..K. Rowling 

 " The Body of Christ grows through the process of our awakening, to, the Divine Life" Keating.

" Come Holy Spirit and strengthen the weak,  restless fear-fill heart,  of this Your,  servant."(hij)

" The light of Christmas is an explosion of insight changing our whole idea of God. OUR CHILDISH WAYS OF THINKING OF GOD, ARE LEFT BEHIND.....our inmost being opens to a new consciousness the, The Babe,  has brought into the world". " The Mystery of Christ." Keating.

    An attitude of gratitude is essential for a healthy spiritual life. I must take this opportunity to say, "Thank You", to al of you who take the time to read this effort, when offered. Part of me, the false selfish self, wants to some week" SCREW UP "so badly, there will be a serious migration of readers. Then I will not have to face the deep challenge of a gradual awakening, and reawakening. I find I have become aware of a new, and often challenging, insight. Parts of me wants nothing to do with a journey into,  the unknown. I want that cozy chair, and all that complacency brings to satisfy the false self. That false self, sure offers, great challenges. By sharing my thoughts with you, I face my, fears. The result of this encounter with fear, security, and complacency, is coming right at you ??

     We are now aware of this old quote, " The questions of today, CANNOT , be answered with yesterday's answers". Today's mind boggling question and challenges, must be met and answered with new and always vivifying,  challenging answers. As Fr.Keating has written, "The Body of Christ grows through the process of our awakening" to what ? Being led into awakening is our choice of course. To day's existential challenges can lead to feelings of deep fear. What is the common wisdom of the ages, " Face your fears ." I read somewhere, " as one faces one fears, one grows into, intimacy." Intimacy, the often unspoken,  unwritten, wish, desire of,  ?????. 

   How easy, and comfortable it is to be an ostrich, with our head buried in the sand. How threatening it is to venture in the unfathomed depths of today's questions. Now, knowing that you have been chosen, from eternity, to be part of the cohorts who will explore the depths, of themselves and the collective unconscious. This journey into the unfathomed ocean of ,The Divine's nothingness , will shatter old concepts, and old comfortable answers. The cosy fireside, versus, the barren desert of searching ????

  We are challenged to, grow. To surrender again, and again,  to a journey. This journey can be ONLY TAKEN, one step at a time. We will live, not just ,exist, in the sacrament of the eternal now. No, other, way, of traversing these now challenging terrains , except by surrender and, gradual acceptance. The gradual awakening to the reality as I live, love, grow, so does the Body of Christ. A byproduct of all your constructive, and vivifying actions the strength, the wisdom of collective unconscious, is enhanced. People you do not know, are being affected by your awakening. Your individual efforts have a collective consequence. For now, and for eons,  to come. What is insignificant, WRONG, there is nothing that is insignificant. Wow !!! That stops me, so I bow to you to finish............. 

   Changing the diaper of your Christ Child, cleaning the toilets, cooking meals, driving to work, celebrating the sacramentality of your love, etc. etc. are all contributing factors to the growth of The Body of Christ. This Mystical Body of Christ, challenges us, to go ever deeper, and surrender to the awakenings, that lead you to become more aware of  The  Mystical Presence. By our seeking, searching, surrendering, and acceptance you continue, this  mystical journey. You are being lead, into the darkness of faith, into " new heavens, and a new earth". 

 HOMEWORK !!!!! now that you have read the above,  get a pieces of paper and a pen. NO TYPING !!! Now write out the  obstacles, road blocks, your false self is creating, so you do not believe the extent of your, belovedness ?  You have been chosen, uniquely gifted, and "in the fullnest of time", here you are. Can you really believe all that is being written about you, OH !! Body of Christ. Now place that list in a place that is convenient, so you are able to return, and return. In the returning  what challenges have been met ? Then the existential challenges are faced, with a deepening faith. This is how honesty, and intimacy, grows. Be prepared for, an awakening!!!  Be prepared for re-awakenings. that reveals the depths within. Take the advise of The Historical Jesus, " launch out into the deep".  Face these fears with your  Spirit driven, inherent strength. "We will never be tested beyond our strength", so St. Paul writes. I have to remind The Gracious, Mercy-full Creator I am not as strong as She/He thinks I am. So, BACK OFF. To have a healthy spirituality, a person must have a Divinity, one can fight with.  

  

    Are you ready? Are you really ready, to face all the challenges, that lay before us. Challenges that demand a solution. The solution lies with in each person that The Creative Spirit choose to have existence at this point in time. Each person alive right is now, is not just an accident of birth. Each person, ST. Paul reminds us  " each person is in the place The Creator intended her/him to be." While we are at it, we might as well draw to mind another of Paul quotes," The gifts and abilities we are given, are, NOT, for ourselves but the building up of, the common good". The "common good' is not a priority for those who wild power in our towns, cities and beyond. Power is being misused, and the powerless, are being abused ,exploited, marginalized , denigrated,  their existence as fellow human being is ignored,  denied, and their rights cancelled. How those who are powerless, like The Historical Jesus on The Cross, how are their struggles experienced in your depths ? The response to the seen crucifixions, will be so tempered by our response to our own encounters with The Crucified One. As we minister to The Internal Crucified one, will we have the compassion to reach out,  and compassionately respond to those who will be placed on 'their way."

    These modern  day crucifixions, are being executed in plain sight. Golgotha, and The Contemporary Christs, is now available, in living color, and running commentary, on our social media screens. It is presented in living color, to highlight the atrocities. Where are the screams of protest, joining the screams of the victims, who are, in their deepest reality, our sisters, and brothers? Justice and morality, two words, but where are they uttered in today's, convulsing society. We are challenged to dig beneath the sufferings, of those who suffer, and face a reality that is, at present so ignored. For how long" ?? 

  We have been chosen, to be constructive members of, The Mystical Body of Christ,  the totality, of  the living family of,  humankind. Inclusivity in action is demanded.  The old  binary way of seeing and reacting has been consigned to the garbage pit.  The coziness of empathy, has to be replaced with acts of real compassionate action. We must again see, and respond with the Good Samaritans, on our streets and alley ways . The apophatic season, just celebrated has demanded  our  individual and collective actions. The action is not a merely, suggested, the social teaching of the gospels, DEMANDS a conversion. 

    A conversion, leading us  to actively, courageously  meet  the demands stemming from our individual and communal action. Actions, that will confront the lies, the misuse of power,  used to punish, persecute the most vulnerable, The Christ Child, and The Christic Presence. Please reread those last few words again. Allow them to sink into your depths. In the depths, an encounter will take place. Encounters, always, lead to a new way of  being, and seeing.  Lives of complacency and indifference can no longer be ours. We have been chosen to be the contemporary, Simon of Cyrene and the compassionate Veronica. 

      "Every blessing is, a curse, and every curse, is a,  blessing." We,  will we see the change in the collective consciousness, that is certain to emerge, from  these many encounters with death. Death never wins. Stored within the collective unconscious already are sewn the seeds of a new, vibrant Spring. I will not get to see and experience this resurrection. It will come. The Irish suffered for 800 years. Their abiding beliefs, and actual practice of those beliefs got them through. The essential core of the church and, America is, not powerless. Under the prophetic leadership of Pope Leo the church is exercising its required leadership, and the acts against humanity, are not going unchallenged. 

       The Holy Spirit has been the guide through many past experiences, and She is not going to abrogate Her  contemporary, responsibilities. The Spirit ,does not act, ALONE. The Spirit, does not act alone.  The Spirit has foreseen the contemporary challenges. Guess where the answers, solutions lie ? Within the collective, unconscious.  The solutions, are already in place, and working ?  Mrs.  Mary Ellen Hennessy, "The mills of god, grind very slow, but they do grind very true ."  This is her son signing off.

   

 The  Liturgical guide lines, announces conclusion of the  contemporary, "Advent-Christmas-Epiphany" annual, adventure, yet, not an ending, but, the beginnings. The beginnings of what,  of a  deeper spiritual immersion, into , The Mystery Of The Incarnation.  Our Immersion  into The Mystery Mystery, challenges us to get into action. To be a people, who see the  challenge,  and make the choice actively respond. Not just by reflection and prayer, but by an active participation in meaning-full responses to one of the most pressing challenges we are being faced with. One of the great complaints we hear is, " Why is it you pray a lot to Jesus, yet you do , NOT,  actively follow His example, requests, and teachings". Such is, a valid criticism of those who profess one thing, but are living out a life, that is so contradictory to the authentic, social teachings, of the Gospels. For those, who choose the path of indifference, lukewarmness, read Revelations 3: 15 and 16.

     Indifference, is one of the, great sins, of  the society we have been placed in. Take time to reflect, meditate, but, please, not for  long. Do not hide away in, the comfort of complacency , while today's Christ Child, Cosmic Christ, suffers in a way that is so, unacceptable to the point of being reprehensible. How can the obvious complacency, and criminal neglect, be justified ? The withholding, and denial of resources, both spiritual and material are headlines every place we look, yet the deprivations continue, with no hope of any immediate solution. The Christ Child was denied a comfortable, and hygienic place to be born. His life was immediately threatened, He and His family became immigrants. Immigrants in a strange country. There is a connection, between the two, The Christ Child of Bethlehem, and The Christ Child Who is starved, hunted,  deported when found.  To day's Christ Child is being deprived of so much. He is the victim of,  deprivation and neglect. We can hide behind many smokescreens, but this essential truth must to be faced, each child, IS, The Christ Child.  They are not two, they are a single presence, they are, ONE. Belief in that oneness, and Oneness,

 Our non binary thinking welcomes that, ONENESS. What  personal, and cosmic challenge ,do you see as inherent  in this way of seeing, ? Now for  the challenge !!!!! I cannot attempt to delineate  the chosen challenge you have been  uniquely gifted, for. Out of your encounter with silence, emptiness, and nothingness you will be led.  Let it bubble, up from within your, depths. It will. 

   That is why your presence has been planned. How personal your creation has been. You have been outfitted for the challenges of these moments.  Most are not called to be heroic, but all of us, cannot play the safe card of, indifference and disconnectedness, All we can do is our best, and The Creative Spirit, will do the rest.  We must face this challenging truth,The,Creative Spirit, is not codependent. Anything that we can do, will not be done for, us. Paul," The gifts , talents, and abilities we have been given, ARE NOT FOR OURSELVES, but for the building up, of, the common good," By the call, inherent in your birthing, we must be proactive. Read Matthew 25, if there is a desire to become complacent, dis-engaged.

               The Living Crib, which has chosen your depths to be it's dwelling place, will continue to offer you inspiration, and as a consequence, challenges. This is The Truth you have been called to, incarnate.  feed, nourish, house, and defend. It is not about the birthing of The Christ Child, we have no choice but to make sure He has all that he needs , to have life and have it to the fullest. You are our contemporary,  Mary. Yes !!! we rely on your "Yes",  to continue the sacred birthing, that makes The Mystery of The Incarnation a continuing reality. Non binary vision, presents us with  a oneness, in all of humanity. This echos Paul when he sees no Jew or Gentile, free person or slave. All are one, in The Body. Today that Christic Presence, is, us. Us, we, women and men alike, are called to give birth to the contemporary Christ. We are The Parents, called to protect, and defend, The Christ Child being born into these rather challenging, and for sometimes  terrifying conditions.. Today's Herods are seeking out, and searching for, The Christ,  in the most inhumane way possible. You have read the many documented accounts. They are a eye witness account of today's,  active , living Golgotha. As a result we do not have to go to The Stations of The Cross, in a church or places of prayer to have visuals of  a living, essential, Calvary. There are layers of meaning, to found and confronted. The Incarnation, lives, and cries out to you and I. The concrete results.......

     

 

   

 The continuation of The Advent - Christmas - Epiphany Season's celebration 2025-2026.

    " The Lord, bless you and keep you ! The Lord let His face shine upon you ! 

                                                                                                             and be gracious to you.

         The Lord look upon you kindly, and GIVE YOU PEACE." Book of Numbers.

 " God sent The Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out ,"Abba, Father ! " Galations

" Come, O Holy Spirit, and transform the fear-filled, and hardened heart, of this faithless one."(hij)

" The Shepherds, went in haste..to Mary and Joseph...they made known the message that had been told them about This Child...and Mary kept al these things reflecting on them in her heart." Luke's Gospel.

The  lights will be soon turned off.  The Light in your depths, cannot be turned off. We do not have the switch, the ability to turn off, The Sparkling Diamonds Light. At the same time The Sparkling Light has not been given, to be stored up, to be hidden away, in some darkened closet, like a prized possession. This Gift if so treated, IS LOST. It is, ONLY, in giving it away, do we know what has been bestowed upon us.  (Is this, The Pearl, of great price. A Pearl so valuable, all other things must be let go of ?)  Paul reminds us,  in his letter to the Corinthians, " What has been given is NOT for ourselves, but for the building up of the common good" We have been, CHOSEN, to live in this particular time, planted in this particular place/space, to share The Light, that has been planted, as a living inheritance. This is, eternal. This is a Light, no darkness can overwhelm. OH !!! how our cosmos aches for This Light. We are in a constant vigil, for that which is already an essential, Presence. Let the waiting cease.  (What, where, is the action ?

      Mary entered a cave that was silent, empty,  filled up with nothingness. In that place of hospitality for animals, He, whom the cosmos cannot contain, becomes enfleshed in the silent darkened womb of the virgin. Each year we are offered the gift of being drawn ever deeper into The  Eternal Mystery  of The Incarnation.  The One, Who has eternal existed, Who been the source of existence, for everything that is,  is now among us. This gives new meaning to, Emmanuel ? ( Where will this take you ??)  Why this, constant repetition into, what seems, at a casual glance, to be such a simple story. Always, be ever on guard of anything that appears, simple. The longer you gaze intently at it, the less you will realize you will know about it. This, supernatural mystery, is no different. We must ever bring to consciousness, there is no division, in anything to do with, The Divine. I Am, is ever, Now.

     I can tell you this Advent-Christmas-Epiphany- Season is one that is so new, it boggles the mind. Out of the darkness of the cave, the darkness of the night, the darkness of The Womb, He by whom the cosmos was created, now enters our deepest reality. The One that is beyond everything, has joyfully come, to become enfleshed, in our humanity.  He too is now, " a spiritual Being, immersed in the human condition". The Prince of Peace is in, His, tabernacle. From there He is reaching out to His Abba, and our Abba. Our efforts at relationship at times fail, and fail miserably. The eternal relationship between Abba, and Son is always. So when we are helpless, and hopeless, in our nothingness, there is a birthing that takes place. A new and a more vivifying, vibrant ? the cannot be captured with finite words. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Do I hear an, AMEN

        In our nothingness, emptiness, and silence we are blessed, and blessed beyond measure. The All Power-full has taken pity on us, especially, in our lowliness, just like Mary. Just as in Mary, The Christ Child is newly given to all. No exceptions. So what vivifying, life enhancing meaning has those words found in you every moment reality ? What does it mean to encounter in the ,ever new, eternal now, The Christ Child that our world is waiting  for ? This Christ Child is to be born, within the womb, of your soul. The whole, world, universe,  and cosmos, is waiting for, " Not my, will, but Your will, be, done". The essential, Yes, for The Cosmic Christ Child to be born, ever new. Birthing is pain-full, mercy-full grace is also, ever present. This Mercy-full Power, incarnated in The Child, will be, the source of healing, a soothing agent, a comforting presence, a source of all necessary strength, all leading to transfigurement and transformation.

This is what awaits each beloved in this New Year. Let us all pray for the courage to meet our eternal destiny, in each eternal now. May 2026 be a guided journey, for  each of you. A mysterious journey, not guided by the false self, but by, your inspired answer  true , to the promptings of, the true self. The true self guided by the same Spirit that empowered Mary. So why are we delaying?  With love, great gramps.                              

                   Christmas letter for.....  "Aisling on Earth".......... 2025.

I have always loved that word, Aisling. In the dark centuries, when The Penal Laws were being enforced in Ireland, Aisling Poetry was the means  by which the poets were able to write about their native home. They were not able to use Ireland, Why ? because  within nook and cranny of their beloved homeland, the rights to real freedom of expression, was denied. So the innate creativity of the poets lead them to still write about "the fair land of Erin". They instead, placed her as a  dream figure ,Aisling,  in their poetry. Then they were free to dream for her, and all who embrace dreams of ultimate freedom. In the depths of the Aisling Poetry was preserved thoughts of real, at that time, unattainable freedom. But the desire, the commitment, to The Aisling eventually found ground in the Insurrection of 1916. The struggle for inherent freedom, a human right, demanded a, price. Look at the price that is being paid, in our country, and other victimized countries, and peoples. The seeds of Aisling,  within the being of this man, born in County Cork, Ireland are working there, mysteriousness.  " Every blessing is a curse, every curse is a blessing."

  With the help of Lisa Amato, we succeeded in naming  the embryonic blog, "Aisling on Earth". ( on the web you will find it at....aislingonearth.com  ) We have been on a slow challenging hike into that Who Is beyond what we see. This nonbinary journey leads to  The  Mysterious Reality,  immersed deep within,  The Ineffable Being, within we all " live and move and have our, being." We have to respond to the invitation to enter, what may be, to the unawakened, An Aisling, but is in reality, the deepest, of all  our realities.  In the mysteriousness of silence, emptiness, and apparent nothingness, we are encountered by, Endless Reality. In this endlessness,  infiniteness of  ----- we are slowly awakened to,  The Originator of the dream, and the dreams ultimate,  Destiny. We are struggling to accept, the awareness, that challenges all that is comfy and so soothingly non challengingly. The destructiveness of the status quo, is safe from any challenge. That was until, "Freedom was made, flesh," ( Gutierez), destined for excruciating suffering, so The Cosmic Christ may become, the transforming, and transformational Power of those immersed in powerlessness.

     When we respond to the invitation to enter, the beyond, of what we now know, we are drawn ever deeper into our mystical understanding of the crib, its inhabitants,  and where it is situated. We will be led into a deepening understanding of The Mystery of The Incarnation, and how all of what we see, and know, is to be found within our depths. The depths of The Mystery is allowed to bubble up, so we begin to live out The Mystery of The Incarnation, not just on Dec. 25, but in every now moment of the life we are called to live, deeply. This our unique, personal, call is eternal. So are we challenged because of our encounter with The Eternal, in time, to evolve into a living, walking, crib. We live out Incarnational  Challenge, living one moment at a  time,  in the existential Bethlehem of today's America. We are called to use our, non binary, lenses,  so as to  respond to the challenging, life transforming invitation, to be The Living, the life liberating power that is within our depths. Depth, had a dream, and we are the result of that mysterious dream. SO ??????

   We are so familiar with the crib scene, it does not make us stop, and accept the challenge revealed in what we see.  We are challenged to let go of the certainty of the familiar, to be drawn into the treathening  world  of the unfamiliar, mystery. Yes,  are called to the nonbinary world. We are to live behind the constraints of the binary, either/or,  into the mystically freeing, and very challenging, both/and. This new Betlehem, in which we are challenged to live in, and  journey through, is not just a word we  meet, as we read the Bible, or discover, as a place, in a map. 

      Bethlehem, and the crib it houses must be allowed to come to life, and be recognized as a vivifying loving, mercy-full force. A gift beyond all understanding. Yet, our given reality is solely based on the deep inner desire to return to the original home, where there is universal acceptance. There are no strangers to be found, or beings  imprisoned, denied freedom because they are being judged by merciless,  binary lenses. We have been called, and given life to be prophetic voices, shouting out the truth. A truth that challenges the lie. Truth, is, always in an endless war with the lie, and the liar. Those who are victims of the lie, survive, not LIVE ,in a hellish  life of victimhood and exploitation.

We, who have been chosen to be, constructive contributors, to, the cosmic consciousness must meet the challenge of " singing a new song". The old refrains lack the inherent power, to power the transformational,  challenges today's Bethlehem  demands of us. How are the  life-threatening challenges our sisters and brothers face becoming the challenges we are personally challenged to meet. Not, with temporary, band-aid solutions for OUR poor, marginalized, homeless, uninsured,  especially the immigrant, and the field workers. To day we are bombarded by accounts of cutbacks, cutbacks, and eventual eliminations of monies that "will feed the poor", house the homeless, provide health and sustenance, to mothers and children. Is anything more reprehensible than denying,  milk, food and shelter to, today's , CHRIST CHILD. Yes The Christ Child is in the sufferings of the so called "least". The Christ child was born into " the least", as the scriptures uncomfortable  teaches. Not, just,  for our information , but for our transformation into action.  Actions that will cost, if they are to be truly meaning-full.

It is late, in my Bethlehem. Healthy spirituality demands I take care of big, Joe, and little ,Joe.  They have been neglected for many years, because of I living out of the binary disfunction. Nonbinary lenses opens horizons, never before even dreamed of. Nonbinary vision challenges me to see and respond to all that  Incarnational  Spirituality is awakening me to. This awakening challenges Joe, to challenge other Josephines, and Joes, to awake. Awake to all the inherent dignity of all chosen to take their crib and its inhabitants out into the Bethlehem of their lived reality.

       May The Gracious Spirit lead you on a road, from your Betlehem to places, as. yet unknown. Rest assured the Immigrant Family is awaiting you. With them you will find real family hospitality. May the spirituality of The Mystery, today celebrated, energize you into the challenges of nonbinary seeing. It will not be about the seeing, left  in its death dealing aloneness, but in actions taken to contribute to the alleviation of the sufferings of today Christ Child, and His Family.

      

         

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 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.