Off Grid

 

Meteora

I was watching On "off-Grid" person driving home from a shopping spree in town. 

These adventurers indeed strive to provide, for themselves and others, with everything a person needs to live in isolation in the wilderness.

There are sacrifices that need to be made to live that way, and to handle the demands of life without amenities we take for granted, such as, hot and cold running water, toilet facilities, a cabin of some sort to live in with an iron stove, everything necessary for hunting and fishing and some means of producing electricity for everything and facilities for farming or growing a garden.

I admire them. Some share their experience in videos on Youtube, and we get to watch them carve a place for themselves away from the turmoil of modern life and modern people.

But the fact is, all of them who appear on Youtube need contributions to enable them to live in the solitude they seek and to do the things they went into the wilderness to do.

I don't begrudge them the income, because no matter how you slice it, creating a place to  live in the wilderness takes far more strength and energy than I possess myself, not to mention the personal interior resources to live as they wish, in peace and quiet.

But, there are different perspectives. The Desert Fathers aimed to live in unbroken silence and solitude, performing acts of penance and working honestly with their hands to support themselves and to establish an environment in which they could be silent, still, quiet and alone, free of the demands of society with the aim of replacing those demands with an attention to God, and listening and resting interiorly to achieve some semblance of union with God and the world in which He lives.

Eventually, God revealed to the Desert Fathers how He wished a community of hermits could be established in various places, dedicated to God and to each other according to a spiritual domain.

The truth is, regardless of how severe their penances were, they remained men ( and, if I am correct ,there were a few female hermitesses).

One might pause to ask themselves, why it was good to live in hard physical labor, eating only vegetables and living with only what they can fashion with their own hands.

Many a monk has asked themselves the same question. A few have relied on their wife and children to support their psychological needs as well as their physical needs, and have employed every bit of intelligence and strength to create what they seek.

The desert fathers lived in a desert and not a plush forest. Some hermits who decided to imitate them, found places atop limestone pinnacles very difficult to climb, and completely shut off from contact with others. For some, it was necessary to be so remote given the challenges to the spirit which impose themselves on those tough souls who wished as absolute an isolation as possible in which to encounter God. Making one's own mind and heart behave as if in the presence of God, bore that fruit when the Lord looked at their souls and marvelled. Some returned to the cities they left to spread the Good News of the Resurrection and Union with God

Some are not the harsh on themselves, and that is good, for God is good and gentle and whether we see it or not, He loves us completely wherever we and however we live.

The goal, as I see it, is to live and reflect quietly and ask very little of existence and in the meantime, to learn to love God in others and to attracts others to God.

We need not ask what we need to give up, but rather live without satisfying ourselves as much as is possible, in order to love, serve and admire God and His children.

One need not set aside years to such endeavors when one follows the Will of God and does it. 

Holy desires often follow holy dedication to great ideals and the quest to experience God, freely, and without fear of deception, seeking to be as holy as the Lord Himself, if He will open your being and shine His light within. 

This happens because it is what He wills. We need not fret that we may not catch on immediately what He wants. There are many saints, some lay people and some monks and hermits and nuns who were drawn by the most difficult of paths but with the sweetest presence and light. Ask yourself what He wants of you and listen. Turn everything off, and let that time be for you and God alone.

One need not fast himself into illness, although, if He wills that we share His cross in desolation and illness, it will happen surely enough. The goal is to be so obsessed with God, that it would be impossible to speak or even think, and to cherish His love more than life itself.

There are plenty of books one might read about this endeavor, but there are plenty of holy men and women we might meet with whom to share the sweetness of the Lord who is near.

Off Grid

 

Meteora

I was watching On "off-Grid" person driving home from a shopping spree in town. 

These adventurers indeed strive to provide, for themselves and others, with everything a person needs to live in isolation in the wilderness.

There are sacrifices that need to be made to live that way, and to handle the demands of life without amenities we take for granted, such as, hot and cold running water, toilet facilities, a cabin of some sort to live in with an iron stove, everything necessary for hunting and fishing and some means of producing electricity for everything and facilities for farming or growing a garden.

I admire them. Some share their experience in videos on Youtube, and we get to watch them carve a place for themselves away from the turmoil of modern life and modern people.

But the fact is, all of them who appear on Youtube need contributions to enable them to live in the solitude they seek and to do the things they went into the wilderness to do.

I don't begrudge them the income, because no matter how you slice it, creating a place to  live in the wilderness takes far more strength and energy than I possess myself, not to mention the personal interior resources to live as they wish, in peace and quiet.

But, there are different perspectives. The Desert Fathers aimed to live in unbroken silence and solitude, performing acts of penance and working honestly with their hands to support themselves and to establish an environment in which they could be silent, still, quiet and alone, free of the demands of society with the aim of replacing those demands with an attention to God, and listening and resting interiorly to achieve some semblance of union with God and the world in which He lives.

Eventually, God revealed to the Desert Fathers how He wished a community of hermits could be established in various places, dedicated to God and to each other according to a spiritual domain.

The truth is, regardless of how severe their penances were, they remained men ( and, if I am correct ,there were a few female hermitesses).

One might pause to ask themselves, why it was good to live in hard physical labor, eating only vegetables and living with only what they can fashion with their own hands.

Many a monk has asked themselves the same question. A few have relied on their wife and children to support their psychological needs as well as their physical needs, and have employed every bit of intelligence and strength to create what they seek.

The desert fathers lived in a desert and not a plush forest. Some hermits who decided to imitate them, found places atop limestone pinnacles very difficult to climb, and completely shut off from contact with others. For some, it was necessary to be so remote given the challenges to the spirit which impose themselves on those tough souls who wished as absolute an isolation as possible in which to encounter God. Making one's own mind and heart behave as if in the presence of God, bore that fruit when the Lord looked at their souls and marvelled. Some returned to the cities they left to spread the Good News of the Resurrection and Union with God

Some are not the harsh on themselves, and that is good, for God is good and gentle and whether we see it or not, He loves us completely wherever we and however we live.

The goal, as I see it, is to live and reflect quietly and ask very little of existence and in the meantime, to learn to love God in others and to attracts others to God.

We need not ask what we need to give up, but rather live without satisfying ourselves as much as is possible, in order to love, serve and admire God and His children.

One need not set aside years to such endeavors when one follows the Will of God and does it. 

Holy desires often follow holy dedication to great ideals and the quest to experience God, freely, and without fear of deception, seeking to be as holy as the Lord Himself, if He will open your being and shine His light within. 

This happens because it is what He wills. We need not fret that we may not catch on immediately what He wants. There are many saints, some lay people and some monks and hermits and nuns who were drawn by the most difficult of paths but with the sweetest presence and light. Ask yourself what He wants of you and listen. Turn everything off, and let that time be for you and God alone.

One need not fast himself into illness, although, if He wills that we share His cross in desolation and illness, it will happen surely enough. The goal is to be so obsessed with God, that it would be impossible to speak or even think, and to cherish His love more than life itself.

There are plenty of books one might read about this endeavor, but there are plenty of holy men and women we might meet with whom to share the sweetness of the Lord who is near.

Ascending

A Swedish White Beam Tree.

I have read numerous stories of the life of Saint Padre Pio.

The reality which he lived is obvious in his face, and in his dealings with people around him. 

It would have been a tremendous grace to have been present at the Masses he celebrated, but can celebrate no longer. The majesty of God and Heaven shone on his face, and the mysteries of His passion came to life as he celebrated the mysteries, with the terrible burden of sin and the pains of the passion lived vividly for those to see who were privileged.

Suffering goes on in the world as if one long sigh of the Lord's breathing and living nailed to the cross. In Padre Pio, in the descriptions of those who witnessed the holocaust of His suffering, people could see the reality of the passion revealed before them. People could stand in wonder beholding what he willingly chose to embrace in reparation for our sins, and to give testimony to the joy which awaits those who have lived so as to be saved from the waste of this world, in favor of the next, where it is as if  no one shares the love of Jesus with anyone else. The glory of the heaven of Jesus was present in the midst. 

This exceptional man gave his all and more to Jesus in all he did. That in itself was an admonition to everyone that salvation matters and is worth every  moment we suffer, when we do. The cross he bore was a share of the cross Jesus Himself shared with those whose lives were meant to be an exposition of real Body and Blood.

Life exacts a toll from each of us. It is not possible to escape suffering while we live in this world, but we can rise above what we endure in life, long enough to catch a glimpse of glory and the majesty of the Lord and miracle of His passion. He does not ask very many to join Him and share with Him the life and moments of His life and death.

To each  of us is given a role to play, and few are they who share Golgotha as He lived it. Joined to the lives of those who do, is His own peace undiminished in any way, to savor in the challenges of life and share with others as we are given the opportunity to do.

The revelation that reveals His love to us is meant to make us like Him, sharing love with others, regardless of the grief to be lived in company with it, making the love revealed and enshrined in us, a monument to Him.

There is one Self that matters in this world, the Body Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus free of death and suffering, living in the bliss of our union with Him which engenders His love in a blighted world. Erasing every blemish on this world was the goal of Jesus in the world. If He shows us the glory He created, it will change the world and us in it forever, so that we understand His life and all our lives, and the evil in the world might be deprived of the satisfaction He thereby gives to His children.

Some of that glory was given me to see and share through many sorrows and much pain, but I continue to dedicate my existence to the sharing of that vision of His goodness with you, His children. I pray that He  may succeed in revealing His love to you and enable you sanctify the lives of others in any way He gives you to do. If you succeed in seeing the vision to which I refer, God's Will shall have been accomplished and I will be rewarded by Him for my small love.

Ascending

A Swedish White Beam Tree.

I have read numerous stories of the life of Saint Padre Pio.

The reality which he lived is obvious in his face, and in his dealings with people around him. 

It would have been a tremendous grace to have been present at the Masses he celebrated, but can celebrate no longer. The majesty of God and Heaven shone on his face, and the mysteries of His passion came to life as he celebrated the mysteries, with the terrible burden of sin and the pains of the passion lived vividly for those to see who were privileged.

Suffering goes on in the world as if one long sigh of the Lord's breathing and living nailed to the cross. In Padre Pio, in the descriptions of those who witnessed the holocaust of His suffering, people could see the reality of the passion revealed before them. People could stand in wonder beholding what he willingly chose to embrace in reparation for our sins, and to give testimony to the joy which awaits those who have lived so as to be saved from the waste of this world, in favor of the next, where it is as if  no one shares the love of Jesus with anyone else. The glory of the heaven of Jesus was present in the midst. 

This exceptional man gave his all and more to Jesus in all he did. That in itself was an admonition to everyone that salvation matters and is worth every  moment we suffer, when we do. The cross he bore was a share of the cross Jesus Himself shared with those whose lives were meant to be an exposition of real Body and Blood.

Life exacts a toll from each of us. It is not possible to escape suffering while we live in this world, but we can rise above what we endure in life, long enough to catch a glimpse of glory and the majesty of the Lord and miracle of His passion. He does not ask very many to join Him and share with Him the life and moments of His life and death.

To each  of us is given a role to play, and few are they who share Golgotha as He lived it. Joined to the lives of those who do, is His own peace undiminished in any way, to savor in the challenges of life and share with others as we are given the opportunity to do.

The revelation that reveals His love to us is meant to make us like Him, sharing love with others, regardless of the grief to be lived in company with it, making the love revealed and enshrined in us, a monument to Him.

There is one Self that matters in this world, the Body Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus free of death and suffering, living in the bliss of our union with Him which engenders His love in a blighted world. Erasing every blemish on this world was the goal of Jesus in the world. If He shows us the glory He created, it will change the world and us in it forever, so that we understand His life and all our lives, and the evil in the world might be deprived of the satisfaction He thereby gives to His children.

Some of that glory was given me to see and share through many sorrows and much pain, but I continue to dedicate my existence to the sharing of that vision of His goodness with you, His children. I pray that He  may succeed in revealing His love to you and enable you sanctify the lives of others in any way He gives you to do. If you succeed in seeing the vision to which I refer, God's Will shall have been accomplished and I will be rewarded by Him for my small love.

Warning

The many facets of Mt. St. Helen's eruption
are a focus of continuing study.

The month of May is here; fog, wind and rain. it seems as if hurricane season will arrive unexpectedly and be abnormally strong. We have already endured day after day of mid-west storms and tornadoes, tore everything up as sustained explosions blasted away homes and cars and lives, without end.

Mount Saint Helens is remembered for its symmetrical beauty, and the catastrophic explosive eruption that blew away the side of the mountain in a monumental  landslide that uncorked the violent magma within and raced out over the countryside in every direction, while at the same time, a pyroclastic flow ripped through the surface of the countryside, erasing entire forests and stripping everything for miles. Fifty seven people died in the event. and millions of dollars of property were laid waste far and wide. 

I was living in Kelso, Washington at the time, and remember these things vividly as the mountain's glaciers were melted into oblivion by the hot ash, and rivers originating on the mountain tore through river basins all the way to the Columbia River, so that it became necessary for ocean going ships stranded by the flow of mud, to wait for the chanels to be dredged. On that day, May 18th 1980 around 8 am, ash exploded into an eruptive column straight up  in the air for miles. Only a few other volcanoes in the world surpassed that eruption, and they were responsible for thousands of deaths and tsunamis. 

It is hard to say whether our sinfulness was responsible for any part of these things, or whether it was simply an act of nature that happened on the human scene. I remember the fear I felt as we were warned of flooding from the rivers and torrents of water mixed with ash, as I was living in an apartment near the Cowlitz river. two weeks after the eruption, there was another lesser eruption which blasted ash up and over the countryside, covering everything in ash mixed with spring rain. The weight of ash in gutters caused the gutters to be ripped off the sides of buildings. As the rain passed, warmer weather arrived, and the ash blew everywhere inside or outside. Powerful jets of water were used to clear the ash, but it remained in the air as very fine dust for sometime afterward. It looked as if it had snowed, yet it was not white, but dull grey.

Trees are springing up  in the blast zone, fish have returned to Spirit Lake, and herds of elk have found their way back. The old forest is gone, fallen on the ground stripped of limbs and needles, laid in neat rows by the force of the wind in the blast. Yet wildflowers have returned, and tiny animals.

Much was learned in the explosion of the mountain. Mt. St. Helens periodically erupts violently, so we have not seen the last of the mountain's violence. Three mountains in the Cascades form an ominous triangle; Mt. St. Helens, Mt Adams, and Mt. Rainier, which rises over 14 thousand feet, some fifty miles or more from Seattle. Very little warning can accompany the eruption of these  peaks, and little opportunity to flee are available.

Life continues, and we are warned about our sins, so that we always have an opportunity to change our ways. God waits for us to change and helps us prepare for what is awaiting us. His love is our shield, but it is one that can help others as much as us.

Warning

The many facets of Mt. St. Helen's eruption
are a focus of continuing study.

The month of May is here; fog, wind and rain. it seems as if hurricane season will arrive unexpectedly and be abnormally strong. We have already endured day after day of mid-west storms and tornadoes, tore everything up as sustained explosions blasted away homes and cars and lives, without end.

Mount Saint Helens is remembered for its symmetrical beauty, and the catastrophic explosive eruption that blew away the side of the mountain in a monumental  landslide that uncorked the violent magma within and raced out over the countryside in every direction, while at the same time, a pyroclastic flow ripped through the surface of the countryside, erasing entire forests and stripping everything for miles. Fifty seven people died in the event. and millions of dollars of property were laid waste far and wide. 

I was living in Kelso, Washington at the time, and remember these things vividly as the mountain's glaciers were melted into oblivion by the hot ash, and rivers originating on the mountain tore through river basins all the way to the Columbia River, so that it became necessary for ocean going ships stranded by the flow of mud, to wait for the chanels to be dredged. On that day, May 18th 1980 around 8 am, ash exploded into an eruptive column straight up  in the air for miles. Only a few other volcanoes in the world surpassed that eruption, and they were responsible for thousands of deaths and tsunamis. 

It is hard to say whether our sinfulness was responsible for any part of these things, or whether it was simply an act of nature that happened on the human scene. I remember the fear I felt as we were warned of flooding from the rivers and torrents of water mixed with ash, as I was living in an apartment near the Cowlitz river. two weeks after the eruption, there was another lesser eruption which blasted ash up and over the countryside, covering everything in ash mixed with spring rain. The weight of ash in gutters caused the gutters to be ripped off the sides of buildings. As the rain passed, warmer weather arrived, and the ash blew everywhere inside or outside. Powerful jets of water were used to clear the ash, but it remained in the air as very fine dust for sometime afterward. It looked as if it had snowed, yet it was not white, but dull grey.

Trees are springing up  in the blast zone, fish have returned to Spirit Lake, and herds of elk have found their way back. The old forest is gone, fallen on the ground stripped of limbs and needles, laid in neat rows by the force of the wind in the blast. Yet wildflowers have returned, and tiny animals.

Much was learned in the explosion of the mountain. Mt. St. Helens periodically erupts violently, so we have not seen the last of the mountain's violence. Three mountains in the Cascades form an ominous triangle; Mt. St. Helens, Mt Adams, and Mt. Rainier, which rises over 14 thousand feet, some fifty miles or more from Seattle. Very little warning can accompany the eruption of these  peaks, and little opportunity to flee are available.

Life continues, and we are warned about our sins, so that we always have an opportunity to change our ways. God waits for us to change and helps us prepare for what is awaiting us. His love is our shield, but it is one that can help others as much as us.

Brother Michael of the Cross

 In case anyone didn't know, I am not a charitable organization. I do not loan or give money to anyone. I live on Social Security - period. I pray, I meditate and I fast and do penance. Do  not ask me for money, because I cannot give to anyone. I am a Lay member of the Roman Catholic Church, and not a clerical member. I am not a priest, nor am I a member of a religious order or organization. What I do is not directed by anyone else. I try to do what I think God is asking me to do.

Thank you