Words from Jesus to Nicodemus, concentrated upon during the ‘Arise’ meeting this morning after mass at St Clare.  There were many illuminations received during the reading and commentary on Nicodemus encountering Jesus, one-on-one, during the night.  I will just present the words that struck the hardest:

Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen;

I add a text to the man of prayer, in response to his gratitude for assisting him with his electrical issues.  I just finished the ‘Arise’ gathering at St Clare’s.  It is phenomenal.  God is healing me through proper fellowship.  My experience with Ann and the recovery world really wounded me.  God is showing me his power through community. It is a message I needed.  I am thankful for both you and Mary, our time together Sunday.  You are both important to me and a part of God’s revelation.  Thank you for allowing me to help you. 

Another matter coming together nicely is a telephone conversation with my son driving home from work.  He assisted his older step-sister, catering to her desperate situation of having nobody who would drive her from prison to a rehab center.  Most have given up on the young lady, however my son said to me: ‘she has never done anything to me, always loving to me, and I could only respond that I would be there for her’.  He spoke about being with her as she was admitted into the rehab facility, the fact she leaned heavily upon him while they waited.  It struck him she had no one.  Meeting the authorities at the rehab center he became fearful, convinced the women were psychologically unsound.  He could only observe the women and disappointingly wonder how in the hell they would be able to help his step-sister.  It is a brutal fact of the recovery world that the majority of people willing to dedicate their time to the recovery of others are so broken themselves.  I have moved beyond all of that, allowing a greater life to be defined through obedience to God’s will.  Thankful the recovery world has been removed from my life.  In the void, greater things emerge.

Father Estabrook presented, and I pursued, a continuation of the expansion of my communal faith life, my Lenten divine mission, a fulfilling of capabilities and potentialities.  This weekend at St Clare I will attend a program sponsored by groups associated with the church identifying themselves with the names: ‘Families in Christ Jesus’, ‘Catholic’s Men Fellowship’, ‘Men of Praise’.  The weekend program is titled ‘The New Way of Living’.  I am so taken aback by the obvious affront by God upon my worship that I am praying and discerning cancelling my Easter retreat to Massachusetts.  The vacation days, Thursday and Monday, are scheduled.  I will enjoy a five day work free Easter weekend.  I am now asking God if he wants me to spend this time with my new community and my family.  Should I concentrate my worship locally instead of journeying back to the Maronite Monks of Adoration?  I am so humbled by the profound communal experiences I am encountering, I advance my surrender to the will of God.  Let me do as You please Lord.  One of the points mingling about everything, for there were many thoughts I felt I wanted to express in this post, yet now they elude me.  I wanted to stress that what is happening is not theoretical or contriving.  It is not an effort of my scheming and planning.  There is a flow, a spontaneous happening that delights, an experience and encountering that I will compare to Nicodemus venturing through the night to speak with Jesus.

A final note.  As this post burst forward, it was interrupted by the Hospice.  A bedside vigil with a Roman Catholic is scheduled for tomorrow from 10 AM to 2 PM.  Prayer at the bedside of a passing Catholic sister calls forth.