Jan 26, 2025

Living in Unconditional Love (202)

 

“Love flows from God to humans without effort:

As a bird glides through the air without moving its wings-

Thus, they go wherever they wish united in body and soul,

Yet separate in form.”

–Mechtild of Magdeburg

 

My wife Eileen died from esophageal cancer in February 2020 one year after being diagnosed, 60 years after we met on Long Island. Then my brother Tom became ill (not COVID), and I spent a total of six weeks being with him in Ohio, but he died in October 2020. My sister-in-law Sue Mahoney died from Covid-19 in January 2021. On top of it all stood the pandemic, locking everyone down almost two years. Covid has proved to be a persistent problem, and many of the long-term effects are quite serious, and it has proven much more serious than flu.

01/26/2025                                                    I was struck by the psalm reading I was given in my meditation time for January 20^th: psalm 52:

Why do you boast, O proud peoples,

Of your decisions that hurt the poor?

All day long, you plan exploitation.

Lies are on your tongue as

You turn from the truth.

You love riches more than justice,

Burying your heads in sand

Like an ostrich.

So, you are dead to the cries of

The oppressed, blind

To their impoverishment.

But the psalm continuous:

Yet justice will prevail in the end;

Your riches will turn to rags,

You will die separated from Love.

Those who live in truth, will know

The joy of Love Divine.

They will see the emptiness of those

Who turn from Love,

Who put their trust in

Abundant riches,

Who seek security in wealth.

 

I thought this was a most fitting prayer for the day, especially in light it was also Martin Luther King holiday. The psalm expressed the workings of T, intent on destroying anything good that came out of Biden’s time in office and rewarding those that tried to overthrow the government in 2020 and gather personal power. Looking at that I was awed by the one woman who said she would refuse the pardon, for she recognized her errors in participating in that event and needed to make personal recompense.

I find it sad that people do not realize that this life is short (where do the years go), and this sort of action does not bring joy, but roiling turmoil in their spirit. Plus they will then face their God and will have to see what they have accomplished.

I was even more awed by the Episcopalian Bishop who, at the traditional prayer service in the following morning asked T for mercy for the poor, unlike those that spoke from my own catholic faith who failed to say anything. T responded with his usual nastiness, calling her names and trying to ridicule her and her faith and demanding she apologies. She has refused and repeated her statements. T’s use of name calling on a bishop and ridiculing her entire faith will hopefully be remembered later.

This country has taken three steps backwards, and if T has his way it will retreat even further from the democracy intended by the founders. He has stated time and again his intent in seeking vengeance on his perceived enemies and to become a dictator for life, despite what the constitution says.

The weather has been cold but not snowy, so I have stuck to staying in except when required for doctor appointments and seeking food. I am looking forward to being in the warmer weather in Peru (it is their summer) in a few weeks.

My three granddaughters in Peru are excited to see me, and they wanted to talk with me and show me their new shoes that they purchased yesterday. I spent a long time admiring their shoes, and especially listening to Maria talk about her adventures on Sunday morning. I am so looking forward to my in-person visit in a few weeks.

My son Tim was notified this past week that his position is being “eliminated” and he will lose his job at the end of the month after 25 years. He is one of the lead IT persons for his company and if anyone knows of possible IT job openings in the Binghamton area (computer networks) let me know so I can tell Tim.

Meditation

Gentle One, guide us at this most challenging time, where we who call ourselves followers of Jesus can continue to pursue the just way now in the face of extremely hard times from those whose have failed to see the true path of life. We are here to learn to love, and not gather goods and more, help us to always keep that central fact in front our eyes.