Hermit

Hermit Solidarity and Community

/ Theresa - HHC / Leave a comment

thUCJL39FTChronic Illness and Pain can often cause isolation even for Hermits.  Yes we value our Solitude, but we need to know we have companions along the way, just like anyone else.  The Early Desert Fathers and Mothers also had this need.  They lived alone, and in seclusion, yet they had a form of communion with each other, in that they met regularly for prayer and some social time together, after which returning to their Cells was a Joy.

As a Hermit of St. Giles, I am working with the rest of the Hermits to establish a weekly shared Prayer/Meditation Session where we could all be present to each other and offer to God our Intentions as a Community.  Perhaps 20 minute Prayer Sessions once a week to start.

Whether or not You are a Hermit, if you would be interested in participating in this effort, in Solidarity with us, feel free to join us!

You can find a Meditation Timer on our Page with the Guidelines for Centering Prayer. We will be announcing a Day and Time to meet for Prayer. To join us, simply Log In on that selected day and time, and begin to pray with us by starting the Timer at the chosen Hour.

If you prefer, you may also just say a Rosary or whatever Prayers you are comfortable with, instead.  Or just remain in Silence and Solidarity with us.  The Prayer is in the Intention.

Our Intention is to Glorify God, and to offer our Sufferings for all the people in the world who live in pain and/or with chronic illness, as well as for ourselves.

Please ask the Lord to Bless this humble effort of ours and grant that it may bare its fruit according to His will.  Thank You!

Yours in Christ,

+a Disciple of Jesus (HHC)

CHRISTIAN MEDITATION SESSION

/ Theresa - HHC / Leave a comment

thZK5Z1T15Greetings to All –  Today is the Day to Begin Again…

Although I have my infirmities and pains to contend with, nonetheless, within my heart I align myself with God for the highest good of all suffering beings.  I practice a form of Christian Meditation called, Centering Prayer.  Fr. Thomas Keating is the Trappist Monk whose Teachings I have found to be most in accord with my own spirit.  It is a Surrender Practice as opposed to an Attention Practice like that of Fr. John Main, who uses a Mantra as a focal point.  I use a Sacred Word, but not as a Mantra.  Simply as a symbol to wake me up whenever I get lost in my thoughts during Meditation. It brings me back to my Center where I can again be united with God, and consent to His hidden presence and action in my soul.

TODAY and Hereafter, at 12 Noon and again at 5Aspm Eastern Time, I will be in Meditation for 20 minutes.  If you would like to join me in this prayer for All who are suffering, simply Go To the Page provided on this Site entitled Meditation Timer and Start the Bell on the Hour.  It will signal you when the time is up. Allow yourself a few moments after your Meditation to slowly reorient yourselves to full consciousness before rising.  NOTE: One does not have to be able to Sit to meditate. If all you can do is lie down, it will still have a wondrous effect!

Though we will not be able to visibly “see” each other, the Spirit knows of the bond established and will be present among us, regardless.  As PSALM. 95 says, “If TODAY You should Hear His Voice, harden not your Hearts“.

+Blessings and Peace – Theresa    PS – for Instructions on Centering Prayer, you can find a free pdf at  http://www.cpt.org/files/WS – Centering Prayer.pdf

Your Suffering Has Meaning

/ hermitsoftheholycross / 3 Comments

For all who study and teach Scripture, our encounter with the Living Word will bear fruit in the lives of countless others.

by: Bro. Mark

I have been contemplating that God actually helps others through me when I study and read Scripture in a prayerful manner. How wonderful this is. That the grace and energies that flow through us during Lectio Divina can bring that same grace and energy to help others in ways we may never know. This brings me a great deal of hope as I try to find alternative ways in my disability to minister to others. My Reading Scripture can help others. Who would of ever thought that this would or could be the case. For those of us with physical disabilities that prevent us from having an active ministry, this can be a wonderful alternative. Of course, Lectio Divina should be a part of our monastic spirituality, but now we know not only ourselves can be effected and benefit by it. Others, through the grace it produces will also be benefited. What a wonderful gift this is for us who are physically limited. It is a tremendous blessing. It seems to me, God can use any means for us to grow closer to Him and this growth spreads to our neighbors. We may never see this growth happening in the lives of our neighbors, but when we get to Heaven we will learn how much we assisted God. So, remain strong in your infirmities and your disabilities. God is with us, using us any way He can. The more we try to grow closer to God the more He can work through us. It’s all in our intentions and desires. We can be stuck in bed all day long with great limitations but still become great Saints. Our heart and desire can create such great graces and positive energies. This grace can bring others healing and strength. I can’t emphasize enough that all of us with disabilities have a purpose in life. We, too, participate in Gods creation. Our sufferings have meaning. More graces and positive energies spring to life through these sufferings. Suffering becomes the gateway to life because Christ Jesus has made it so when He hung on the Cross for all of us. There are many who try to put those of us with disabilities away in institutions and “special homes”. They try to say we have no purpose or meaning in life, but this is far from the case. The suffering that stems from our disabilities produce positive results because God has blessed it. So, please remain hopeful and know your sufferings have meaning. Your life has meaning. Don’t ever listen to those who try to put you down, or try to convince you that your life has no meaning. It surely does have meaning. Through the suffering and crucifixion of Christ Jesus, suffering now has meaning and produces graces greater than we can ever imagine. My prayer for each of us is, that we remain strong with our heads held high and carry on with growing closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
God bless you this day. Please keep the Hermits of St. Giles in your prayers that we too will grow more and more closer to our loving Savior.
Your brother,
Mark

Contemplating The Paranormal

/ hermitsoftheholycross / 2 Comments

Greetings to You,
I am sorry for not writing sooner. I have been somewhat in a slump these last couple of months. I have not been inspired to do much of anything productive . I wait for that spark to enter into my heart which enables me to write and without this spark nothing comes and it leaves me frustrated.
Anyway, I am a true believer in the “paranormal”. I often hear that many do not believe in ghosts or the spirit world. I can’t understand why not. Especially us Christians who do believe in an after life. I don’t believe all spirits just go to Heaven or hell when we pass. I believe in a Purgatory, a place where the individual needs more purification before entering into eternal glory. If this is the case, why can’t spirits experience their purgatory here on earth and if they are why can’t we get in touch with them with so much new technology out there. Well, I believe we can document that there is some kind of spiritual existence here on earth. It seems to be behind a veil we can’t see. I understand This has been a hotspot of controversy and inquiry for many many years. So what does “paranormal” mean anyway? Well, basically it means, anything outside of normal. This can become confusing to us because normal is so varied among each of us. What is normal to another might not be normal to me or you. Often it is difficult to understand what is outside of our reality let alone try to explain it. We are afraid we will be ridiculed or shunned by others if we admit we buy into the notion and realm of the “spirit world”. However even St. Paul in his letter to the Colossians ch.1 v12-20 writes, “In Him everything in Heaven and on earth was created, things visible and invisible.” So, what is it that is “invisible”? The Scriptures say we are not fighting against man but against “the principalities and powers of this world.” If everyone on earth embraced this understanding we would no longer fight each other, but fight that which is beyond us. With the creation of so much new technology, paranormal investigators have been more successful with the ability to record and document paranormal events and experiences. Of course, many of these experiences are on a personal level and cannot be verified they still can be believed. What can we say about truly documented evidence however? Especially when evidence comes in from all around the world. Remember when Peter and the others were in the boat when a storm came in and Jesus came to them walking on the water. When He got to the boat they said to Him,”We thought You were a ghost”? Even then, people believed in ghosts and a spiritual realm. Spirit is in all things. Spirit is the breath of God that sustains all life. If this is truth then our spirit is alive in Him. If we embrace the fact we are seeking Eternal Life our spirit, our soul then is eternal. With this in mind, spirits (ghosts) who die troubled or with unfinished business could possibly remain on earth. Scientists do admit there are different levels or veils to reality. With this said is it not possible for a spirit to move in and out from these veils? Think on it pray about it see what God reveals to you. I would love to hear what you believe regarding the paranormal. Until next time, have a beautiful and most blessed New Year.
Love and Prayer,
Bro.
Hermits of St. Giles