Am still here, and have much to share and write regarding the Mass and other aspects of living in Christ, remaining in His Love. However, have had to deal with some earthly tasks: garden efforts, watering in drought conditions, physical suffering, injury from someone who evidently thought I was rude during Mass, causing bodily harm, and a judge giving an emergency protective order for the ongoing issues with the neighbors who also now did property damage (not that the daily verbal abuse and threats were not enough).
Have been thinking of St. Seraphim the Sarov who was beaten badly by robbers when he was out in his hut in the woods. That was the end of his being able to live a hermit life of solitude and was recalled to the monastery where he lived in isolation in his cell, as best he could until people demanded his presence and discussion.
That is not "nothing's" plight, of course. Am here, and must take the situation as it is. The hand is not broken but injured, healing slowly. Attorney stepped in and advised, and now nothing has two signs worded as instructed, so hopefully at Mass no one will do an assault as was done two weeks ago when nothing could not defend itself. Two parishioners did step in and with effort made the person stop hurting nothing. Strange what some people do when they think someone is not doing as one ought during Mass. Even those who have been concerned, thinking nothing has had a stroke or is dead, do bizarre things that one ought not do to someone who might be dead or seriously ill! Pinching to the bone? Shoving? Grabbing the hair at nape of neck and flopping the head back and forth? Shaking the tarnation out of the person. Raising the arm up high, then just letting it drop to hit the pew full force? Yanking the arm? Wrenching a shoulder as a person comes back from Communion, thinking nothing is being rude, appearing to be asleep and motionless? Banging the kneeler hard, shaking the pew, tickling nothing? So it goes.
Thankfully the deputy and his sergeant are intent on making the neighbors stop the incessant harassment and threats. A plainclothes detective and a uniformed commander served them with the protective order. Other than one incident of the adult son intimidating and spitting, last Sunday, they have been on good behavior. Praise God! Pray for all souls and all peoples on earth!
We live in bizarre times of crude behaviors and people not thinking anything of stalking and threatening others. We live in times of relatively low spiritual awareness, considering people in worship, in a place of worship, would just minutes after receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, then assault a person in the handicap pew. Yes, the attorney said this is assault, but they will not be arrested unless the same person does it twice. And the diocese is paying for medical treatment of any injuries now and in future. The signs now posted, will help, however.
In all these matters and more, the spiritual insights are plentiful and beautiful, and at some point when the manual labor is managed, the gardens watered and we have some rain, nothing hopes to write about the insights given regarding the Mass.
God bless anyone reading this, and thanks for prayers for our world. All peace on earth! All PEACE on EARTH! Pray for those who persecute, and pray with Jesus: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. And for ourselves: Father, forgive us for often enough we know not what we do, and help us to know what we do and to do what is right and true, always.
Nothing has been amazed how God teaches us much about the world, and uses the means of the world at times to bring about good. Never realized how a protective order and legalities could be so very effective in helping others stop their negative behavior. Hopefully, their lives will improve since they cannot keep up the ugliness without some temporal arrests and jail time, plus fines.
