I have learned deep spirituality has nothing to do with
religions; no matter the affiliation. God is God to all, or he is not God at
all and if we live, in the time of salvation, as all Christians are called to
believe per the message of Christ, and the workings of the Cross. And Christ’s words spoken; “there is nothing
that can separate you from the love of God” … if any church, whose doctrines,
dogmas and rules no matter the denomination are going against this time of
salvation mandate of Christ; “let all come to me”, which has been given to the
world by the presence of the Cross, in human history this church is not
functioning as an instrument of God, but setting itself up for a power base on
earth. Thus missing the point of Christ’s kingdom is not of this world.
The labeling of good and
bad holds no meaning to the true
follower of Jesus Christ, for we are not in the time of judgment, but the time
of salvation given to all. For any given religion to stop anyone, from
sacramental rights; be they gay or divorced or whatever is contradictory to the
message of salvation. When any church does this it is no longer, playing by “God’s
rules of salvation”, with the mind frame; “come to me all who labor and are
heavy burdened”…. Such a church, is playing by their “man made laws” to control
and manipulate the people/ children of God … If ever there was/ is an abuse of
the commandment, “Thou shall not use the Name of the Lord God in Vain” … such
churches, who marginalize or reject any person for any reasons, are doing just
that using the name of the Lord God in vain, and the vanity is their seeking
human power and control in the name of God on earth. Same goes for any person
if they think, they are better and judge others, by their own standards and
precepts, and they as well are missing the point of redemption and the time of
salvation.
I was told, by my former diocesan priest, spiritual director, and I had several, over the last 29 years; they are not “trained in the seminary, to deal with people like me” … as in they are not trained to really think and act on deep spirituality, within a soul, their agenda is far more superficial and worldly, which is be a priest is to run a parish, instill the rules of the church into these people, and collect money from them, it stops there… No real reaching of and for higher self, taught, or even encouraged, within the training of the priest, it is more a corporate training given to them. Was this the intent, of Christ upon the church and Saint Peter? I think not!
Once the diocesan priests said they no longer can deal with
me, for they were not taught about, “mystics” in the seminary and how to deal
with them, I was given over to the Jesuits, the “brainy acts” of the church.
There I had many lively discussions of what it means to be spiritual, yet still
a lingering protocol of the Catholic mandate, was and is upon them. The Jesuits
were not afraid to verbalize to me, who was gay in their community (and this
was 12 years ago) and who was straight in their community, they did seem to shy
away from traditional marriage though and any role a heterosexual married man
could play in the priesthood, which I found strange. One Jesuit even said to
me, the Jesuits will never allow a married man into their order, again this was
12 years ago… and I wondered, why the
deep aversion to women and men being married, which would disqualify them from
being a priest. (The original 12 apostles were all married men)
Yet the Jesuits (to whom I had past discussions with) were
open to thought and the exchange of ideas, with the laity, and did not seem to
frown as much upon the laity, as being “mindless sheep” as the diocesan priests
seem to do. (Those I had discussions with years ago and some current) The Jesuits did seem to have contempt for the
diocesan priests though as being the “dumb ones of the church”, yes the Jesuits
can be somewhat snobbish academically; towards the fastest way to become a
priest, and that is via the diocesan system of priestly education. Tragic oxymoron, the least educated in
spirituality holds the most influence on the people of God, within the Catholic
Church. (the diocesan priest) The home parish,
the place, which should be a launching pad for deep spirituality in the local
church, is in essence a chain that holds the soul down; by their own admission
“we are not trained to deal, with people like you” … A clear case of the need
for revision, in the formulation of the priest; this of course in addition, to
the sexual scandals, within the priesthood.
Fascinating slam dunk advice, one Jesuit advisor gave me,
with “Mary Jo, you know why the church held the Inquisitions, so many centuries
ago”… Why yes, Father, to force everyone to become Catholic, I said … “No Mary
Jo, was the Jesuit’s response it was to track down and kill people like you,
the church hates the real mystic, people
like you are a threat to them. You cannot keep your mouth shut and you tell it
like it is and you do not stay on their game plan of the power base, within the
church, you threatened them. So they either have to discredit the “real” mystic
or kill them, they do not want the truth out.” Wow, father, I said that is
pretty bleak, no wonder no one signs up to be a mystic. “Yes Mary Jo, all
mystics are drafted into the role by God. And God does seem to pick the most
disagreeable people”….Hmmm … was I just insulted, by this priest, I now thought???
… I then thought… had I known this I
would have fled to a “spiritual Canada”, to avoid the draft …
So this “Goldilocks” alleged mystic still searched for the
perfect priest to take her cue from … But wait … that is the point… the answer…
to why … anyone is called to deep spirituality… to mysticism … it is the call
of the perfect priest, it is Jesus Christ himself calling … “Come to me and I
shall give you rest” and he throws in peace, to top it off!!!
It does seem, I am locked and loaded, and taking shots at
the Catholic Church only this is not the case. I see something even more destructive
on the “religious horizon” … and that is the “Political Christian” or the
Political fundamentalists of any domination… They are really scary folks; I do
not know what their God is all about, other than hate and division.
The “real mystics”, the Jesuit planted a seed, in my mind; who has the hierarchy of Catholic Church, declared a “real” Mystic in the past; hmmm they all walked in lock step with the teachings of the hierarchy at the time so who really was “real”??? Or have they,
always declared saints and mystics from those people, who
follow their protocol and “earthly agendas” …???
The church does state, mystical experiences, can be of the
mind only from the person’s wanting such, and hence they are delusional of
sorts, or maybe, they are just “religious zealots”, having such a deep human
belief system, ingrained in them, they are manifesting what their exposure, in
life has been, in regards to God.
I did not have “religious exposure growing up” there was
no deeply religious belief system in my formative years or a religious script placed into my childhood psychology …
You cannot separate human psychology and perception, from
deep spirituality while we are in the flesh. I will put an exception to that
statement, and it is God, for he can do whatever he wants, he is above natural
law…yet the preference of God is to work through “natural law”, thorough which we
have all been given his graces and for lack of better words “standards” …
