Mystic Monday: Take Another Look at The Cloud

Today dear children we are going to take another look at The Cloud of Unknowing.

Mostly because I spent the weekend rereading it for my own benefit, so it is fresh in my mind. I wanted to focus on one little part. It may not make sense to some of you, or it may speak directly to the hearts of some of you. If it does, great. If it doesn't just let it go.

Anyone who aspires to contemplation aught to cultivate Study, Reflection and Prayer or to put it differently, reading, thinking, or praying. . . these three are so interdependent that thinking is impossible without first reading or - what amounts to the same thing- having listened to others read. For reading and listening are really one; the priests learn from reading books and the unschooled learn from the priests who preach the word of God.

Beginners and those a little advanced who do not make the effort to ponder God's word should not be surprised if they are unable to pray. Experience bears this out. God's word, written or spoken is like a mirror. Reason is your spiritual eye and conscience your spiritual reflection.

Pax

Whatever Lord!

In a great example of "when it rains it pours" literally, yesterday my car started acting really strange again and we had to take it to the mechanic to be looked at. We think it might be the transmission again, which luckily is under warranty.

Then as if my not having a car wasn't enough of a sacrifice for today, last night as mrangelmeg was changing the air filter on the heat pump something went wrong and it isn't working at all. We called the repair guys but they can't get here until tomorrow to look at it, so I am without air conditioning or a car.

But God is good, all the time. Instead of being impossibly hot today it is going to be stormy all day, so we should be cool in the house so long as we don't bake cookies or use the dryer or produce too much excess heat. And my son has the day off, so I can use his car for my errands.

I pray that both repairs will be easy, inexpensive and quick. Hey, it could happen!

Pax

That Waiting Discipline Will Get You Every Time

Our Oldest Daughter called this evening to let us know that she was in fact offered a job at the local deli where she interviewed a week ago. It just took the manager a little longer to get back with her than we thought it should have, but then we don't do things in God's time.

I tell you, patience is a discipline that I have such a difficult time with, and sadly I haven't taught lessons in it to my children because of my lack of practice. Our old pal that great theologian Tom Petty comes to mind at this point (The waiting is the hardest part).

I kept telling her to trust in God and in her abilities, but I knew that she was really struggling to believe that God had a plan when the weeks stretched into over a month and there was no job on the horizon.

God does things in His time, and His time is perfect. We don't know why she was meant to wait those long weeks, and fill out all those applications, but some day she may know why she needed the humility and patience of this long month, and why relying on the prayers of others was part of God's plan for her. I hope she comes to see it that way.