WATCH WHAT YOU WATCH

"Satan knows that he has lost the soul that

perseveringly practices mental prayer"

~Saint Teresa of Avila~

The news is full of very distressing occurrences, both natural and artificial. Wide spread and uncontrolled Fires in the Amazon that threaten "the lungs" of our planet; copious bits and filaments of plastic found deep within the ice caps which we'd hoped to find pristine; torturous conditions for wee little children at the border in facilities likened to concentration camps; sudden, previously unannounced deportations of children receiving life-saving medical care at several of our hospitals; the reversal of ecological measures meant to save the planet; and a president whose lawlessness, moral and ethical bankruptcy, erratic behavior and cruel policies have given rise to a credible concern that, in addition to being a scofflaw and con man, he may also be suffering from some sort of dementia or insanity: these are all matters that provoke anxiety, and it is natural that our attention would be drawn to them.

I've always advocated for peace and justice and fought against evil. Even when I was a child of 11 or so, I was marching in anti-war demonstrations. I still believe that it is important to promote the values around the themes of peace and justice. My lifelong devotion to these ideals dovetail perfectly with the commandments of Christ, so much so that when I read the words and life stories of the mystics and the rest of the saints, I felt I had come home at last. For me, Jesus embodies the perfect combination of contemplation and peaceful action.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen

Spiritual enlightenment in action

My personal mental hygiene also entails paying close attention to the balance between staying informed about the day-to-day events, on the one hand, and attending to the Lord, on the other. Ideally, we should all be like Brother Lawrence, keeping company with God while managing the material world in an holistic action of body and soul.

Saint Joan of Arc

She brought her Lord onto the battlefield.

In this age of distressing political events, with a background of scary ecological consequences of our selfishness and what it means for future generations, I remind myself constantly to view all of it with the eyes of the Divine and to stay established in the peace of the Lord. For those of us with PTSD or anxiety or other similar issues, it can be a challenge, but it is very much possible.

Saint Margaret of Scotland

Queen and Saint

Beloved of her people.

My 29th Great Grandmother

Tending the inner garden with one's mind on the Divine can be done, and I want to encourage all of you to join me in that space where we are all one, and where we can work together for peace and justice and the enlightenment and sanctification of souls.

While you are coping with each new horror that is announced, don't forget to connect with the rest of us who are likewise inclined to the Divine. We can draw strength and courage from one another in that transcendent space.

God bless us all.

Silver Rose
(Sannyasini Kaliprana)

Silver Cottage Ashram Hermitage

Albuquerque, New Mexico

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All rights reserved.

THE GOD OF SECOND CHANCES

In Tuesday's general election, Hillary Clinton received the most votes from the people, but Donald Trump won the Electoral College votes and is therefore our new President Elect. As a result, there were thousands of people in a number of cities throughout the United States who protested Trump's election as our soon-to-be president. About ten thousand people protested in front of Trump Plaza, well into the late evening. Chicago and Los Angeles experienced large protests. Even here in Albuquerque, we had people in the streets.

This is by no means the first time that a president has lost the popular vote but won the election. It is a unique American quirk that we accept as the legitimate method of determining the winner in any campaign. Peaceful protest is also a feature of the American democratic system and, as long as it doesn't deteriorate into violence, is allowed to occur.

As soon as it became apparent that Trump was going to win the Electoral College votes, I began to pray for him, dedicating a rosary to his well-being and praying that Trump experience a radical conversion of heart. I continue to hope that the enormity of his responsibilities brings him to his knees before God, chastens him and humbles him, so that he can be successful as a president of all the people. As he begins to realize that most of the American people did not want him in the office, but he has to be president of all the people, I imagine it will likely hit him very hard.

My 33rd great grandmother was a Ukrainian ruler who earned a reputation as a bloody and retaliatory queen. In vengeance for the murder of her husband, she nearly wiped out an entire ethnic minority, doing so in a most gruesome and cruel manner. Later, she somehow experienced a great conversion, became baptized, and is now known as Saint Olga of Kiev, patron of widows and converts. If that woman can become a saint, there is hope for all of us.

A wonderful feature of our faith is the Lord's great love for us that manifests in forgiveness, over and over again, immediately upon our expression of regret and plea for forgiveness. Jesus is the ruler of our hearts and meets us there in love.

Donald Trump has expressed harsh criticisms against several minorities, the disabled, women, veterans captured in battle, the American press, and refugees escaping war torn countries. His rhetoric has been vulgar, insulting, retaliatory, and, frankly, dangerous to the welfare of our country (such as when he invited the Russians to covertly interfere with our elections, which, apparently, they did, to some degree or another.) His worldview, as consistently expressed by him, is the antithesis of the Christian worldview.

Despite all the negatives, Christians voted him into office because of his supposedly pro-life sentiments and his stated intention to appoint pro-life judges to the Supreme Court. In one sense, it was a wild gamble. Trump presents as anything but a good Christian man, but our hope springs eternal. We have seen great conversions before, and this is what it will take in order for this man to meet the expectations of the Christians who voted for him. This is what I pray for.

I ask all my readers to join me in praying for Donald Trump, his family and his support staff. Let us pray for his deep conversion of heart that strengthens his promises with regard to the pro-life cause. Let us pray that he seeks a soft spot on which to land when things get tough for him in the many many battles that face him, and that he realizes that the soft spot he seeks is the loving heart of Christ.

God bless us all...

Silver Rose