Well I finished Rohr’s book. Since I underlined almost all of it and my memory is flakey, I’m going to reread it and probably post small pieces that really hit where I’ve been and where I struggle now. This is a brilliant priest theologian, activist that has been on a similar journey to mine with just timing differences. I’m a eighty-seven year old woman, married for sixty-years, mother of five with a passel of grands and great grands. My life on the surface level has been nothing like Rohr’s. But spiritually we both grew up Catholic, experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, spent years focusing on equal rights for all and a better life for the poor, and recognized that most of Christianity, including Catholicism, has missed the point of Jesus. That point being that every human being, every pitiful failure, mean as a snake, self-centered, lustful, or just lazy one of us is tenderly and unconditionally loved by God.

Dying to self is not a popular goal and it takes at least all of this life time to even make a dent in our focus on self. But we are only called to play the hand we are dealt and nobody’s dealt a Royal Straight Flush. Recognizing that is the key to humility which is the key to experiencing the kingdom of heaven here. That can free us of judging ourselves and others as bad children. We are all unfinished. At eighty-seven I’m still in a process, a life-time journey literally fueled by the grace of the Love of God fleshed out in Jesus. That grace is poured out for a journey that progresses by a mix of inches, temporary stops and occasional leaps. But the journey is for us to fulfill only our personal potential…..no one else’s and has nothing to do with being loved and everything to do with knowing we are loved. When we are open to that we can pass it on and join with God in bringing about His kingdom on earth. But, don’t get too overwhelmed, or too dependent on seeing results………the time line is eternity. This isn’t heaven. And sometimes things have to get worse in order to get better. Our primary challenge is letting God’s grace of Love make us better. It’s a partnership that doesn’t work when we think we are wise and good enough to do it by ourselves. That’s the key and importance of “walking humbly with our God.” It takes focus, listening, watching, and particularly an openness to all the possibilities so God can show us when we persevere in seeking his will.

I want to pass on something important for men and women that I learned the hard way. In fact ,Rohr is the first person I have ever heard say that it is the reason women outlive men. We can allow ourselves to cry. It’s not weakness. We weep, but persevere. Tears are literally healing, emotionally and physically and spiritually. Jesus wept, so should we. There are plenty of things in this world that need to be wept over. We cry our hearts out. Then get up, wipe our tears away and take God’s hand like a small child and keep on keeping on.

Hugs to all you guys. We are not alone ever!