Season 3 Episode 1
We are moving more deeply into the phenomenological journey with St. Joan and St. Thérèse on the Trail of the Dogmatic Creed to the mystical Kingdom in the distance. In season three I would like to go back to the beginning and have you join me as we journey across the meadows and rivers following St. Joan and St. Thérèse. The goal of this season is to see if together we can draw out some universal principles that would unite us as one family while each has our own journey and perspective. We are trying to bring the Father’s Kingdom “on earth as it is in Heaven.” We are beginning our personal fairy tales - tales that tell truth! I hope you will join me, and the rest of us, on the adventure.
Reflective questions in S3E1
How intentional are you in your contemplation? Do you receive the Lord as He desires to be received, or do you try to “figure things out”?
Do you write descriptively about your contemplative reflections? If so, do you see patterns of meaning?
Link to my first book Journey to Christendom - The Freedom Dance.
The first of the poetic prose I mention in the podcast.
This one began in my imagination while driving home from Eucharistic adoration at the church of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Chicago. Eventually the inspiration flourished into a total of four poetic prose. Here is the first.
The Dance of Freedom - “C’est pour cela que je fus nais”
One day
I was walking
Through a forest
In an open field I saw an
Unusual scene
There, a group of bright,
Smiling people were,
Dancing
I should say they were
Travelling
For they were dancing and
Moving toward
A destination I could not see
They were happy and danced
With freedom
You could sense the grace in
Their movements
I had never seen such beauty
A young girl noticed me
She danced to me and
Took my hand
She was not afraid that I was
Filthy
I balked but she insisted
“Come join us.”
“Are you free?” she queried
“Of course,” I walked along, “I
Have lived the way I wanted”
“I have travelled where I wish”
“But are you free?” she
Danced with happiness
I stared “But I am free”
“Freedom is doing what you wish
Following no creed but the creed of
Self” I insisted
She merely danced with me some more
I could not help but to follow
With wonder
Foolish and awkward-like I
Moved to the group’s rhythm
I kind of liked it
I ran to catch up with
The young woman and
Her friends
“But how are you so free?” I
Cried over her shoulder
She turned, her eyes were filled
With grace
“Obedience” she smiled
“To God” she continued
She swirled and danced
“Impossible! God is not one
Path-but many!” I cried back
“We follow this single path – called
The dogmatic creed” she was firm
“This way we travel together with
Certain knowledge
Of the path of our Fathers – who
Have arrived to our destination”
“Through light and darkness” she
Went on
“In safety and in danger
In joy and in heartache – we
Stay on the dogmatic path”
“You are a slave to your path!” I
Was in disbelief
“That is not freedom”
“It is not rational to follow a
Dogmatic path – I make my own
Path”
“Are you not free to consent to
Believe?” she pulled me along the
Path
“Are you not free to choose obedience?”
“Is your freedom only freedom to rebel?”
“You are free to choose” she
Continued
“And only you can do that”
“For your will is yours, and it is
Free”
The group continued dancing
Joyfully through the day
And into the evening
As they journeyed through the
Land
Confused, I could not help but
Follow along
For truth be told
I had been lost when I stumbled
Across these saints
I stood alone in a broad field
I looked back into the dark forest
Like from where I had come
I remembered how it was I was lost
Individualism, rebellion, relativism
Believing everything can be
Believed, therefore, believing nothing
I cried as I had to make a
Decision
Yes, I was free
Free to make a choice
As I struggled and watched my new
Friends dance on
Another young woman, a warrior
Approached me
“C’est pour cela que je fus nais” she
Whispered to me
Yes! “C’est pour cela que je fus nais!”
I turned toward my friends
I ran fast, stumbling through the
Grass
To join them on their path
I made my decision
In total freedom
And now I dance with them –
Seeing now the destination
Those at the front
Who are getting close
Break their rhythm – and run
Toward it with joy
I am also the co-host for the Heroic Hearts podcast which is devoted to a spiritual adventure with St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse of Lisieux! Come join us on the journey!
S3E1 - Join me on the journey with St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse