The Book of the French Catholic Diaspora
The Pilgrim's Sacred Mythology
The opening of Mystical France in our hearts is an immersion in the refulgence of the combined hearts of St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. The radiance of their nearness is a royal French Catholic spirituality appearing ‘in the world.’ It is an alethic unveiling of St. Mary Magdalene as spiritual mother—genetrix—of the House of New Bethany on the shores of Provence. Magdalene’s contemplative nearness in Provence is itself a refulgence of the light of the Holy Spirit emanating from the center of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Mystical France is the heart of Mary Magdalene imbued in the light of the Holy Spirit and beloved by Our Lady. Devotion to Mystical France as Magdalene’s refulgence is devotion to the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary as revealed through the combined hearts of St. Joan and St. Thérèse.
The contemplative endeavor to uncover Magdalene's holy refulgence—bringing the Kingdom of her heart on earth as it is in Heaven—is a lifetime of describing and interpreting what is silent and hidden. It is an expression of True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Unveiling the hidden "gestalt” of Magdalene's heart as a French devotional lifepower1—in obedience to the dogmas, doctrines, magisterial teachings, and metaphysics of the Church—constitutes the purpose of the encounter with Joan of Arc who guides us to this Kingdom. Magdalene’s presence in the grotto on the shores of Provence symbolically represents this devotional lifepower—the House of New Bethany—of the Holy Spirit.
The sudden silent encounter with Joan as nearness in holy friendship—a spark of lightning that reveals a mystical landscape out the darkness—is the “point of inquiry” on the journey to Mystical France through her glorified heart. The “Jehannian hermeneutic”—our primary method of interpreting Joan’s presence—is the heart of St. Thérèse as revealed through her poetry and plays. It is through Thérèse that we perceive Joan within the proper values, judge the experience of our encounter, and, at the deepest level of our being, yield to Joan’s friendship convinced that we must follow her to the Kingdom at all costs.
A Catholic contemplative reflection centered on the life of Joan of Arc brings Mystical France to the open ‘in the world.’ It interprets her mystical heart as an overflowing of God’s grace. A story emerges in this contemplation whereby Joan guides us across Catholic and Royal France to mystical Provence by the radiance of the light of Magdalene's glorified heart. Underpinning this story is a perpetual “physis” of emerging sacred mythology—the House of New Bethany—echoing the ascent of the pilgrim to Magdalene’s grotto. The sacred mythology of New Bethany is the pilgrim’s shimmering golden thread of Ascending.
Thérèse—through her plays and poetry—authentically interprets Joan’s heart for us and is the one through whom we learn the values we prioritize to judge our encounter with Joan. The pilgrim’s journey is both a personal testimony ‘in the world’ and an invitation to walk in alethic wonder with St. Joan and St. Thérèse into the mystical Kingdom of France. St. Mary Magdalene, in the glory of her contrition and repentance on the shores of Provence, embodies the silent, hidden kingdom. This spiritual pilgrimage with Joan and Thérèse is a surrender to Christ’s redemption and a pledge of obedience to the Church’s Scripture, Tradition, Magisterial teachings, and total consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Experientially, the pilgrim’s path emerges—like a golden thread winding across the fields and meadows—through anthological reflections revealing the “appearance of the Kingdom appearing,” connected in an eclectic array of devotional expressions, stories, and the pilgrim’s sacred mythology. Expressions emerge in the heart and mind of the pilgrim constituted through the anthologies and bound as a unity by the golden thread.
The pilgrim’s mission and vision are based on the conclusion that nearness in holy friendship with St. Joan of Arc, through the values learned from St. Thérèse, reflects a royal French Magdalenian spirituality. This friendship must be constituted in the intellectual and devotional life of the soul, faithfully within the framework of the Church's teachings and the spirit of True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
“Across the Cresting Hills this Dawn”
Across the Cresting Hills this Dawn from the album, The Dove and Rose, on my music site, WalterEmerson.com.
Lyrics ©Walter Emerson Adams. Music and vocals by Suno ©Walter Emerson Adams.
Across the cresting hills this dawn Finds dreamy landscapes veiled by mist Our Lady points through fields beyond Amidst their haze a shadow sits As sunlight breaks the shades turn true The figure, clear, on horseback, too Our Lady smiles, it’s Joan of Arc! A saint to guide me to her heart In Mary’s heart, Christ’s Kingdom’s found The Maid knows well the pathway stark By fire in glory she was crowned That Kingdom loves God’s Joan of Arc! This saintly Maid inspires my soul! I follow Joan through fire or cold Toward Christ’s Kingdom in Mary’s heart Toward Christ’s Kingdom in Mary’s heart
“Lifepower” in this model is intended to be in the framework of Edith Stein’s development of the term in Stein, Philosophy of Psychology and the Humanities. It is a life source within the psyche that can be influenced by outside forces.