Into the Manger of our Hearts and Minds ...

Dear Friends, known and unknown,

Today, I want to share with you in a more personal way.

And after that, I am going to step back for a little while.

As indicated earlier, this weblog is taking a break. I need time to recharge and to more deeply ponder the issues I have been raising here. For those of you who wish to rejoin me, I will be resuming on Monday, 16 January.

Personally I pray that those of us who are engaged in these matters can use this period for deepening our quest. For years now, it has seemed to me that this time of year has special qualities that foster and reward **intensified** reflection.

As ever, I turn to Anonymous d’Outre Tombe, who speaks to us poetically in this regard – poetically, but with profound depths for meditation:

“It is not without reason that the manger is venerated by the Church each year and that a unique light is lit in the world each Christmas. What I want to say is that Christmas is not only the festival dedicated to the **memory** of the historical nativity of Christ, but that it is in addition, the **event** of the nativity which is repeated each year, where Christ becomes child anew and where the history of humankind becomes the manger.

Then all that is in us of the nature of the shepherds of Bethlehem and all that which is in us of the nature of the mages of from the East responds as in the past.

That which is in us of the nature of the mages from the East is enamoured of the “star” and sets out **en route** with the little incense, myrrh and gold gathered during the year that is drawing to an end; and that which is in us of the shepherds of Bethlehem kneels down before the Child whose reality is revealed from above …

Just as the Child is present at Christmas, so also there is an awakening and activation at Christmas of forces (including individual souls) capable of receiving His revelation …

It is thus that it happens that Hermeticism also undergoes each year the rejuvenating and inspiring effect of Christmas, and that Hermeticists - often without being aware of it - receive vivifying impulses and illuminating inspirations for their efforts.”

Personally my friends, a profound sense of this kind of ‘awakening and activation … rejuvenating and inspiring’ me at this time has been present in me for years. I look forward to the Holy Nights to come with deep joy. And I pray that you will too …

For although the matters I raise in this weblog are serious, and the suffering of the world demands of us that we seek ‘another way’ forward, this way will certainly not become evident without opening to the joy of inspiration.

With whatever fruits I gather in this coming time, I look forward to rejoining you in January with my thoughts on what I am calling Hermetic Catholicism.

But if any of you would like in these intervening weeks to get a fuller sense of my thoughts in this regard – which I know can be both cryptic and fragmentary - I have two suggestions.

First, if you go to this page:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1585421618/104-8741947-1971107?v=glance&n=283155&%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

You will find my Amazon review of the most important book behind this weblog, which I dare to suggest may also be the most important spiritual book of the twentieth century. And there are links at that review, which if you are interested, can take you to further things, mostly reviews, that I have written, which are all relevant to this weblog.

Second I have a long piece, originally a letter to friends, and called appropriately enough Hermetic Catholicism: A Letter to My Friends. But if Unknown Friends wish to e-mail me, I am happy to send them an edited copy of this piece, which goes far more into the background of this project, including much of a personal nature. Please note however, you might need to be patient, as my aspirations to deep reflection in this time, may well involve my getting far away from cyberspace.

Finally I want to thank all of you who have been reading and responding to this weblog, particularly the head, fred k, jeff, dr john, mamapelican, 1dayin7 and chariot for **enriching** this site with your comments. I also offer my real gratitude to those of you, whom I know have made effort to generate awareness of the existence of this weblog. I truly **thank you** all.

May Christ be born(e) in the manger of our hearts and minds this Christmas season …

Your friend in Jesus Christ,

Roger