“We sometimes forget that Blood and Water come from the same source---the Source of all things seen and unseen. We sometimes become so clouded by our own needs and experiences that we forget that, in the fullness of time there will be no personal needs because all will be fulfilled by the coming together of all that has been separated from the source.”
At this time when I---your founder---has need of time to heal, I offer these words today to the members of our Community (for those visitors to this site, my words may seem enigmatic, but our brothers and sisters will hear the message in what I speak) to remind you of the fact that even though our little OPD seems to be in a time of uncertainty, we remain in Love. Love is never uncertain.
Please continue to pray for my strength in this time that I am away from the community. I am working to regain my health so that I can return to you in Love. I give my great thanks to all of you who have offered prayers and support. To Bro. John and Sr. Dominica who continue to do the work of maintaining the internet communications for the OPD, I pray that God blesses you and keeps you strong. To the associate ministers of the OPD who have offered me their prayers and help---you are a blessing to me. To those who have walked this path with me---and who are temporarily separated from me (and you know who you are)---I ask you to remain One in Heart and Mind in Love and we are together. To my family---who have shown me what unconditional love is---I give all my love. When Mother and Father stand together by your side, no harm can come to you.
It is of Love that I wish to speak today. I was inspired by Sr. Dominica’s words on the Warmth of Love blog which Sr. Dominica and Bro. John sent me earlier today before they were published. Even though I have given Brother and Sister autonomy in publishing what they see fit, I appreciate this gesture because it gave me time to ponder these words with the Spirit...and so the Spirit gave me the words I will share with you now. Even in my time of pain and struggle, the Spirit still comes through so that Love’s preaching can be heard. Woe to me if I do not preach---both in and out of season.
Love is…
Love is the beginning and the end of that which has no beginning and no end. Love is the primordial paradox. Because of Love, do we exist. Yet Love---in its purest form---is complete in itself. It is complete, yet alone. …and if Love is alone, how can it be Love? How can Love exist without the beloved? It draws all to itself because it is jealous and demands single-heartedness and devotion. But what then when all is drawn to it? Where then is the “other” who is the beloved?
In order for us to find peace we look to find balance, in Love---which is existence. We try to wake and see that there is no war in Love. We walk a down road that is both solitary and communal. We pass through a river of blood and water. We walk a road that takes us from night into day.
Our community is in a place of stillness at this moment. This is because, for reasons I cannot say---God has placed me at the head of this group of beloved. Because we remain One in Heart and Mind, we seem to experience the highs and lows of life together. Remember a most important fact: Love is at the helm. So when I or we experience the effect of the rough waves of this life, if we remain focused on Love, the storm will subside. We seem to be tossed back and forth in a sea of everything and nothing. This experience of the storm can produce some fear, but fear not. Do not let your hearts be troubled because this too shall pass. This storm of words unspoken is the moment of Love’s coming to itself.
“Be Still and Know that I am God”
There is a tradition of the Monks of old who would rise at midnight and chant their prayers in the belief that at the moment of midnight---the point of balance between night and day---that all creation stops for a single moment to praise Love. They believed that in that moment all was one…that all was in Love, but that the bright light of Love was so intense that from that pure moment, creation is released back to itself so that it could begin the journey to the next midnight. Love is so pure that in the coming and the going away, we truly experience the dance of Love’s own life.
In some ways you together with me, now experience that time of stillness. Even though it seems as if all of life’s motion is still, be at peace because it is in the stillness of life that Love is reborn. The words of my favorite poet speak to this idea:
“…that blessed mood,
In which the burthen of the mystery,
In which the heavy and weary weight
Of all this unintelligible world
Is lightened---that serene and blessed mood,
In which the affections gently lead us on,
Until, the breath of this corporeal frame,
and even the motion of our human blood
Almost suspended, we are laid asleep
In body, and become a living soul:
While with an eye made quiet by the power
Of harmony, and the deep power of joy,
We see into the life of things.”
-William Wordsworth, Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey
In this moment remain still with me so that together we find the peace of this life.
At this time when I---your founder---has need of time to heal, I offer these words today to the members of our Community (for those visitors to this site, my words may seem enigmatic, but our brothers and sisters will hear the message in what I speak) to remind you of the fact that even though our little OPD seems to be in a time of uncertainty, we remain in Love. Love is never uncertain.
Please continue to pray for my strength in this time that I am away from the community. I am working to regain my health so that I can return to you in Love. I give my great thanks to all of you who have offered prayers and support. To Bro. John and Sr. Dominica who continue to do the work of maintaining the internet communications for the OPD, I pray that God blesses you and keeps you strong. To the associate ministers of the OPD who have offered me their prayers and help---you are a blessing to me. To those who have walked this path with me---and who are temporarily separated from me (and you know who you are)---I ask you to remain One in Heart and Mind in Love and we are together. To my family---who have shown me what unconditional love is---I give all my love. When Mother and Father stand together by your side, no harm can come to you.
It is of Love that I wish to speak today. I was inspired by Sr. Dominica’s words on the Warmth of Love blog which Sr. Dominica and Bro. John sent me earlier today before they were published. Even though I have given Brother and Sister autonomy in publishing what they see fit, I appreciate this gesture because it gave me time to ponder these words with the Spirit...and so the Spirit gave me the words I will share with you now. Even in my time of pain and struggle, the Spirit still comes through so that Love’s preaching can be heard. Woe to me if I do not preach---both in and out of season.
Love is…
Love is the beginning and the end of that which has no beginning and no end. Love is the primordial paradox. Because of Love, do we exist. Yet Love---in its purest form---is complete in itself. It is complete, yet alone. …and if Love is alone, how can it be Love? How can Love exist without the beloved? It draws all to itself because it is jealous and demands single-heartedness and devotion. But what then when all is drawn to it? Where then is the “other” who is the beloved?
In order for us to find peace we look to find balance, in Love---which is existence. We try to wake and see that there is no war in Love. We walk a down road that is both solitary and communal. We pass through a river of blood and water. We walk a road that takes us from night into day.
Our community is in a place of stillness at this moment. This is because, for reasons I cannot say---God has placed me at the head of this group of beloved. Because we remain One in Heart and Mind, we seem to experience the highs and lows of life together. Remember a most important fact: Love is at the helm. So when I or we experience the effect of the rough waves of this life, if we remain focused on Love, the storm will subside. We seem to be tossed back and forth in a sea of everything and nothing. This experience of the storm can produce some fear, but fear not. Do not let your hearts be troubled because this too shall pass. This storm of words unspoken is the moment of Love’s coming to itself.
“Be Still and Know that I am God”
There is a tradition of the Monks of old who would rise at midnight and chant their prayers in the belief that at the moment of midnight---the point of balance between night and day---that all creation stops for a single moment to praise Love. They believed that in that moment all was one…that all was in Love, but that the bright light of Love was so intense that from that pure moment, creation is released back to itself so that it could begin the journey to the next midnight. Love is so pure that in the coming and the going away, we truly experience the dance of Love’s own life.
In some ways you together with me, now experience that time of stillness. Even though it seems as if all of life’s motion is still, be at peace because it is in the stillness of life that Love is reborn. The words of my favorite poet speak to this idea:
“…that blessed mood,
In which the burthen of the mystery,
In which the heavy and weary weight
Of all this unintelligible world
Is lightened---that serene and blessed mood,
In which the affections gently lead us on,
Until, the breath of this corporeal frame,
and even the motion of our human blood
Almost suspended, we are laid asleep
In body, and become a living soul:
While with an eye made quiet by the power
Of harmony, and the deep power of joy,
We see into the life of things.”
-William Wordsworth, Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey
In this moment remain still with me so that together we find the peace of this life.
Addressing the pain brought by Clergy Sexual Abuse with Love not Anger:
The pains of the continuing suffering of the Children of the Church have brought me to a great cliff. Behind me is the same path walked by many children who have suffered at the hands of men who claim to be of God; before me is a great chasm. I am asked by the Spirit to choose between Love and Anger.
What does this choice mean? Which choice demands the leap over the chasm? Do I make the leap at all? Do I hold my ground? Do I listen to those who call on me to fight? Do I choose to end the struggle within myself and move on to a purer Love? If I stay and fight, what is the cost? If I leap, who do I leave behind? If I leave any of my own behind, will they find the way of Love or will I consign them unknowingly to more suffering?
Because I seek counsel, I call out to my brothers and sisters of the great Red Path to give me your strength and Wisdom. I call on those who sail the Blue Stream to hear me and bring me to peace and to safety. I choose to Love, but how can I give that Love to those who seem to reject Love?
“Who is my mother, and brother, and sister?”
…And from Love’s side both Blood and Water flowed. Love is that which crosses all boundaries and chooses no side. Love cannot be contained in Blood alone and cannot be found in Water only. A Mother is not a mother without her Child. A Father is not a father without the Child. When you choose to spill the blood of another, you spill your own blood. When you choose to withhold water from the thirsty, you bring a draught to your self. If the fighting and conquering continue, how can Love remain with this place? If we continue to rape our children, how can we call ourselves mothers, fathers, brothers or sisters? My prayer is that the children of the Love of God will seek not to fight but to walk away from those who seek to harm the life of another.
Many have asked me how I will deal with the horrible things that the priests and bishops of Rome have done to me. Those same people wish for me to fight for others who are so victimized. What will I do? Who knows this? Many have asked for my advice on what they can do to fight these men. I will tell you what the Spirit has told me: Turn away from them. They have no authority over you unless you give it to them. Rome, if it continues to pierce the heart of this life---shedding blood and water---it condemns itself to nothingness. If you believe that Roman priests and bishops are continuing to do evil deeds, then take back your power. See them for what they are and see that they have no power over you. Do not hate them, pity them.
Decide who you are...
Here is an important lesson: We all walk the road to Calvary. We all travel that path to the top of the hill. The question is: what role will you play when you arrive at the Summit? Will you be the Lamb who suffers for Love or will you be the one who applies the nails? Are you the beloved of the Savior or the Suffering Mother? Did you come to comfort the suffering Lamb or did you come to mock? Not all are strong enough to accept the cross, but even in their weakness they can choose Love and refrain from mocking or opposing Love. You don’t have to suffer as the Lamb suffers, but you cannot seek to cause others to suffer.
If you believe that the priests of Rome are the ones applying the nails or mocking those who suffer, then why would you seek at all to remain in their midst? Those who suffer for Love---though they seem to die---can never die because they have become Love and Love is eternal. Those who comfort the Lamb, are remembered always and so they too come to new and eternal life. Those who oppose Love and torture the Lovers, they have condemned themselves. Those who mock and sit idly by while suffering continues have willingly consigned themselves to a life leading only to death.
I say to those who want to fight and destroy the men who have caused you pain: do not become what you hate. Do not fall into the trap of war. When only one side fights, it becomes defeated. Fight your fight with Love and you will be the victor. Fight your fight by having pity on the empty men who seek power over children. Pity them because they are already lifeless bodies waiting to die alone. Instead, come together in Love to support the children and families who have suffered great loss at the hands of empty men.
We can win this if we band together as a Community of Love. Mothers, comfort your suffering sons knowing that their time upon the cross is short and that day always follows night and life conquers death.
Please be at peace. Please continue to pray for me. Please come together in Love so that we can witness the death of suffering.
I am,
+Tomas-Martin, OPD
+Tomas-Martin, OPD
.
THE BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK THAT YOU SEE WITH THIS POST IS BY GREG OLSEN IT IS CALLED "LOST AND FOUND" PLEASE CLICK THE PAINTING TO SEE THE ENTIRE GREG OLSEN GALLERY.
