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[__v-01_= one_] 2022-03-19 – St. Joseph Day _ _
[_01(a)_] The other day, I was minding my own
business or trying to mind my own business while using my computer and a
surprising and unwanted message appeared on my screen, took over my screen and
told me –from out of nowhere – out of the blue – that my computer was infected
by a virus and I had better called a phone number some agency called “Microsoft
Windows Defender Security”. The telephone number started with the area code of 206
and that they will take care of it for me.
I happened to recall that the 206 area
code is a legitimate area code on the west coast, in the Seattle region. And,
MSFT HQ is in Seattle.
I never received this messageI was
alarmed and it seemed so legitimate that I called the phone number to ask for
support.
When the person who picked up the
phone at the 206 area code phone number asked me for my VISA credit card
number, I kind of realized that this must be a scam – or a hoax – and and I
hung up.
You might wonder why it took me so
long to realize that this must be a scam. But it looked legitimate… the
Microsoft Windows logo was the on the screen with the multicolored squares …and
the 206 area code also made it seem authentic.
[_02_] I
was drawn in and made the incorrect conclusion … due to superficial
appearances, the MSFT logo, the colored squares, the area code.
The message had come from out of
nowhere… out of the blue.
How do we receive messages that come
from out of the blue – that seem to come from nowhere?
[_02_] Isn’t
this also the question for Joseph, husband of Mary, betrothed and engaged to
Mary…and for Joseph who is also receiving messages – in dreams. Is it a scam? A hoax?
I was reminded recently that there are
actually 4 dreams and 4 messages given to Joseph.
Just to summarize, the 4 dream and
message to…
1. from
the angel not to be afraid to Mary into his home.
2. Leave
Bethlehem, escape to Egypt
3. Learns
that is safe to leave Egypt and return home.
4. Warned
again about the route home not to return to Judea, but to go to Galilee
instead.
One
could say that each of the messages come of out of the blue – out of nowhere
and were unexpected.
[_03_] How
are we to regard our dreams and sub-conscious thinking?
How do separate truth from reality or
the “fake scam” from the “true signal”?
Thoughts pop into our heads all the
time whether both when awake and asleep.
Also, regarding the sleeping state –
have we not – or have some some people not – but an extraordinary amount of
value on things that come to us in dreams, when we are asleep.
[_02_] [ ∑
summarize this section]
I read this in a religious / book Catholic
Encyclopedia – “But the mystery of sleeping is enhanced by the phenomenon of
dream which accompanies it. Primitive people, unable to explain the psychology
of dreaming or to discover the causes of sleep, observed that, whereas man can,
when awake, control his thoughts and fancies, yet he is utterly incapable, when
in sleep, either of bringing about such dreams as he might wish, or of
directing and ruling those that offer themselves to his faculties; hence they
were led to attribute dreams to outside and supernatural agencies.
The gods, whose power was believed to
manifest itself in natural effects, such as thunderstorms and earthquakes,
whose message were supposed to be written by signs in the heavens, could as
well send their communication to men in dreams. Hence the persuasion arose that
persons favoured by frequent dreams were sacred and chosen intermediaries
between the deity and man.
Far from being cast aside by advancing
civilization, these ideas developed with it, and were to a certain extent even
systematized, as appears in particular from the records of the ancient peoples
of the East. These all took it for granted that every dream expressed a Divine
message. Most dreams came unsought; but occasionally supernatural
communications were solicited by "incubation". The person desirous of
obtaining a prophetic dream then betook himself to the temple of the deity from
whom he expected instructions, and there slept, after some ritual preparation.
Among the shrines known in antiquity for vouchsafing oracles to sleeping
worshippers, the temple of Aesculapius at Epidaurus, where dreams were obtained
in which remedies were revealed to cure diseases, the cave of Trophonius, the
temple of Serapis, and that of Hathor, near the turquoise mines of the Sinai
Peninsula, are the best known. As a last means to wrest the dream from a
reluctant deity, magic was also resorted to. An interesting example of magical
formulae used for this purpose is contained in a Gnostic papyrus of relatively
late date preserved in the Leyden Museum; it is entitled "Agathocles'
Recipe for sending a Dream", and may be read in Wiedemann's Religion der
alten Egypter (p.144). ”
[_04_] The example of St. Joseph is significant
for you and for me because St. Joseph’s dreams were not simply connected to his
own
AMBITION (which is often connected
with dreams that may have good element…the dream of financial security, the so-called
American dream.)
PREMONITION (which is often connected
with dreams or feelings that some thing is not quite right … so, for example,
we are often told – when something is difficult or vexing or indecisive to
“sleep on it.” It is also good advice –
as we read in the Bible not the let the sun set on your anger; do not go to bed
angry or wrathful or resentful).
IMAGINATION
– our imagination is connected with our dreams. And there are many places –
such as DisneyWorld that try to give us an experience of imagination, of
fantasy, of entertainment.
Imagination is a good thing; we need
imagination. Nevertheless, it’s also true that imagination can also overwhelm
us and distract us.
Sometimes, we really have to make a
decision based on something other than what we “imagine” to be true. So, one example, if someone corrects me on
something that I did not know was wrong or hurtful to someone else, I might
“imagine” the person correcting me is out to get me.
But, is this real?
As a Catholic writer named Frank Sheed
observed, what we need is not just a Catholic imagination but a Catholic
intellect.
I liked this example he gave - he said that many of Jesus’ parables –
which involve our imagination do tell us about the inner life and true goals of
God.
For example, the parable of the
Prodigal Son tells us how God persistently waits for the younger son who had
selfishly, outlandishly taken the money, spent it, ended up impoverished and
broken and then comes home and does not even expect to be “forgiven” but is in
fact forgiven just because he comes home repentant. This is an image that tells
us something about the inner life of God.
This contrasts with other images that
do not – he says – for example – that we often use the shamrock or triangle to
explain the Blessed Trinity – but just because we can “imagine” the Blessed
Trinity through a triangle or shamrock..it really does not tell us anything
about the inner life and love of God.
We need to see the inner life and love
of God by experiencing real persons.
[_04_] St.
Joseph tells us something about the inner life and love of God by listening to
God through his dreams.
But, these dreams really do not come
out of nowhere in the way that the apparent MSFT Defender Security warning with
the 206 area code cam out of nowhere.
Joseph’s dreams are based in his own
journey and prayer and walk with God and his understanding that he is to be a
real father to Jesus our Savior.
It also shows that flesh and blood
alone do not save us or connec us to God. There is something invisible,
unexpected, like a dream.
But it is not based in my AMBITION or
PREMONITION or IMAGINATION but in God’s hope and will for me, for you.
St. Joseph pray for us. [_fin_]
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