The Deliverance Ne†work

Junkyard Crosses

In the writings so far this Lent we have touched on the need to go deeper in the spiritual journey.  We are called to take stock of where we are at spiritually in a heartfelt way and not one that is just on the surface, in the yearly ‘duties’ of Lent.  The following dream, with words from Jesus, immediately came to mind this week as one that needs to be shared – particularly in the Lenten season.  The symbolism of the dream, with the words He spoke create a very clear, mortifying picture of what He is asking from each of us.  I also don’t think it a coincidence that I was given this dream on Divine Mercy Sunday.  It is indeed merciful when God tells us how we need to change.  All we need to do is listen…In order to shape the listening, understanding and incorporation of the message into daily life I have included a commentary and interpretation by Rev. Joseph Kane.  While an image with a corresponding message can be a very powerful picture, it is also helpful to have positive, practical information in order to take the message and bring it into our daily lives in order to grow and change in our spiritual journey.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2007

I had a dream that woke me. It was brief:

I was shown what seemed to be a garbage pile or junkyard of broken, bent and misshapen crosses – drab, grey, brown – colourless wood. They were all piled in a heap cluttering this valley-like garbage hole. I don’t know whose crosses these were, but I knew they were people’s – the crosses of various people. 

 Then a voice said to me (I believe it was Jesus, although I did not see him – I only heard His voice):

 “All is to no avail without works.”

In the dream I had been telling Him how well I wanted to serve Him and that I loved serving Him – wanted to give Him my very best.

Since this dream woke me abruptly I recorded the verbatim words first and then I recorded the rest of the dream. Then, honestly, I felt such a sense of mortification at His words and immediately thoroughly examined myself to see if I could be one He was referring to.  After 10 minutes or so of retrospection I concluded that there was no way I could have done more in the way of works these last seven years.

However, I cannot convey just how mortifying this picture and His words were!  It made me redouble my intentions and efforts so that I would not be one to come to my death to find that I was one that carried useless crosses that did not produce fruit for myself and others. 

In the following commentary, Father Kane gives us light and wisdom in interpreting the message of this experience:

“The cross has been seen in recent years as carrying the Christian burden, both because it is difficult and because we are often persecuted for doing it.  It is important to realize that there are essentially two types of crosses; ones that are viewed as positive and those that are viewed as negative.

An example of a positive cross would be the productivity or fruit with regard to the nature of the person’s calling – in the example of the daily crosses parents carry in the raising of their children, which though difficult, bear great fruit.  The negative crosses are those daily circumstances that are mortifications or testing of the person in perseverance in following Christ.

The main ingredient in either case is the intention of each person in carrying their daily crosses.  If the person does not have the right intention, the effort can be useless.  If they don’t see the purifying and nobling effect of carrying the cross for Jesus it can fail in the purpose of making the person better and aiding in their sanctification.

In my work in Peru this need to carry the cross well – having the right intention – was brought sharply into focus.  Especially in the relationships in the famliy, I saw that even though many of these people were extremely poor they weren’t selfish in the use of goods and means.  They shared their limited resources cheerfully and willingly.  In other words, they carried the cross of poverty well.  I have often seen this contrasted among those in materially rich areas.  The difficulties and crosses of life are often carried with a grudge and as a result their spiritual growth is stagnated.  This can be represented in the bent, broken, misshapen crosses.

In essence those who are ‘showy’ about religion and just ‘put on the cloth’, but don’t do the true work in Lent (and always) of honestly trying to follow Christ’s example are the ones whose ‘crosses are to no avail.’

Rev. Joseph E. Kane

 

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"Heavy" Water - Stronger Grace

Sometimes choosing to go deeper with Christ means feeling stripped, clinging to a cliff, afraid of what the leap of trust into stronger grace will bring…

February 11, 2004

I dreamt of a ship that I was on – a pioneering ship like the one Columbus used to sail to the new world.  It was a large passenger ship of sorts – other people were on it – I was not alone.  The details of the journey up to this point weren’t part of this dream, but the focus was, however, shown to me on a diagram or map.  I was told this ship I was on was going to do something exceedingly unusual.  A special device had been built by someone that attached to the bottom of the ship and the ship had been fitted for this.  This device cranked or lowered the ship to traverse a special part of the journey that would bring it to it’s destination.  The ship was going to travel under a giant triangular rock in an underwater cavern/path.  It would emerge to the city at the other side, instead of going way around, which would have been a much longer journey.

I marvelled at this creation and that a ship could do this thing.  It felt like a pioneering journey.  The captain (Jesus?) showed me the picture as He described what would take place.  I wondered about breathing under water as He showed the ship descend.  Special water had been created that humans could breathe.  I was a little scared and apprehensive.  The Captain showed me that  one could breathe under this water.  As I hung back apprehensive the Captain gently took my head and pressed it forward into a column of water which was running down in a stream – it seemed to have a rainbow band running vertically through it.  It was beautiful water – thicker and heavier in substance than regular water (heavy water).  I breathed and found I could.  It was full of oxygen (lifegiving oxygen!) – no discomfort at all to breathe this ‘heavy water’.

The ship began its last leg of this journey that would finish in a most pioneering, incredible way.   I was told the city of my destination would be just ‘under the bend’.

I believe this dream is just one example of my taking another leap of faith in my journey in going deeper with Christ and drinking the ‘heavy water’ – stronger grace – that is available to all.  Note that once I took the leap and was aided to do so by the Captain, there was no discomfort in breathing this ‘heavy water’.  Don’t be afraid to drink in stronger grace with Christ.  It will bring you to your destination – the intended destination for all of us, union with God – sooner:

“For my yoke is easy and my burden light”. 

Matthew 11:30, New American Standard Bible c.1995
 

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God and His Son, Jesus

This dream was one of the many signs and confirmations that I was to share my experiences.

February 9, 2006

I dreamt I sat at a table with many women, some men.  Then a friend’s mother appeared at the head of the table .  She knew I carried much hidden knowledge of the Triune God that I had not been able to divulge, but that now was the time for it to be shared and many were eager to hear what I had to say and share.

Then the Devil tried to disturb the house I was in.  He tried (as an unseen force) to attack people I was with and make objects start to fly around the house.  We turned to the door because he was aiming for the door or trying to drag people out the door.  As I turned around and saw this whirling chaos and fear I asked Jesus to pour His Precious Blood on me and everyone in the house – everywhere.  Immediately the Devil was stopped and someone opened the door to our house and my husband brought in a Guest.

He brought Him to sit at a table with us.  It was God the Father in the figure of a man that looked like a magic man – all dressed in white in long flowing robes with a long beard and a very, very tall top hat that looked like a magician’s hat.  He started to speak to those at the table and His voice had the same resonating thunder-like sound as I have heard before in dreams, but it was softer.  I knew immediately it was God, but others at the table did not recognize Him.  As He spoke I said to everyone around me, “That’s God, you know!”  They were somewhat surprised and started looking more carefully.  I said “That is absolutely God – don’t you recognize Him?  I know Him.”

Then He said to me that ‘the time had come for me to start sharing with people that which I was receiving’.  He stepped up and away from the table and circled the room before going to the door and out to go back to His home.

I followed Him (Of course!).  He walked ahead of me and rounded a corner.  I called to Him, even though He was out of sight.  Even though I could not see Him I knew He was around the corner.  I called “My Holy Papa?” and waited for Him to answer me.  I rounded the corner and He smiled at me as He waited for me to speak.  I said “I love You SO MUCH!”  He smiled again as He faced me and said “I know“.  Then Jesus came out of the home behind Him and stood at the Father’s right side.  Then He turned to walk with Jesus together into Their house and closed the big ornate wooden doors.  Then, all of a sudden, I saw a flood of children break down His door and open it and they all flooded into His House to be with Him…

Karen

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