Convo with Jesus on Nike, the Stations of the Cross, and Julian Assange
I’m sure this title is going to puzzle a number of you, but this is what I just had and has prompted me to jump out of bed way too early on a Sunday morning. To put this all into context, I need to tell you a little about my spiritual parcours. I was raised Catholic, went to mass every Sunday (more out of guilt than conviction), and attended Catholic schools, where I lived through bullying and the scars of my classmates who were molested by the “beloved” pastor. Yet, I still baptized my children into the faith and am privileged to be a Godmother (and “Step-Godmother”) to 5 lovely, now-grown children. My faith was put on the back burner, but it has reappeared in unique ways: it has helped me explain biblical paintings at museums, it has given me handy Bible expressions like “Seek and you shall find”, and it has provided me with father-daughter bonding during epic outings to Sunday Mass when I come to visit him from France.
As I wandered, I didn’t know how to label myself. I couldn’t be a blind follower of the Catholic Church, which I felt (and still feel) is terribly compromised, even if there are very good people in it. Nor could I claim to be Atheist, Agnostic, or even just Christian, which I find kind of limiting. I guess you can call me a free-floating spiritual person. Now let’s get on to my vision.
For the record, I don’t like the word, “vision”, either. For me, it inspires a sort of privileged encounter that ends up creating tacky pilgrimage sites like Lourdes (which I akin to Las Vegas), and the somewhat darker Fatima, which attracts the most desperate of believers.
I’ve been to both sites, and don’t disparage people finding a special holy place to worship, but that place of worship could also be at a special tree or in the comfort of your own bed at 7 am on a Sunday morning. The bottom line is that Jesus (or Allah, Buddha, Shiva, or whatever you wish to call your guiding light) is there whenever we want him- we just have to call him. (Btw- taking out the middleman, whether it’s the priest, a guru, or an entire Church- is very disconcerting to some of those who profit from it). But then again, different strokes for different folks- do whatever gets you in the right place.
As for me, my “coaching from above” started coming during the pandemic, when I set out to be more rigorous with my guided meditations. I meditate 20 minutes a day to a recording focusing on gratitude (in French, sorry). Over time, the recording became a sort of background music to which I would embark on conversations. It started with my brother, who had passed away a few years ago, but later extended anyone who crossed the rainbow bridge that was ready to converse with me. About a year ago, the conversations took on a whole new dimension. The first was with the Virgin Mary, whom I just call “Mary”. I have to admit, I was first taken aback and a little self-conscious about sharing this with my husband. I didn’t want him to think I was becoming a holy roller. This “vision” contrasted with the banality of the conversations. They were both pragmatic and comforting, reassuring me about certain gut feelings I didn’t have the courage to believe in. Over time, God- aka “Father” or “The Light”, Gaia (the Earth Mother), Jesus, and Mary Magdalene would step in to coach me. They sometimes work on their own, sometimes in tandem, answering my questions and offering useful tips to get through my various tribulations. It’s coaching extraordinaire!
Sorry, I got a little off course. Now let’s get to the conversation I had this morning. I can’t remember all the details as these conversations often flow from one theme to the next, but the three that stuck with me were this:
We first talked about messages. Earlier this week in my university ESL class, my students asked me what was written on the back of my yellow bike vest, which was wadded up in the corner of the classroom. While I actually use my yellow vest now for safety, it is known now as a form of protest. That said, I do have a little message written on the back of mine that says, “Free Julian Assange”. We ended up talking about messages and yellow vests and Julian Assange (whom few students knew, alas).
Somehow, this classroom moment popped up during my conversation with Jesus. He said to me, “How about all those kids wearing branded goods with their logos displayed across their chests? Isn’t that a message, too? The difference is that you are communicating for a noble cause, and those kids are cheerleading for corporate interests that have little respect for human rights.” Touché, Jesus!
That got me thinking about Julian Assange. I asked Jesus outright: Will he be “crucified”? Jesus said he has a special admiration for Julian Assange, but as for his fate, it would depend on the balance of darkness. However, whether he lives on or dies, he will serve his purpose: if Julian lives, he will give a renewed voice to those who have been afraid to speak out. They will speak while he heals. If he dies, he will be acting from above. His death on earth will send a powerful message and embolden his supporters. In the end, it really comes down to how we are able to shift the paradigm. I get that; as sovereign beings, we are all responsible for the heaven or hell we create on earth. Some people think that Jesus- or whatever deity they worship- will come down with a magic wand and deal with our mess. Alas, that is not the case. It’s really up to us.
Talking about Julian’s being crucified led me to ask Jesus how he felt about his own crucifixion. He said that it was indeed painful, but that it was necessary to seek salvation. Does that mean we are intended to suffer on this planet? He said no, but as long as the dark mass is great, we who seek the light will feel it. Just anticipating salvation helped Jesus get through the earthly torture of public mockery, wearing the crown of thorns, carrying a heavy cross, and then getting nailed to it (Dang, we can be barbaric!).
Jesus continued to say that he is the parable for all of us suffering from persecution in our quest for the truth, and that is our cross to bear. How many of us so-called “anti-vaxxers” have been persecuted? The dark elements have enticed unwitting people with messages of “inclusion”, “safety” or “normality”. As we have seen in the past couple of years, to have these things, one must accept the apple from the serpent (I think you know what I’m talking about). In doing so, one relinquishes their bodily sovereignty, their kingdom of heaven on earth, by ceding to temptation. On the other side, those of us who have tried to warn others not only about the possible dangers of these injections, but the role they play in a much bigger scheme, are faced with searing antipathy. This is our cross to bear.
Indeed the stations of the cross are what we are all going through. The crowd seeks comfort in the status quo (“We’re in this together!” and “Let’s do this!”) and sees Jesus (alternative media, citizen journalists like you and me) as a threat. He/We are mocked and belittled. He/We are shunned and persecuted. The devil guides the crowd. Does that make them evil? No, they are victims. They are guided by fear and ignorance and have been tricked with wording that appeals to the goodness inside them, words that show care for one another. The devil takes the best of humanity and uses it for his own purposes, namely to bring us down.
For the record, I don’t claim to know everything, but I always speak in what I think is in humanity’s best interests. Now I’m letting go, as I also received in a prior message from Mary Magdalene, “Those who want to know will seek it out. There’s no use playing the town crier.” Let the chips fall where they may. This is where we are in this pivotal moment in history.
Jesus’ parting message was: “Take off your armor, put down your arms.” I’m a combative person by nature, with a tendency to be both offensive and defensive (oy!), so this message was an excellent takeaway. As I get emboldened by the light of my excellent coaches, I realize this will be easier now than a few years ago.
Let me get this straight; I’m not claiming to be anyone special. Nor have I become a “Born Again” bible-thumping Christian imposing my beliefs on others. To be honest, I still feel self-conscious even sharing this in this article. I have yet to get over what people think of me. I guess I need some more coaching. I’m looking forward to it.
