Who to Encounter in Order of the Present Moment

Who to Encounter

For the sake of analogous structure, the Order of the Present Order has superiors. In the 21^st century of our times, traditional religious orders, especially for women, are adopting the title of Leadership Team, possibly in an attempt to modernize their orders or inject a sense of democracy and equality in the group. This ideology will not be feasible for the Order of the Present Moment, for obvious reasons. The Superior General is the Most Holy Trinity. 

Under the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit come either the abbot or the abbess, depending upon one's earthly gender. However if the concept of being a genderless soul is perceived by members of this order, then we can comprehend that the immediate superior in our temporal-spiritual existence is the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

She is both Abbot and Abbess, for she provides the graces and is the mediatrix, bringing souls to her Son, Jesus Christ, Who in turn is Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. The Second Person is in union with the Father, and both the First and Second Persons are united, one with, rapt in love, the Third Person, the Holy Spirit.

As for the Blessed Virgin Mary, if one desires a temporal analogy, consider the engine of a car and the catalytic converter. The Virgin Mary can be the catalytic converter for the soul, purifying in order for the soul to be maximized, to be prepared for peak performance for union with the Trinity. (Does it seem profane to relate the Virgin Mary to a catalytic converter? The only reason for doing so is from a brief exchange while in the isolated chapel of a traditional but dying-out religious community.)

In prayer, God was asked, “Just what is the role of Mary?” with immediate response: “She is the catalytic converter.” That led the questioner to a car mechanic who explained the necessary purpose of a catalytic converter to a car's engine. “You'll have major engine problems and the car won't operate well at all without a catalytic converter,” he said. 

In the Order of the Present Moment, the Blessed Virgin Mary is one's mother and mediator in temporal and spiritual matters. She works closely with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to provide direct interface with the OPM members.  This will be understood in practical example, as the OPM practicum unfolds.

The position of Procurator in the Order of the Present Moment will fall to the individual members. In traditional religious orders, the Procurator is an administrator or agent, usually in charge of the tangible supplies and financial needs of the order. In an institute or Church group, we'd recognize the terms treasurer, or in a diocese, chancellor. 

The “religious” in the OPM must work if they are to eat (St. Paul's wise and practical decree). Considering that OPM members do not live in a "community" (other than couples or a family, or in rare instances those who share housing), the procurator must be oneself, one's spouse or parent, adult children, nursing home management, or whoever by sensible rights handles the finances and tangible goods necessary to live in whatever circumstance of the present moment.

Who will teach the “religious” within the Order of the Present Moment? We must be inclusive. The Most Holy Trinity as the Superior General establish the over-all instruction, and we have the Holy Scriptures as premiere Word and Text. The Father informs the Son, who by His Incarnation teaches the Way to the Father through the Son. The Holy Spirit helps inform the soul, bringing insights to light from Christ Who is the Light, as created by the the Father. Who more perfect in love, knowledge, power and presence than the Trinity? 

Jesus' very words and life, known to us through the Bible and holy tradition, teaches by His authority as Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David, Teacher, Master, Lord, Messiah, Anointed One. 

In addition, the Blessed Virgin Mary instructs as only the only perfect Mother could and would instruct. She provides practical, temporal lessons and is dispenser of graces. She is our model of humility and grace, of all her titles as Queen of heaven and earth, Mother of God, etc.  Additional instructors and tutors are all the saints (some essentially Ph.D's of the Church and some Church Fathers) who may utilize their own approved writings and lives, the theologians' writings, and the Catechism as complementary texts to the Holy Scriptures.

The role of Porter or doorkeeper in the Order of the Present Moment is given to each member's guardian angel, plus all the other angels, including the three Archangels who are indispensable to our earthly temporal and spiritual lessons and experiences. We must learn to recognize and be grateful for our personal Porter's nudges, advice, warnings and protections. We must be alert to what, where, when and to whom our angels open (or attempt to shut) the doors in our present moment encounters. We must learn, also, how to communicate and cooperate with these heavenly beings, for they are key, pure spirits given by God to us in this lifetime to guard, protect, to lead and guide our souls, hopefully and successfully up the stairway to heaven.