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In Memory of Azahel Cruz & other young Victims of Gang violence, God willing let May, the fifth Month of the Year be dedicated to obeying the Commandment , Thou shall not kill.May with Mother's Day is the month of Mothers. Let us do this for all mothers to spare them the pain. More young people have been killed in America by gang violence this past year Than the brave members of our Armed Forces who made the supreme sacrifice to preserve Peace and Freedom in America and the world.  Painting Started at Lourdes, France Artist collection, Small Guadeloupe Image corner low left side May is the month of Mothers including Christ's Mother Mary. May All Catholics pray that Mary, Mother of Christ will intercede with her son Jesus like she did at the wedding of Cana. Only this time to end rampart gang violence and deaths in our communities. In our Latino Communities May Our Lady of Guadeloupe be an inspiration for peace in your communities. In the year 1531 she appeared to Juan Diego and left her image and images of roses on his mantle or tilma. She asked that a temple be built in Tepeyacac . It was and is named Guadeloupe.
Mary's words from first Guadeloupe ApparitionShe said: “Juanito, the most humble of my sons, where are you going?” He replied: “My Lady and Child, I have to reach your church in Mexico, Tlatilolco, to pursue thing divine, taught and given to us by our priests, delegates of Our Lord.” She then spoke to him: “Know and understand well, you the most humble of my son, that I am the ever virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God for whom we live, of the Creator of all things, Lord of heaven and the earth. I wish that a temple be erected here quickly, so I may therein exhibit and give all my love, compassion, help, and protection, because I am your merciful mother, to you, and to all the inhabitants on this land and all the rest who love me, invoke and confide in me; listen there to their lamentations, and remedy all their miseries, afflictions and sorrows. And to accomplish what my clemency pretends, go to the palace of the bishop of Mexico, and you will say to him that I manifest my great desire, that here on this plain a temple be built to me; you will accurately relate all you have seen and admired, and what you have heard. Be assured that I will be most grateful and will reward you, because I will make you happy and worthy of recompense for the effort and fatigue in what you will obtain of what I have entrusted. Behold, you have heard my mandate, my humble son; go and put forth all your effort.”
Mary's words from the Second Guadeloupe ApparitionHark, my son the least, you must understand that I have many servants and messengers, to whom I must entrust the delivery of my message, and carry my wish, but it is of precise detail that you yourself solicit and assist and that through your mediation my wish be complied. I earnestly implore, my son the least, and with sternness I command that you again go tomorrow and see the bishop. You go in my name, and make known my wish in its entirety that he has to start the erection of a temple which I ask of him. And again tell him that I, in person, the ever-virgin Holy Mary, Mother of God, sent you.” Mary's words from the Third Guadeloupe Apparition
In the meantime, Juan Diego was with the Blessed Virgin, relating the answer he was bringing from his lordship, the bishop. The lady, having heard, told him: “Well and good, my little dear, you will return here tomorrow, so you may take to the bishop the sign he has requested. With this he will believe you, and in this regard he will not doubt you nor will he be suspicious of you; and know, my little dear, that I will reward your solicitude and effort and fatigue spent of my behalf. Lo! go now. I will await you here tomorrow.”
Mary's word from the fourth Guadeloupe ApparitionShe approached him at the side of the hill and said to him: “What’s there, my son the least? Where are you going?” Was he grieved, or ashamed, or scared? She approached him at the side of the hill and said to him: “What’s there, my son the least? Where are you going?” Was he grieved, or ashamed, or scared? After hearing Juan Diego’s chat, the Most Holy Virgin answered: “Hear me and understand well, my son the least, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything. Do not be afflicted by the illness of your uncle, who will not die now of it. be assured that he is now cured.” (And then his uncle was cured, as it was later learned.) The Lady from heaven ordered to climb to the top of the hill, where they previously met. She told him: “Climb, my son the least, to the top of the hill; there where you saw me and I gave you orders, you will find different flowers. Cut them, gather them, assemble them, then come and bring them before my presence.” Immediately Juan Diego climbed the hill, and as he reached the summit, he was amazed that so many varieties of exquisite rosas de Castilla were blooming, long before the time when they are to bud, because, being out of season, they would freeze. He immediately went down the hill and brought the different roses which he had cut to the Lady from heaven, who, as she saw them, took them with her hand and again placed them back in the tilma, saying: “My son the least, this diversity of roses is the proof and the sign which you will take to the bishop. You will tell him in my name that he will see in them my wish and that he will have to comply to it. You are my ambassador, most worthy of all confidence. Rigorously I command you that only before the presence of the bishop will you unfold your mantle and disclose what you are carrying. You will relate all and well; you will tell that I ordered you to climb to the hilltop, to go and cut flowers; and all that you saw and admired, so you can induce the prelate to give his support, with the aim that a temple be built and erected as I have asked.” 
Miracle of the ImageAt an earlier meeting the Bishop ask for proof That Jaun Diego did indeed have an apperition. Jaun Diego said: “Sir, I did what you ordered, to go forth and tell my Ama, the Lady from heaven, Holy Mary, precious Mother of God, that you asked for a sign so that you might believe me that you should build a temple where she asked it to be erected; also, I told her that I had given you my word that I would bring some sign and proof, which you requested, of her wish. She condescended to your request and graciously granted your request, some sign and proof to complement her wish. Early today she again sent me to see you; I asked for the sign so you might believe me, as she had said that she would give it, and she complied. She sent me to the top of the hill, where I was accustomed to see her, and to cut a variety of rosas de Castilla. After I had cut them, I brought them, she took them with her hand and placed them in my cloth, so that I bring them to you and deliver them to you in person. Even though I knew that the hilltop was no place where flowers would grow, because there are many crags, thistles, thorns, nopales and mezquites, I still had my doubts. As I approached the top of the hill, I saw that I was in paradise, where there was a great variety of exquisite rosas de Castilla, in brilliant dew, which I immediately cut. She had told me that I should bring them to you, and so I do it, so that you may see in them the sign which you asked of me and comply with her wish; also, to make clear the veracity of my word and my message. Behold. Receive them.” He unfolded his white cloth, where he had the flowers; and when they scattered on the floor, all the different varieties of rosas de Castilla, suddenly there appeared the drawing of the precious Image of the ever-virgin Holy Mary, Mother of God, in the manner as she is today kept in the temple at Tepeyacac, which is named Guadalupe.
May all Christian Religions unite and urge fellow Christians to obey Christ' Commands of LoveMay all Christians work with good people of all Religions to alleviate world and national Problems, along side good people who have their own high ethical code with out a religious attachmentThe Idea of having May , the fifth Month of the Year be dedicated to obeying the 5 th Commandment, Thou shall not kill. will not resonate with all. More religions including Christian ones regard , Thou shall not Kill as the sixth, That does not alter the need of encouraging obeying it. , They can do it in June and we can join their effort, a bit like one two punch, a continuation of operation Knock out . California had a round up of gang members called operation "Knock out." The reality is that was the first round of 10 round fight. It has slowed down the killing but it is still going on. It will take the courage of the community to alert those who will remove these killers of the young from our streets. Those involved in selling drugs are not dealers they are traitors to their community, their race, and to those they sell to. We have seen the death and violence that go hand in hand with drug traitors with gang connection. If we do not remove them, they will continue their lawlessness and more children in your neighborhood will die. Do not fear them. The flame of courage is the heartbeat of man.
The following You Tube is dedicated to Azahel Cruz, shot in the head in his own home by a cowardly drive by gang shooting. The Truth That Matters is Guns are for Cowards when used in Drive By Shootings. Acts of Cowards with out Honor or Valor, Time for Justice to be Served.
May has been associated with all Mothers. Mother day is special day in May. Mothers, a symbol of gentle caring love in families also bear the grief and of a slain son or daughter far more than we can imagine with a maternal intensity born out of deep love. Much in the same way that Mary, Mother of Jesus felt when her son died on the Cross for us.
 We had a COPA sponsored procession for Peace in Salinas . 6 year old Azahel Cruz, slain by a gang drive by shooting in his home. became a symbolic focus. I walked that long walk of the procession even though in pain with a chronic heel problem. It was the longest walk I have taken in years and many people passed me by. I was the Caboose in the The St. Angela Merici Group, Then the Franciscan Friars group passed me by. I was walking slower and slower. I felt like the last man finishing a marathon. I was moved deeply by the out pouring of the spirit and prayers of the many in the procession and the positive response of many we passed in their yards and beautiful well cared for gardens.
 Purely by Chance I met Azahel's mother. In the commencement area while sitting on the front steps changing my shoes into special medical support ones for relief, A lovely lady who lived in the home asked me if I would like some cool water as it was hot in the sun. We chatted for a while and I suggested that she go to you tube gjbleich Azahel Cruz. That I wrote a song for Azahel and put it up at 3AM that morning. She asked if I would like to meet Azahel's mother who was a friend of hers.
 I never thought I would meet Azahel's Mom when I left the cds for Azahel's family. I gave them to security personal at their home to give the family.when we paused to pray at the memorial of flowers and pictures in front of Azahel's home. Her friend translated Azahel's Mother Sincere thank you for the Cds and the special song for Azahel which she and her family received. As an artist I have cultivated a high degree of sensitivity to peoples feelings. When I looked into Azahels Mothers eyes, her tears became my tears, her pain became my pain. In our brief touching of hands there was a transferal of caring energy. She knew I cared deeply for her son and family and could feel her pain and in some small way it comforted her. It touched my heart and meeting Azahel Mom will have me direct even more of my creativity energy to do more to help stem the tides of violence and pain that gangs create. Among the activities at the area where the procession ended was a drama presentation by young people some of whom portrayed Gang member acting out situations that may happen. They had guitar music in the background. What young people do will have more of a positive effect on other young people and should be encouraged. I will share some of my observations and a few ideas that I may have to pray for forgiveness for even thinking about them in terms of stemming Gang violence, Like the idea of two opposing gang leaders, facing off in a duel with each other, like the Gunfighters of the Old West instead of the cowardly act of Drive by Shootings. I was chatting with a neighbor and he is not into any forms of drugs but has given thought wondered about how legalization of drugs will remove the profit factors that are behind so much of the crimes and violence and killing by gangs. drive gangs and killings. Drug profits fund terrorism and extreme violence in areas in the Mid-East and other parts of the world. His thoughts were bold and honest but have been brought to fore in the past and will continue to be in the future. Illegal drug sales are in the billions. Google are Bing it for a better understanding of the pros and cons involved. America's appetite for drug have created a major market place and huge profits have decimated law and order in area where the drug are grown bring the innocent populace death and destruction . Their efforts to control production and market areas is a deadly one. We are a major Market area and that could behind the surge in Killings and other acts of violence in America. Unlike President Clinton I have inhaled pot early in my life. My total life consumption could not be more than a carton or two at the most. It would have been more if not for the decision I made in Carmel, 1968. Years ago back in 1968 when I returned to Carmel the young manager and his girl friend of the inn were into pot and sharing, part of the Get high with the help of your friends generation in the 60ies. Now it get high and die with the help of life enders. He was an affable person. You could not walk by his door with out him asking you in for a toke. I recall him having a pet cat that they would get high by Putting the cat in a bag and exhaling cannabis into the bag. I met him years later and he had discovered a love of Jesus that was stronger than love of Mary Jane and I am not talking about his girl friend . Eventually the time came to meet his supplier, like George it's time for you to buy. I did an experimental painting of Point Sur Light that evening which was totally surrounded by fog. ( or smoke). I still have it somewhere and it is good reason for me to stay off Mary Jane. The next day for some reason my behavior was off the wall, I remember kicking furniture and throwing things around around like sending a foot stool flying through the air . I was having some kind of harsh out of control semi violent reaction. I did not know what was happening. There was more than pot in that stash. I never toked again and the strongest drug was Vicodin when I was in severe pain after post operative problems after hip replacement. I stopped Vicodin and learned to live in pain when I became aware it created driving problems, like hanging on the wheel and the road making it through curves at speeds that crept up on you that were more then double what I should be driving. The experience of living with intense pain can help develop a tolerance for pain. That is a blessing. I handle pain well. It falls aside like rain off a duck back. I am not a champion of legalizing drugs but am objectively concerned with young people ending up in jail for their personal use of small quantity of pot or having it in their possession. It has happened to college kids who are transferred to graduate from jail. It has happened to high School Students . The cost of jailing someone is often more than the cost of education and what they learn in jail they may end up using upon release. Jail can be a post graduate course majoring in crime and violence, with some very experienced teachers. When I was in my teens, I tried to restrain individuals and stop a fight that some of my rowdy friends started with some plain clothes policemen, one was a detective at a diner. We ended up in jail over night so I had captive audience to sing to . My mom was widow we had very little money so I represented myself in court and was found guilty of an offense. The kids who started the fight had lawyers and got off scot free. So much for equal justice. Years later I wanted to become a policeman, out of a lot more than 500 who took the test I ranked 36 on the test. The offense I had on my record prevented me from becoming a policeman. That and as an interim Chairman of CEIL , Committee for the elimination of Indecent Literature which I helped organize through a Holy Name Society at St. Patricks found me in a leadership position of trying to get things done and out front of why they were not happening which had some people irate. I remember chairing an open forum with a State Senator Curren, Mayors, Police Chiefs and the head Psychiatrist from a Major New York City Mental Health Hospital. I was wearing a suit that I purchased at the Salvation Army as I never wore suits back then, and could not afford a new one. That offense kept me from being a policeman, but that may have been a blessing . Like wow boy have I enjoyed the good life and I continue to live with a certain Joy d Vivre and still dream of going around the world the other way to get back that day my Kids and I lost crossing the international date line on our trip around the world. I seem to have a way of putting myself in the middle of things trying to be a peacemaker or serving my community. I have had my lumps as a result of getting in between those fighting and more than likely will have more, and I say that with a smile. If it happens in coming to the need of an other, that's my cup of tea. Or Operatus Mundi, somrthing I learned from my 3 college credits in Police administration out of the grand total of 4 and 1/2, The other 1 and 1/2 was from a lamaze class. Now I am writing Peace Songs, Back then when everyone was writing peace songs I was writing Patriotic song and going down into the heart of Greenwich village and singing them on open mike nights at the Bitter End, The White Owl and Gerdes Folk City. Arlo Gutherie was singing at Gerdes one night with so much scotch tape on his eye glasses, it was wonder he could see at all. Mary of Peter Paul and Mary was pushing a baby carriage around and Peter was singing solo at Gerdes. I remember a Black Gospel singer telling me she really like the lyrics of a song I wrote but I was singing it, like I was a white man. My comment was simply " Well I wonder why? " "God May Have made me a Black Man but the devil He made me blue. " I could of added and I am a white man singing this song for you. I did an a wax encostic Painting with way inspired by the song. I had a number of adventures on my trip west promoting the Patriotic songs That are probably in my Wave maker song section. Talk about being in the heart of things, visualize being in Dallas the Year before the Kennedy asasination. Some strange things were going on and I found myself skirting involvement wondering , whoa what the hell is going on here? I went to the FBI and they said if you can't take the heat get out of the fire. The state of California and other states have early release programs as they can not afford the cost running over crowded jails. This has led to the release of those who are more of a danger to society than potheads. There will always be people whose life will trigger the bear trap of their own addiction. Some will end up killing some one while driving under the influence of alcohol, the vast array of legally prescribed addictive drugs and the illegal drugs. It is in the tragic news all the time. There are many robberies with connected deadly violence that are driven by the addiction. Prostitution go hand in hand with gangs and addictions. Years ago when I did volunteer teaching at the Carmel Mission School, I sponsored a STOP Drugs Art Contest for the 8 th grade class using my stop sign idea that STOP also means Stand Tall On Principles. The entries were excellent and what they said was more impacting than what I or other teachers had to say about drugs. Say No to Drugs and Gangs could be an excellent theme for new art contests in schools . Have an exhibition and give them some prizes, like art equipment , Paints and brushes, canvases etc. You would be amazed to find out at what age kids get into all kinds of stuff. That idea could also be used for young musicians in troubled areas . School could have open mike sing outs Music and song contests with prizes. That would be followed up with a music production , A small scale American Idol, in an auditorium, movie house or out door venue. public place with some decent prizes , Recording equipment, some of which are reasonable, A good mike, Music Instruments, Guitar s, Keyboards etc. We might discover a new Young Richie Valens In Salinas, LA or out in the farm belts. The music industry companies who sponsored Gangsta Rap should pay penalties to those who succumbed to the violence and deaths that was encouraged by some in the recording industry to reaped irresponsible profit at the expense of communities. These low life Grim Reapers Music Producers chose to promote death and gang violence by their decision to put profit before responsibility. They promoted Music that promoted violence and deaths. They may retort and say Video games do the same thing. What they do is to desensitize the players and listeners. In a game to kill your opponent is cool. Killing is cool and fun in a video game. You feel a warped sense of power. Life has no value other than points scored. This warped mentality has become apart of reality and current society. The truth of the Matter, Guns are for Cowards when used in drive By shootings. Drive bys are acts of Cowards with out Honor or Valor. It is not like duel or gunfight when two people face each other with courage knowing one or both may die. Maybe some day Clint Eastwood will do a movie where the leaders of two rival gangs will face off on a deserted beach rimmed by cliffs crowded with their gang members watching not participating until it is their turn to look death in the face on a one to one basis. That is the way of brave men, cowards shoot while they drive by and innocents pay the price like in the case of Azahel Cruz killed within the security of his own home by a coward in a car, driving by shooting and running away. Two wrong never make a right. We are at fault too for not being aware of what kids were doing and even playing some of the games with them. We may even buy them for them. There are better things to buy your kids Than Video games. Buy them a fishing rod , football, basketball, anything that you all can use together. There are board games that families can play and enjoy each other in the process. Spend more time with them. Choosing the name John for my confirmation name has influenced me to care for mothers. I like what Christ said to John about taking care of Christ's mother just before he died. It does have an effect on me and my relationship with women. I took care of my own mom as primary caregiver until she passed away at 99. She had a special love for Christ's mother, Mary and that was a family tradition that I continue. I have going to Lourdes Twice and would work with terminally ill to comfort them, to give them hope if there was any chance of hope.
 The painting above has words by different Stars in the Constellation Orion. This is one way of using my creativity sharing The influence St. Francis has on me. I have spent a great amount of time fulfilling my life's Mission influenced by St. Francis that I will pursue to my life's end, promoting Christ commands of Love, love of Christ and the Golden Rule through my creativity and my life. That mission is the primary focus of my life, which is part of my philosophy of All Truism. I had a unique wonderful happy experience while painting in Assisi, where St. Francis lived in Italy. I recounted a pleasant answer to one of my prayers experiences in my art and spirituality section on my home page. When I did not see any kind of natural life like birds, bees ,spider or flies I started turning stones at my feet looking for an ant or anything other then people/. While I was flipping the rocks over with my foot, God sent 3 white doves into the branches of tree I was painting at that moment.  I love the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi and follow the example of his personal love of the gospels of the apostles as a guiding light in my life. The words that have the most meaning and significance to me, most of all are the words that Christ spoke and His Two Great Commands of Love. My life's mission for the remaining time I have to live is to call attention to Christ Commands of love. I do it in my songs that I write and share and in my paintings when I offer them up as a prayers for the well being of others and peace in the world. I believe in the power of prayer . I feel you can also pray in a very vital way by offering up positive action you take in service of others as an act of prayer. It empowers that action with a higher motive other than self indulgence. One of my favorite ways of praying is to sing and write spiritual songs while painting what I call Prayer Paintings. There is an amazing amount of inner joy one experiences in the process of involving many of your senses in creating works that you offer up the process as a prayer. It is somewhat like the calling I have to paint the sea. That I paint the sea is not by chance or by choice but rather a calling that I answer with joyful creativity. The light within the man will illumine his work. My life's mission of sharing Christ Commands of Love through creativity is the same. My light within is my Love of Christ. I can not turn it on. I can not turn it off. It is an ever burning creative flame. We are all children of God Believe that when You fall , You will always hear that call, Get up my friends Get up and climb again. That will be The Forgiving Voice of God. " God Bless You All With His Grace!" Bro George I have spent and will spend more time fulfilling my life's Mission influenced by St. Francis that I will pursue that with joy to my life's end, that of promoting Christ commands of Love, love of Christ and the Golden Rule through my creativity and my life. There are some misguided people who would like me to be more like St. Francis. They work at trying to insure I do not prosper. St Francis embraced a code of poverty and some through their efforts would have me do the same. Well so what! Let them. Truth has a way of coming up to the surface. Negative energies boomerang. What ever drives them , does not drive me. I am not pointing my finger at anyone. May God go easy on them as I have wondered if at times whether God has fired a warning shot across their bow. God has spoiled me a bit, Thank goodness, He provides for me. I love what I do with a passion and it does feel wonderful to do good out of love for Him. I am not a pretentious pious person. At the end of Choir practice we will have some one lead a prayer. One of the men said let St. George do it. It may be a result of me sending E mails with my latest you tube video that predominately on my spiritual songs . I wondered whether it was a little sarcasm, goodness know that some of my attempts at humor at choir practice are a bit off the wall. But so are the attempt by others. We all seem to have fun quick quips to share which bring a little enjoyable levity to our practices. St. George was just a bit of Irish humor I really love God and don't hide it. 
"Return of the Cross"There have been timing of things in my life and other things that happened and were witnessed that are unexplainable by natural causes. Like the cross in the sky in the painting That was there and disappeared after while. We were having a conversation about religion at the time and we both accepted the image with out giving it that much thought after we stopped briefly to investigate it and could not find a reason to explain it. I returned The Cross into the foreground of reflection on the wet sand in the painting and called it the Return of the Cross. That was one of the works that was included in the purchase of over $ 50,000 worth of my work by Charles Coulee, former CEO of Chase, at a time when I could use a little financial help. I am intrigued that the lady who I was teaching how to paint that day is now an Ordained Minister working with ladies in distress. That she call her fallen sparrows. My sparrow song about Christ on the cross is one of my favorites and like this good lady I care strongly about women in need. Though she is far more effective in helping them. Though I do try. I share theses happenings because I feel I should. It may have to do with I am to do and and my efforts relating to Christ Commands of Love. I wanted to talk to Pastor Paul about my locked in focus on my spiritual creativity aspects and little interest in my own financial well being. Back then I was troubled deeply when I made the decision that My homeless House guest would have to leave after threats. and some other family and health complexities. He said he would try to come over before Easter. He has not made it over yet and there's is no rush. I had a homeless man, Mike, King of Street counsel me on the homeless lady and my other concerns are of no concern now.
The way of the cross You have been called to follow is not an easy one Following the footsteps of our Lord and Savior until life journey ‘s done The Words of Jesus are gentle words, Teaching love & compassion, not fear. Love God your neighbor and yourself. for ever through the years. The Last hill He climbed was hard and steep. along the way of tears Where women , children men cried as they witnessed His Sacrifice. No greater love for your fellow men then to give your life for them Tears we do cry for the way that Christ died are purer than spoken prayers Tears that fill eyes are prayers that do rise, Soars like doves through the air. Out of our love for Him, love of our Lord and Savior, out of our love for Him. The way of the cross that he calls us to follow is not an easy one. The cross in your life God will make light with His Love and Grace. Be strong in your love, strong in your love of God Strong in your love of neighbor Be strong in your love for you. Obey Christ’s Commands of Love until life’s journey is done. Christ’s way of the Cross calls you to follow, Follow His footsteps in the ways of peace and love. With Jesus Christ in your heart and God by your side May you dry tears that others do cry, reach out with kindness and love Do not run with angry lions, fly with snow white doves. Live by the Golden Rule, Obey Christ Commands of Love. The Story of Guadeloupe that provided the inspiration in 1649 for others that followed. http://www.sancta.org/niocan.html © April 30, 11:55 PM, 2010 George J. Bleich [Bleich Galley Directory | Home Page] |