The Book of Love (57 page)

My interpretation of the Brando/Pope Gregory character is largely colored by the vast number of letters he left as part of his legacy. It is clear while one reads through them that he was strong, smart, ambi
tious, fearless, and very, very passionate about Matilda. I also think that Brando did sincerely believe that the end justified the means, and that he was overall a good and just man who cared about real reform. I also believe that he was brilliant, cunning, and absolutely ruthless when necessary. Anything else would have put him at a decided disadvantage in the political mire of his time. He had to operate on a level playing field in order to survive, and he was more than capable of creating that field by any means necessary. I believe he was Matilda’s greatest teacher in this regard as well. So it has been in politics since the dawn of time.

Certainly, there is great controversy historically over whether the intense relationship between Brando and Matilda was, indeed, romantic and consummated. Obviously, I do not hesitate to assert my perspective on this. I refer readers to a letter from the pope to his beloved where he writes of his yearning to run away to the Holy Land with her, to a place where they are not under scrutiny and able to pursue the true work of God. It is a letter of such desire that it could only have been written by the most ardent of lovers.

Knock and the Holy Apparitions

I visited Knock with my family during the final edits of this book. I had not been there since I was twenty years old. My view of it now, knowing what I know, is very different than it was then. I believe with all my Irish heart that Knock is a holy place, possibly the only place where the Holy Trinity has appeared for a prolonged period of time for mortal viewing. It is highly sacred ground. I also believe that Saint Patrick saw a similar vision there when he proclaimed that Knock would become holy in the future.

I extend my apologies to anyone I may have offended with my perspective on the Holy Apparitions. I know this is sacrosanct territory for many. I do believe that all these children viewed something extraordinary, and that many of them were mystics. I certainly feel this is true of Lucia Santos. Like Maureen, I wept while reading her story of isolation. I only wish we knew, in her own words and her own voice, what she
truly experienced throughout her long and inspired life. I do not, in any way, wish to diminish the miracle of Fátima. I simply wish to inspire people by giving them a different perspective on the circumstances and their outcome so that they may meditate on it as they will.

The priceless document of prophecy that is in the possession of Father Girolamo de Pazzi and attributed to Nostradamus exists and was indeed given in dedication to Pope Urban VIII. It was discovered hidden in plain sight in a national public library in Rome by an Italian journalist in the 1990s. A book and documentary, referring to it as the “lost book of Nostradamus,” were created to chronicle the discovery. But as I indicate here, there is far more to this book than all the traditional Nostradamus commentary would indicate. I am studying it in depth and hope to publish my findings in the near future.

On Chartres and the Labyrinth

I write this as I sit on the steps of Chartres Cathedral, beneath the exquisite statue of Saint Modesta on the north portal, the entrance that is often referred to as the “door of the initiates.” In all my travels, there really is no place on earth that inspires me like Chartres. It is a most astonishing monument to God built by human hands: magnificent in its grandeur, yet humble in its faith.

There are legends that surround the building of this place, stories of faith and dedication and human strength, that are unlike any I have heard before. Historians have never been able to account for the financing of such an enormous endeavor, but the folklore here says that if they are searching for ledgers and accountings, they will be left wanting. Chartres was built by people of faith, as a tithing to God. I believe that most of the labor was given freely and with grace. Some say that the reconstruction of Chartres after the terrible fire in 1194 was undertaken by those who opposed the Crusades—they were the medieval version of conscientious objectors. Parents dedicated their sons to the building of the monument to God’s love instead of enlisting them for war—they chose to create for God rather than kill.

There are other legends, stories of prayer rituals that were required
for purification before anyone was allowed to begin work for the day on this eternal monument to love and faith. If a laborer was having a bad day and did not come to work in the spirit of the endeavor, he was simply asked to return when he felt restored to the communal mission. No intention that was not based in love was permitted.

Are these legends true? Is there proof of any of this? They endure for eight hundred years in the stones of this place, and that is enough for me. I know, when I see the spires of Chartres from the approach on the road from Paris, that this place is special. I believe its unequaled beauty and grace artistically, architecturally, and spiritually was accomplished by an extraordinary effort based in a community founded on the principles of love and faith, all of which were celebrated through prayer. I believe that Chartres as it exists today was and is a monument to the Book of Love.

As such, the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral is, for me, the most sacred space on earth. Like Maureen, I weep when I see it covered by chairs. When I first began visiting Chartres years ago, the labyrinth was never uncovered. Most visitors had no idea that there was as much glory beneath their feet as there was in the stained glass high above them.

There has been some progress over the last few years in terms of accessing the labyrinth. As I write this, I am in Chartres, where I have just spent an entire, blissful afternoon in the labyrinth. The Church now opens it once a week, on Fridays, from approximately April to September. I pray—literally and often—that this is the beginning of an opening of minds and that these limited hours will expand into a more regular access to this unique spiritual tool that the architects installed here over eight hundred years ago, a tool that I believe was designed by the collaborative efforts of no lesser beings than King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, and Jesus Christ. I invite you to pray with me that this unique place will one day in the not too distant future be recognized and honored for its sanctity and that the destructive practice of concealing it while damaging it with unneeded chairs will end once and for all.

There is a growing labyrinth movement worldwide as humankind rediscovers this beautiful opportunity for a walking prayer that leads them directly to God. Resources on the Internet, including labyrinth locators, will aid you in your search to find one close to your home. And if you cannot locate one in your area, well, perhaps you are being called to create one there!

As I write, one of the local guardians of the cathedral arrives for his morning ritual and pledge of faith. He brings flowers daily to Notre Dame; today, he gives one to me as well. The spirit of this place and the souls who created it endures as a beacon of light on this planet for those with eyes to see and ears to hear, and perhaps even for those who have yet to develop such senses. I come here annually because it restores me. I come with the hope of taking some small piece of it with me, back into the world to share in this marvelous vision of what humans can accomplish. I come because my own promise was to uncover and reveal the stories that have been lost to history, the truths that have been hidden so long below the surface, awaiting their time to be revealed once again.

That time is now. And there is no other place that I know of on earth with as much to reveal to the human spirit as Chartres. This book is my own monument to those who inspired and created that holy place, that we may attempt to emulate them, each in our own ways. I pray that I have done them justice with the work and that this might inspire others on their own path.

Chartres, France
May 17, 2008

While writing is a most solitary endeavor, the process of completing a book and preparing it for publication is a highly collaborative one. It takes a village to publish a book. There is not enough space or time to thank everyone individually for the generous inspiration, support, and encouragement that has been showered upon me through the often challenging period of completing this one. I hope that all who are with me along this path know just how much I love and appreciate you, even if space does not allow me to name each of you individually.

The Time Returns, of this I am certain, and the following people have proven that to me with their magical, powerful presences in my life and work. I believe that all of them are members of my own “family of spirit” and hope they view me in the same light. As the Book of Love says,
those who remember and recognize each other are blessed beyond belief
. My literally eternal gratitude goes out to all of them, as they have indeed blessed me in such a way.

My personal life is centered on family, and it is my own that make this work possible on all levels. My passion and appreciation go to my husband, Peter, who will always be first: my first love, my first reader and critic (an often thankless job), and my first line of support. Our three beautiful boys are living proof of the power of love; they are a credit to God. To my parents, who are there for me every single day of
my life and give me everything, I offer all my love and gratitude, which I also extend to my brothers, Kelly and Kevin, and their families, whom I love as my own.

I truly could not have done this without:

Larry Kirshbaum, who supports me with such unconditional patience and grace that I’m not sure what I did to make God love me so much that he sent such an angel in my direction, but I am grateful beyond words every day for his presence in my life.

Trish Todd, an editor who is as patient as she is gifted, for making sure I always put my best words forward and for giving me such a safe place to be completely who I need to be on the page.

Patrick Ruffino, for remembering, believing, and living the truth so fearlessly, and for providing magical artwork in record time, thus instilling his own spirit into this book, and for never coughing up the red pill; extra love to his beautiful wife, Julia, who shares him with me so generously.

And thanks will never be enough for:

Stacey Kishi, for every minute of the countless years we have been on this path together, but special mention this round for discovering the little madonna in Orval, and for putting up with me while I sobbed after walking every available labyrinth in France. And thanks to her men, Michael and Elliott, for sharing her with me.

Ampy Dawn, who taught me with her generosity and loyalty that God did not give me biological sisters because he wanted me to choose my own, and I have chosen her.

Olivia Peyton, because as the time returns, I thank the Lord and his beautiful wife that she agrees to be there with me every step of the way. Her genius is beyond my comprehension.

My own Issy, Isobel Denham, who taught me so much in so little time, not the least of which was that beautiful song, the one in French, about love, and what it really means to be a “perfect heretic” through her loving and compassionate example of the work she does with women and children in Bosnia.

Larry Weinberg, for his warmth and widsom.

Lovely Laurence Rabe, for her help with French.

Gary Lucchesi, who became my most unexpected (and most reluctant) muse, by giving me a living example of the noble legacy of Lucca.

My newest little sister, Mary Ann Parent, for jumping into the journey and adding her own uniqueness to the work and my life.

Special mention goes to Sarah Symons, the founder of the Emancipation Network, for her daily dedication to the cause of ending human trafficking in our suffering world. Sarah’s commitment to humanity is one of the great inspirations in my life. I can only hope to emulate her devotion to service, and in an attempt to do that, I am donating a percentage of my royalties from this book to her work and to projects that support this worthy cause. For more information on how Sarah and I are combining our efforts to protect women and children, visit www.MadeBySurvivors.com or www.KathleenMcGowan.com, my own Web site.

Danke
to Tobi and Gerda (my equinox sister!), for all the wonderful times in RLC and beyond, but most of all because they embody the teachings of the Book of Love, just in the way they live every day.

To my friends and associates who are authors and artists in the trenches, I give thanks for the camaraderie and conversation that we writers require like oxygen. I have learned much from all of you, on the page and in person: Jeffrey Butz, Ani Williams, Nancy Safford, Shannon Andersen, Flo Aveia Magdalena, Angelina Heart, Phil Gruber, Victoria Mary Clarke, Henry Lincoln. As I was finishing this book, Jean-Luc Robin, a custodian of the soul of Rennes-le-Château and the author of the definitive book on that mystical, heretical village, passed from this world to the next. I pray that Jean-Luc now holds the key to all these mysteries from his place in heaven.

My love and gratefulness abound for the miracle that was and is Destino, because
destiny
and
destination
do indeed come from the same root. And of course, for Easa and Magdalene and their legacy of love that changed the world once before and will again.

Most of all, this is for all of you, my readers, who are my brothers and sisters on the path—past, present, and future—for the thousands
of you who have written me from all over the world in support of my work and research. I read every single letter, and most of them make me cry with gratitude that there are people out there like you. It is my fervent hope that what you read here may help you to
remember,
as that is certainly one of the greatest goals of our quest, together and separately. There is no thrill to match that which comes with rediscovering our need to seek, the aching hunger to search for something mysterious and divine—and to live in the wonder of it all as we do so. Perhaps the Holy Grail that awaits discovery looks different for each individual soul, but for me the ultimate treasure is the truth of our own magnificent legacy and history as human beings. It is God’s great game for us, this quest, and there is immense joy in deciding to play it with all our heart and spirit. Easa said,
Whoever searches must continue to search until they find.
The search is the destination, the finding is the destiny.

And finally, in homage to the Lady Ariadne, I have attempted to weave a “clue” for all of you to follow in and out of the labyrinth. As such, I have written this book using the ancient mystery school technique of “layered learning.” The more you read it, the more veils will be removed and the more truths will be revealed. So there! Now you can go back and read it all again…

As for me, one truth remains after all is said and done, and that is this:

I have loved you before, I love you today, and I will love you again. The time returns.

For those with ears to hear,

Kathleen McGowan

In chapter two of the Book of Love, Maggie Cusack sings a traditional hymn to Jesus in the Irish language. My husband, Peter McGowan, comes from a village in Ireland where legend says that Saint Patrick preached this same message: a hundred thousand welcomes, Jesus.

As indicated in the previous pages, I believe that Patrick was a descendant of Jesus and Mary Magdalene and that he preached from the original teachings as found in the Book of Love. To celebrate this, Peter and I developed a song utilizing Patrick’s own words. Saint Patrick was a Poet Prince in his own right, and we think his words are a beautiful illustration of the early teachings.

The refrain of the hymn is ancient, and arguably the words of the saint himself, as is the chorus melody. The song can be heard in its entirety by visiting my Web site, www.KathleenMcGowan.com.