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It
is well to reflect upon the fact that it is not necessarily
the lure of evil that calls us into lonely and desolate
places. It was not Satan that led Jesus Christ, the Anointed
Messiah into the wilderness, but the Holy Ghost!
We tend to think that the Spirit will lead us among others
for mission and witness, that the gifts of the Spirit will
become operative in the social milllieu.
In fact we may well find it entirely disagreeable, even
repugnant, this thought of stepping out into wasteland;
we may be tempted to think the experience is a waste of
time, that we would be far more effective witnesses for
the Lord were we preaching, or pursuing all manner of other
religious activities, attending numerous retreat days, workshops
etc. etc.
Such things may well be within God's plan of things for
our lives, but it is far more likely that we ourselves will
first be led into a barren desert, there to struggle with
both external evil and the evil within ourselves.
The human soul needs the silence of the desert if it is
ever to face its own sin and its inescapable involvement
in spiritual warfare. It is a needful part of our Christian
growth to enter the desert, the desert where the Spirit
leads us.
In this situation we will come to know ourselves, our motivations,
our weaknesses and sin better than in any other circumstance.
If we feel prompted to draw aside, to be alone, to rest
in a desert place, then it is the Holy Ghost who is leading
us and we should follow His call. Alone in a desert situation
we cannot escape ourselves; we are forced to face the truth
of what and who we are, and it may not be a revelation that
we find to our liking, but as God bids us to come to self-knowledge,
through it we should grow in our understanding of God's
immense love and mercy for us.
Our desert maybe to enter more deeply into the inner sanctuary
of our souls, it may be a specific Church, some prayer space
dear to us, it maybe upon a sea shore or in the depths of
a wood, it may be just a corner of a room – but it is that
space, that place, where all things are laid aside in preference
to choosing God and being available to Him.
This indeed is the time, now, at the beginning of the Lenten
season to decide where our desert will be, and to enter
it faithfully each day in the company of the Holy Ghost.
This will call for self discipline. It is always so easy
to begin, but oh, so much harder to persevere with good
resolutions. We may experience an initial enthusiasm, and
then, probably, a dwindling attraction to what we have chosen,
to what God has called us, and even boredom – but that is
the desert!
Persevere! If the time of prayer becomes barren and empty,
persevere! Be faithful to those moments that you have promised
to your God; your love will be shown by your willingness
to sit upon the desert sand, in a sometimes withering heat
and dryness, and wait.
Neither give into the temptation that prompts you to feel
that you must always be saying something to God. He doesn't
need your spiritual entertainments, He wants your heart,
He wants your love, He wants the person you truly are ...
not a mindless rambling of words that do not come from your
heart! Listen to the voice of the Spirit deep with you,
listen. And listen some more ...
Sometimes we really do not even allow God the time, the
space to love us, just to love us ... we are far too busy
chatting to God and telling him the things we think He wants
to hear. Listen ... learn to listen! It is hard and requires
discipline and perseverance. But it is also simplicity itself:
In silence say to God from your heart, "Oh! My God, I surrender
to you, just love me ..."
"Desistite
et agnoscite me Deum"
– "Be still
... and know that I Am God." Stop talking and be!
Gods great revelation of Himself was, "I Am" – a perpetually
present and incessant act of Being.
As He is present to you, here, now, this hour, this day,
always ... may you, too, be present to Him.
It is not what we have achieved that matters in this earthly
existence, but what we are, our being able to give and to
receive love. In this, our being coincides most with the
Being of God Who is Love, Whose Being is inseparable from
Love!
Sit quietly, and remind yourself that you are held in the
arms of a great Lover that at that moment God is loving
you, and at the next, and the next and the next ... unto
the ending of all time and into eternity.
Allow Love to love. And love in turn.
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