Spiritual Advancement

A quote from Catherine McAuley;

Perhaps silence is wearying to us,
and yet our spiritual advancement is generally most promoted in the hours of silence.

Here it is a desert day, one the days we have each week on this sabbatical. It's a day of not talking, food set out for breakfast, lunch and snacks if we want. No one needs to talk, to be anywhere, or do anything. Just to be is a great blessing. This silence is not wearying. It is in fact, welcomed. We have had so many different speakers and schedules to which we must attend,it is so freeing to just take a long hour or two in prayer and reflection, take a walk or just do laundry.

Today I worked on a poetry book I am creating. It was very reflective, connected to God and to my creative side. Our desert day ends with liturgy which is a quiet liturgy, no music, no homily, just moments of silence so that we can close our day in deeper prayer. Dinner, then is a festive time as is the time afterwards.

I hope that you can have some experience of silence which is not wearying. It's the best way for God to connect to you and you to God, and it is not all that much of a task. Try it sometime. Set aside a half day of not doing anything but resting in the silence. It's great.

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