THE SEASON OF EPIPHANY
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A TIME AWAY

“Jesus said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” Mark 6:31a

Each year on the last week in January, although a precarious time to predict weather-wise, the clergy of the diocese are invited to “come away” for time of rest and re-reation at our Annual Winter Conference at Pendle Hill Quaker Retreat Community in Swarthmore, PA. Although, as the program title suggests, it does mean time of collegial meetings, teaching, and sharing in conversation with our bishop and clergy, there is “alone” time as well for retreat, for solitude. This soul needs time of solitude as well as time with colleagues. I will make time for both … I need time for both.

In the book Seeds of Hope [Bantam Books, Toronto; 1989], Henri Nouwen offers his thoughts on solitude: “Solitude begins with a time and place for God, and God alone. If we really believe not only that God exists but also that God is actively present in our lives … we need to set aside a time and space to give God our undivided attention … To bring some solitude into our lives is one of the most necessary but also most difficult disciplines. Even though we may have a deep desire for real solitude, we also experience a certain apprehension as we approach that solitary place and time. As soon as we are alone, without people to talk with, books to read, TV to watch, phone calls to make [and add texts, e-mail, Tweets, and on of those five million apps on our phones in today’s techno-chattering world], an inner chaos opens up in us …

Entering a private room and shutting the door does not mean that we immediately shut out all our inner doubts, anxieties, fears, bad memories, unresolved conflicts, angry feelings, and impulsive desires. On the contrary, when we have removed the outer distractions, we often find that our inner distractions manifest themselves … We often use the outer distractions to shield ourselves from the interior noise. It is not surprising that we have a difficult time with being alone. The confrontation with our inner conflicts can be too painful for us to endure. This makes the discipline of solitude all the more important.” [pp. 14-15] 

Our crazy-busy world demands our constant response, which drives us to lead crazy-busy lives, incessantly pounding our souls until we find ourselves in that loud, chatter-filled, schedule exploding place of being … well, JUST CRAZY! I invite you to consider making time for your soul with God each day with a discipline of solitude. Now, do not fret over the word DISCIPLINE as something just to ADD to your crazy-busy life. The root of DISCIPLINE is “disciple”, and as the words from Mark’s Gospel intimate, Jesus desires our attention, our well-being, our wholeness for God.

By “coming away to a deserted place all by yourself” is truly God’s gift within this discipline. Start slowly, ten or fifteen minutes a day, and grow the time and quiet more as you grow in this nurture of solitude. Stay with the moments of gift as well as the time of conflict and challenge, those “need to change” things God points out in our life.

Take time and make time for God … for your soul … for wholeness, healing, re-creation, and life abundant. As St. Paul so rightly knows and writes, “There is no law  against such things … If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.” [Galatians 5:23, 25]

In peace always, your servant in Christ,
Paul+