Tag

solitude

Browsing
Faith

Silence is the language of God

Jesus sushing

A couple of weekends ago, I attended a women’s retreat with more than 80 others at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit. I’ve been on several self-directed, silent retreats before, where, believe it or not, I did not speak for more than 40 hours from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. This retreat was different. It had an agenda which included prayer services, teaching from various speakers, and mass. We were expected to remain silent only between the planned sessions. At meal times we were free to let loose, and, man, did we ever. The cafeteria was anything but silent! Why all the silence, you ask? Silence is the language of God Most mystics and contemplatives would say that if you want to hear from God, you must shut your mouth and listen. God can and does communicate with us in many ways. We might hear God’s…

Keep Reading
Grief and Loss

Cut me some slack

(Written one night while wrestling with the anger that finds its way into the process of grief, either on its own or provoked by something someone said. Shared in an effort to help others better understand the grieving soul.) Cut me some slack. Don’t take it personally if I turn down your invitation to dinner or if I don’t seem enthused by your offer to spend the day together. Forgive me if I don’t return your phone call for a few days — okay, weeks. I’m not breaking up with you. I’m suffering with grief. No, I’m not curled up in the fetal position, wiping away tears with the same tissue that I just used to blow my nose … or maybe I am.  I’m not wallowing in self-pity either, at least not every day. I’m just learning to live with loss, and that takes time. So, excuse me…

Keep Reading