We returned from our first ever 5-day retreat at Pacem In Terris about a week ago, and it exceeded my expectations. Perhaps the best example of what happened in my soul was captured in a line I uttered at one of our evening group spiritual direction times. This was the only time in the day when we shared what we were experiencing. In the midst of my sharing, I said: “I noticed that the bugs really came alive today.”
As I spoke these words, I became aware that I had slowed way down. This is not the sort of thing I would notice in the typical flow of my everyday life, but on retreat my days were full of so much silence that I was noticing things I would normally miss.
This slow pace and the absence of conversation freed me up to listen for God’s voice with greater attentiveness. The birds, the stars, the weather, and even the bugs all seemed to be speaking in unison. They invited me to surrender to God and find myself at home in his world.
This is the gift of retreat. We pause our responsibilities, and take time to simply rest and pray. In this space, our soul becomes receptive to the abundance of God’s words to us. We settle into a stillness of being, and praying and listening to God are a little easier than normal. This reminds me that regularly getting away for silence and solitude is an essential practice for each of us.
When was the last time you were able to take a little time away to rest with God in silence and solitude?
