Lent retreat

John 11: 54

"he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples"

Jesus began his public ministry only after a period in the desert. Now, as he comes towards the end of his ministry and closer to the ultimate fulfillment of that ministry in his passion and death, he returns to the desert. In solitude and prayer Jesus focused again on the work his Father had given him to do.

The end of Lent is a good time to go away for our own time of silence and solitude, a time of inner renewal and refreshment. I facilitated a retreat for a group of 8 who took time out to spend a day in prayer, reconnecting with their inner selves and listening to God. We didn't have to travel far....and for all the participants Villa Hermine in Kampung Tunku was an ideal place.

As the time drew near, I realized that taking on the organizing and preparing to facilitate was not easy. There were many details regarding the lunch and tea breaks to see to, as the group was too small to engage a caterer. But as I have been learning of late, if I feel stressed, I am allowing the Martha in me to "complain"! And that I may be missing the quiet invitations of the Lord. So this time, although there were many details to attend to, I did not let that push out the regular times of quiet I have scheduled as "appointments with God". I believe now that those times of silent contemplation are not only to give a sense of peace when there's much to do. I believe that they are in fact essential in preparing me for the ministry that I am involved in. For whatever I say about prayer and contemplation must come first and foremost from my own lived experience of it- not merely as facts that I have read and studied. Authenticity is all important in accompanying others on their journey with God.

Today the Lord met the retreatants, each one personally where they were. The silence was a friendly one (although most were not used to being silent over lunch), giving each the space first to become aware of the inner noises and then to listen for the quiet whispers of God.