Come Away with Him 

   “He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest for a while.”  (Mark 6: 31) 

   The gospels record that Jesus went away by Himself on many occasions for prayer.  It’s important to our spiritual well-being that we do the same.  We need to find a quiet place where we can be alone with our Lord.  A time to thank Him for all He has done for us and to seek His guidance.  In the silence we can better hear His voice in our heart and in our soul.

   The early Desert Fathers left the cities and journeyed into the wilderness to be alone with God.  They lived in caves, small huts, or even in the hollows of trees.  Alone, away from the distractions of daily life, they found peace with God.  We need to do the same from time to time.

   We may not be able to move to the wilderness, but a silent retreat is a wonderful way to put the world at bay and focus on God.  At one retreat house I attended was a sign that said, “Remember, silent and listen contain the same letters.”  When we are silent, we can better listen to God.

   Even in our homes it’s important to have a special place to be with the Lord.  It doesn’t have to anything special, just somewhere we can make our “desert” and be alone with the Lord.  Perhaps in the evening after others in have gone to bed or early in the morning while they are still sleeping.  It’s amazing what just a few minutes of silence with God can accomplish in our life.  They can make the good times more joyful and the difficulties easier to bear.

The world is full of chaos.

Evil and sin abound.

Let us sit quietly with You.

Fill us with Your love and peace. 

Amen