Silent Retreat III - What do I desire from God?

While every year the silent retreat experience is different there are some similarities. One common occurrence is that each retreat starts with the participants sharing what they desire to receive from God. My spoken desire for the weekend was the grace to “trust myself; to trust the Spirit working in and through me.” My spiritual director affirmed that my DESIRE for God, is his HOPE for me. The Spirit and I are in agreement. We are working towards the same thing. God is giving me the desires of my heart.

Silent Retreat II - Everyone needs to be silent

Mother Teresa says that silence is the language of God. Being silent is not about what type of personality you have. Being silent is a discipline that teaches you to listen. Again Mother Teresa says that “it is in the silence of the heart that God speaks. God is the friend of silence. . . we need to listen to God because it’s not what we say but what He says to us and through us that matters.” So years after my friend asked me, “Does everyone need to be silent?” my answer is no longer hesitant but rather a strong, confident, “Yes, everyone needs to be silent.” What that looks like will look different depending upon your season of life, but yes, everyone needs to be silent.

Silent Retreat I

I attended my fifth silent retreat with eight other companions last weekend. We were at Victory Noll Center in Huntington, Indiana. While every year the experience is different there are some similarities.

Silence makes me willing; not willful. Silence makes me attentive. Silence helps remove distractions that interfere with me hearing God. Silence centers me and lets me catch glimpses of my true-self.

Once a friend shared that she just could NOT be silent. It wasn’t part of her makeup, she explained. Then she asked my opinion about “being silent,” did I think everyone needed to be silent? I hesitated with my answer, not wanting to be dogmatic, I replied, “I think everyone needs to find a way to be silent.”