Mark 1:29-35 (The Message)
29 Directly on leaving the meeting place, they came to Simon and Andrew's house, accompanied by James and John. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning up with fever. They told Jesus. 31 He went to her, took her hand, and raised her up. No sooner had the fever left than she was up fixing dinner for them. 32 That evening, after the sun was down, they brought sick and evil-afflicted people to him, 33 the whole city lined up at his door! 34 He cured their sick bodies and tormented spirits. Because the demons knew his true identity, he didn't let them say a word. 35 While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed.
Jesus needed to get away from it all. To be alone. To pray. To keep in touch with himself, his purpose, and his Father who sent him. This was no game he was playing. He needed this to stay on target!
This is what prayer is, at its deepest level. It is being with God, and letting the energy which pours forth from God renew us, as pure love can.
Silence and solitude are lost arts in our noisy, crowded lives. We don’t make much room for quiet and time alone. There is so much to do and so far to go. We want action not peace and quiet.
Henri Nouwen, a Catholic theologian of renown, suggests that solitude - time alone with God - helps us get in touch with a oneness with all people, which leads to less judgment and more compassion on our part.
“In solitude we realize that nothing human is alien to us, that the roots of all conflict, war, injustice, cruelty, hatred, jealousy, and envy are deeply anchored in our own heart! In solitude our heart of stone can be turned into a heart of flesh, a rebellious heart into a contrite heart, and a closed heart into a heart that can open itself to all suffering people in a gesture of solidarity.” The Way Of The Heart, p. 20
“In solitude our heart of stone can
be turned into a heart of flesh,
a rebellious heart into a contrite heart,
and a closed heart into a heart
that can open itself to all suffering
people in a gesture of solidarity.”
Henri Nouwen
Prayer thoughts: “Lord, help me find a quiet spot…place…moment in my busy day when I can be alone with you. Where I can hear your “still, small voice” above the noise of my day.”
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