Entering the Desert of Silence

By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ •  St. Josaphat Formation Center • Phoenix, AZ

During Lent we are called to follow the Lord into the desert – spiritually. The desert is an empty place with only a few nice things to call one’s attention, and that is the purpose of entering the desert with the Lord – seeking silence. Besides the wind there is not much in the way of sound in the desert. It affords an atmosphere free of distractions, free of other noises and voices in our life. This is a big part of what the discipline of Lent is intended for – to free ourselves from the attractions of the world and its messages, criteria, and commandments in order to open ourselves fully to being attentive to the voice of the Lord. So, a very good thing to do for Lent is to reduce TV viewing, minimize computer or tablet use and do less communicating on the telephone by text or calls. The voice we want to become attentive to is a very quiet one in the most interior part of our heart – the inaudible voice of Our Lord.

But while eliminating distractions on the one hand, we have to actively cultivate prayer on the other. Plan a specific time and amount of prayer – quiet, reflective, doing-nothing-else kind of prayer. St. John Paul II said the most important sacrifice modern man needs to make is to make time for prayer. It doesn’t have to be long, but it does have to be fixed so you can measure if you’re actually doing it. How it goes during that time is far less important than you actually doing it. As Chesterton said, “Something worth doing is worth doing even poorly.”

Considering the Passion of the Lord is one of the most fruitful meditations we can make – in fact, most Saints talk about the Passion of the Lord as the best source of their own inspirations. A thoughtful recitation of the Sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary makes the Passion of Jesus so alive to us, as can the Stations of the Cross and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The key, though, is to pray them THOUGHTFULLY. Reflect quietly on what’s happening to the Lord and talk to Him about it and how much you appreciate it and love Him for suffering it for you.

Going with the Lord to the desert will bear much fruit in us and others when we take time to be silent. God bless you, and let’s pray for each other.

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