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February 10

Reflection

Ours is a world of busyness and we live with many

distractions. Our inner world is, therefore, restless and

preoccupied. In the midst of this, we are invited into the

practice of solitude and reflection.

Inwardly restless and outwardly preoccupied, ours is the journey of flight—away from ourselves and away from God. And thus away from an inner peace and centeredness. We are, therefore, both distracted and fractured.

God’s invitation however is one of homecoming—coming home to God’s grace and healing and coming home to accept God’s gifts and

calling. This calls us to stop running and to turn in the right direction. This also means that we come home to ourselves.

The spiritual discipline of silence, solitude, and reflection is an

important part of this homecoming. It helps us to see who we are, where we are, and where we need to be. Thomas à Kempis challenges us regarding these matters. He writes, “Set aside an opportune time for deep personal reflection and think often about God’s many benefits to you.”41

This simple advice poses a challenge for us. On the run, we are invited to stop. Ever planning, we are invited to reflect. Wanting to do things, we are called to pray. Ever restless, we are invited into the place of surrender.

As we reflect on ourselves and our world we are called to cling to the God who alone can make us whole and bring our world to peace. Thus, reflection will always call us to prayer.

Thought

Publicly, we are known by what we do. But God also knows us in the quiet places of the heart. These latter places should be the places where we are most truly at home.