Monday, March 24, 2014
Spirituality: Adolfo Nicolas
Thus, although this may surprise some, I believe that one of the primary challenges facing the Society today is that of recovering the spirit of silence. I am not thinking of disciplinary measures, fixed times of silence, going back to religious houses that look more like monasteries. Rather, I am thinking of the hearts of our men. We all need a place inside ourselves where there is no noise, where the voice of the Spirit of God can speak to us, softly and gently, and direct our discernment. In a very true sense we need the ability to become ourselves - silence, emptiness, an open space that the Word of God can fill, and the Spirit of God can set on fire for the good of others and of the Church. More than ever, every Jesuit should be able to live like a monk in the middle of the noise of the city - as an Orthodox friend of ours once said.That means that our hearts are our monasteries and at the bottom of every activity, every reflection, every decision, there is silence, the kind of silence that one shares only with God.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
For most of us, there is so much busyness in our lives that we don't have the stillness in our souls that is a foundation for living our lives in the Spirit of Christ. Our discernment needs to centre on what we can do without in our daily living. One thing that is absolutely necessary is time just to be with the Lord - then other things tend to fall into place more readily. Of course, I'm speaking from the perspective of a layperson but I think that Fr. Nicolas' wisdom applies to everyone. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSilence and stillness - two elusive and precious gifts.
Delete