Solitude

The 2nd Sunday of Lent
Today’s Readings: Gen 15: 5-12, 17-18; Ps 27; Phil 3: 17 – 4: 1; Lk 9: 28-36

The other day, I was listening to WGCY on the radio. That’s the station out of Gibson City that plays music from the Big Band era and a lot of “easy listening” music—what I sometimes call “elevator music.”

I had to laugh. All my generation’s “radical” music from the 60’s and 70’s is elevator music: the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Doors, the Grateful Dead. All played softly and sweetly on violins!

Just you wait, you young ones! In 30 or 40 years, all your favorite music of today that you’re growing up with—your Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Scissor Sisters—it’s going to be elevator music… and your kids and grandkids will be laughing at you, too!

Anyway, one of the oldie-goldie songs I heard was John Denver’s Leaving On A Jet Plane. One of the lines in the lyrics goes: “The taxi’s waitin’, he’s blowin’ his horn / Already I’m so lonesome I could die.”

Loneliness.

Many people feel lonely and empty inside. Maybe they’re elderly or homebound. Maybe they’ve been laid off from work or they’re new arrivals in the community. Or maybe they’re depressed or too scared to go out and meet people and do things. Maybe it’s you.

Some may be suffering quietly, trying to fill up their days with TV, crocheting, solitaire games and frequent naps. Others may take to riskier pursuits to try to numb the pain: drinking, pornography, on-line gambling, endless video games…

There’s a big difference between this kind of loneliness and solitude—the kind of alone-time that Jesus practiced and recommends.

Luke opens his gospel text today by telling us that Jesus took Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray. The gospels are full of passages describing how the Lord spent days fasting and praying in the wilderness, or how he went to the mountains or other lonely places for meditation and prayer—sometimes all by himself, other times with some of his disciples.

Obviously, Christ was a big believer in the power of solitude. It was an important way for him to connect with the Father. While loneliness is an inner emptiness, solitude is the opposite. It is an inner attentiveness and fulfillment.

The beauty of solitude is that it is more a state of mind and heart than it is a place or physical condition. In other words, you can find solitude in a quiet room… or in the midst of a crowd. One spiritual writer calls it our “portable sanctuary of the heart.”

When Jesus came back from his times of solitude, it was always with a renewed sense of mission and purpose. It was always with more energy and passion. For instance, some of Christ’s most memorable and dramatic actions came about right after times of contemplation and solitude: his summoning of the twelve apostles… knocking over the moneychangers’ tables in the temple… making his triumphant Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem… and many others.

Thomas Merton, the famous Trappist monk, wrote: “It is in deep solitude and silence that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love my brother and sister.” It was also his experience that solitude helped him discover his need and desire to contribute something to his community. So solitude is not an end in itself. It is not a way just to relax or stop worrying or escape. On the contrary, it is a means to recharge your spiritual batteries to give you a clearer vision, renewed purpose and energy, a zeal and enthusiasm to go out and make a difference in the world—all in the name and power of Jesus Christ.

That’s why this gospel story of the Transfiguration is read early in Lent. It’s a special invitation and call for all of us to retreat into our heart—however we need to do it—to re-energize ourselves for Christ and to be a better neighbor.

So… how do we do it? Most of us live busy, even frantic-paced, lives. How can we practice the kind of solitude our Lord recommends? How can it be squeezed in to modern life?

Well, let me give you a 90-second mini-course.

First, commit yourself to try it every day. It would be wonderful to carve out 15 or 20 minutes… but even two minutes is a promising start. Don’t feel discouraged if that’s all you start with.

Second, sit comfortably and as you start, put yourself consciously in God’s hands. I once had a spiritual director who began our sessions by simply saying, “Let us remember that we are in the presence of God.” That’s enough to focus you.

Third, close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly. One neat way is to say “love” as you breathe in… and “Jesus” as you breathe out. Simply focus on your breath. Don’t try to think or force anything. Just rest in the moment. Remember, the purpose is not to accomplish anything concrete, but merely to give the Holy Spirit a convenient opening to inspire you in some way if he chooses to.

Lastly, reopen your eyes. Before you go back to whatever you were doing, pause for a moment. Were you inspired? Did God whisper a blessing or a little task for you? If he did, give a word of thanks and promise to comply.

You can see that this kind of solitude is not hard—and it’s completely different from being lonely or bored or empty. It is a time of joyful attentiveness and expectation, but also a time of deep peacefulness with God.

Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”