Listening
gabrielle October 24th, 2007
I fell asleep last night in conversation with Mary; conversation - well, mostly questions. I awoke to no answers, until she led me here.
So, for a little while, I don’t know for how long, I will be away at my retreat centres: here, here, and here - the Divine Architect thought of everything, including an interconnecting corridor.
It seems a million years ago, but my first size-y email exchange ever was with a dear woman (”Regina”) who had chosen to live an eremitical existence in the midst of the world. She almost didn’t have a choice, for there was no chance that she could be granted a dispensation for an annulment. Back then, I’d still thought a similar existence was doable for myself as well, but all indications, especially of most recently, indicate otherwise. I am one in the boiler room, or bailing bilge, or in the field waiting for a Whistle to bid me come bear a load. But I’m rejoicing for you, and I’ll be praying for you. (And for all who are on retreat and fathoming sweet things.)
Retreats are always worthwhile….time spent in quietude……I hope you’ll bring us all with you, Gabrielle, in spirit and prayer.
It only SEEMED like a “one-sided conversation”….the responses that you receive are sometimes offered gradually, slowly…one word, one breath, one intention at a time…like heartbeats. Being led to these places, you remain open, following where the Spirit bids you to tred. It’s so wonderful, when we often have SO MANY questions, and the answers come ever so slowly, sinking into our being, a little bit at a time. If the answers came all at once, the way we tend to often ask them, we’d surely be overwhelmed…. Isn’t the wisdom of God amazing? How patient He is with us? How gentle and loving? How knowing? I read from Galatians this morning, the part where Paul is telling the Church at Galatia that God had known him, had CHOSEN Paul, before he was even born…the same holds true for you (and me)….and the thought just takes my breath away…. all the while we are seeking Him, He is seeking us….having “found” us before we even realized our own desire.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) (from your bible verse of the day).
God often reveals truth to us by our prayers.
Mary was thinking of you, if there was the miracle of you praying to her.
Marc
JustMe, well, I’m pretty much in the boiler-room myself, as I suppose most of us are…my retreat means a couple of hours in the late evening in prayer rather than on the Internet (but I’ll take whatever kind of retreat I can get!) This one is self-imposed.
Wouldn’t you just love to go on a 10-day silent retreat somewhere (not with me though; they’d surely be forced to kick us out). You know how Pia pictured us all in the grape-squashing vat together - can you just imagine you, me, Pia, Ann, Kristin, and everybody on my sidebar (and newcomers, hello Marc) on a silent retreat together? I think we’d have our sign-language down pat within hours. 
Ann, I am bringing you all with me in prayer and spirit, rest assured. But I crave more time for prayer.
Kristin, I have often thanked Jesus for His patience with me, especially in my slow understanding of certain things; He is not unaccustomed, though, to finally having to hit me over the head, but it is rather like someone bopping you on the head with a lightweight carton tube, and I thank Him for that as well.
And yes, that is a powerful passage; I have often pondered the mystery of God having known us before we were born - a beautiful mystery of Love.
Marc, welcome. I know that what you say is true; thank you for reminding me, because it is also part of the mystery of love and grace, isn’t it. We can’t pray unless we are called to pray; we can’t even accept a grace without a grace having been given to us. The idea of Mary thinking of me fills me with peace and gratitude.
cool
marc