SojoMail - Three nights of silence

My Spiritual Director Told Me I Needed a Silent Retreat So many of us can talk “big talk about God,” yet still long to feel deeply known and loved by our Creator. This Holy Week, we’re sharing an excerpt of Laurel Mathewson’s essay about Teresa of Ávila, a 16th-century Spanish saint, and an unexpected mystical experience that transformed Mathewson’s understanding of her faith.  From the outside I might not seem like someone who struggled to have a close relationship with God. I am, in the words of one of my slightly befuddled college friends who asked me to officiate at his wedding, a “real-life religious person.” But even as I filled out applications for seminaries and divinity schools, understanding in my mind how the work of ordained ministry aligned with my gifts and values, I wrestled with the vexing question of God’s love and personal care for humanity. I prayed with integrity, trusting that in some mysterious way this was good and right and helpful, even if it was simply a matter of reorientation toward humility and justice. I could talk about following the way of Jesus with integrity — the way of forgiveness, reconciliation, truth telling, humble service, compassion — trusting it as a holy path of justice and healing. It seemed to me a path simple but not easy, full of hope for the world’s transformation if we paid heed. But I recognized, even if obscurely, something I felt I could not do with integrity: Proclaim God’s love for the world or any particular person. One afternoon, I admitted this out loud, and received in return a piece of life-changing advice. “I really think you need a silent retreat,” my spiritual director said. “How long?” I asked. “Oh,” she said plainly, “it takes at least three nights.” READ THE FULL ARTICLE Forward Share

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Latest Ahead of Election, Evangelicals Want Sermons on Immigration (by Ken Chitwood) Four in 5 evangelicals say they would value hearing a sermon that teaches how biblical principles and examples can be applied to immigration in the U.S. The Church Doesn’t Talk Much About Greed. Malcolm Foley Says That’s Weird (by Josiah R. Daniels) Foley draws from church fathers, Anabaptists, and the Black radical tradition to help explain the anti-greed gospel. ‘Crisis,’ ‘Illegal,' ‘Migrant' — Language Shapes Policy, Say Christian Leaders (by Ken Chitwood) Religious Americans, including Christians, differ widely on how they refer to the increase in people arriving at the border. Most Americans Support Religion in Public Life, but Avoid Disagreements (by Zachary Lee) The study from Pew Research Center also found that a majority of Americans had not heard the term “Christian nationalism.”

ADVERTISEMENT

From the Magazine Coming Out Doesn’t Have To Be a Horror Story (by Jenna Barnett) On the rare media depictions of religious parents embracing their children's queerness.

ADVERTISEMENTS

Healing land and communities “With Sembrandopaz’s support, Rodríguez and the other farmers have learned practices to support reforestation and sustainable agriculture that help build resilience to climate change. These strategies also help build peace, because in this region, climate resilience and peace are closely intertwined.” Read more of our latest sponsored article on sojo.net.  Calling All Faith Leaders: Defend Voters in 2024 Election! Are you interested in training opportunities for civic engagement as a member of the faith community? Empower yourself, safeguard democracy, and begin the journey to become a poll chaplain for the upcoming election!

DONATE   SUBSCRIBE

Copyright © 2024 Sojourners, All rights reserved. Sojourners | 408 C St. NE | Washington, DC 20002 Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842