Purpose

What keeps you from seeing His light?

A Hermit's Response to Life

The purpose of solitude is not so you can enter into yourself and drown, but so you are free to love God besides all other things. Being intent on yourself is a trap so long as it does not lead to union with God.

If God is leading you into yourself, there is something He wants you to see. If you do the fasting and privations called for to live the solitary life, you will have a sense of God leading you, revealing you to yourself so that you can see the obstacles that stand between you and the perfect vision of God.

If the fasting and privations lead you relentlessly back into yourself, then you should be busy with your hands, perhaps encouraging someone else and healing those in need of healing. For those activities, one needs to be aware of the presence of God, and to be motivated by His love, since that is where all good things have their origin. Helping someone fix a tire, or buying someone homeless a meal is a good choice.

To perform the works of mercy only means to realize what other people are going through, and doing what you can do for them. 

To perform the works of mercy only means to see the passion of the Christ and how the world has been drawn into it. It was easy enough to see the works of mercy Jesus did while He was with us, preaching and teaching and healing and delivering people across the width and breadth of Israel. He sent out disciples because He could not be physically present to them all to preach the coming of the Kingdom of God.

It is still that way. Each of us participates personally in the passion of Jesus. Make room in the time you have available to you to encounter your participation in Jesus and His passion. It is uncommon for most to see vividly enough the wounds of His death so as to inform our hearts how we love the Lord. Too often we have injured our relationship with God, sinned, and become so broken hearted about it we forget the offense we committed or the need to get past the all too real pain of guilt or shame. Acknowledge sin, ask forgiveness and make atonement and your heart will be free, and then you are ready to embrace Him as in the Garden. There, time is still, and quiet lets us hear His love, and rest invades out mortality to comfort us.

Jesus does not begrudge anyone rest or peace or comfort. He endured a great deal to be able to give it to us, but in return He wishes us to actually give ourselves to Him as we have not before, so that He can give Himself as He wishes, He might have been able to give Himself to us.

You who feel the burden of your sins, forget them. Remember instead how Jesus loves you and the visibly certain signs that He loves us all infinitely.