by Jackie Schmitz, CSJ

I spent the morning of New Year’s Day alone. I re-read my journal from 2015 and was struck by how I can, and do, listen for the whispers from the Holy One when by myself. There were jottings about my daily “sitting” – me and God connecting first thing. I read entries of hours on our deck, soaking up the warmth of the sun, feeling like I was getting a massage from God. There were words about nature reminding me to pay attention to the Universe all around and within.

And there were far too many pages reflecting sadness, imperfection, disappointment and longing. The usual: “I am not good enough” stuff I roll around in my head far too frequently. I did pray for less of it this year and that I might latch onto more awareness of the goodness and abundance in my very blessed life.

Later that day, I ventured off to Taize at Ascension Church in Oak Park where we celebrated World Day of Prayer for Peace with 700+ people (I know the number because they ran out of the 700 worship aids they printed!). As I listened to the voices rising and filling this vast space with beautiful music and heard the words of the prayers being offered for the needs of our brothers and sisters all over the world I was deeply moved. And when the Alleluias filled the church and candle tapers were lifted high as one large light I realized: I find the Holy when in solidarity with others…as we pleaded for peace everywhere! I knew this but it sort of slipped into the background, especially as I had spent hours in the quiet of my room earlier that day savoring solitude. I felt a strong sense of reverence and peacefulness that I pray lasts a long time.

It was a lovely start to the New Year and my prayer is that each of us find ways to be the peace and the light for those who need it. May we step back and create space for solitude as well as being in oneness with others and all creation. In closing, I share these words of John Philip Newell that say so well what I envision and hope for:

To the home of peace
to the field of love
to the land where forgiveness and right relationship meet
we look, O God,
with longing for earth’s children
with compassion for the creatures
with hearts breaking for the nations and people we love.
Open us to visions we have never known
strengthen us for self-givings we have never made
delight us with a oneness we could never have imagined
that we may truly be born to You
makers of peace.
—John Philip Newell, Praying with the Earth: A Prayerbook for Peace