He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
Twice we hear in the seventh chapter of Saint Mark that phrase, "away from the crowd." Not everything that Jesus said or did was for public consumption. The man had secrets which he would disclose only to a select few. He told more to the seventy-two than he revealed to the crowds; and more to the twelve than to the seventy-two; and more to Peter, James and John than to the twelve. In the Gospel of John he whispered only to the beloved disciple, the identity of his betrayer. Plus, he often went apart, into the wilderness, to pray alone.
Many people have complained about our culture war on solitude. We seem to confuse public and private space so that neither is secure. Politicians, entertainers and clergy apparently have no right to privacy. If clergy and elected officials still expect a degree of privacy, entertainers recklessly squander theirs in a bid for notoriety.
When I demurred about a minister's ugly remarks about Jackie Kennedy he insisted the deceased widow had no right to privacy, since she had been married to a president.
I have seen media-weary Americans flock to the church for a moment of peace and quiet. Despite the opening collect, they cannot be collected into a congregation because they are so desperate for inner solitude. They find it nowhere else. Their homes are ablaze with advertising, their cars scream the radio, their restaurants maintain unwatched but noisy televisions; even their hospital rooms and lounges are flooded with distraction. Arriving in the sanctuary of a church, they cannot sing, they cannot hear the scriptures. They can only use the time to recuperate some personal energy.
Christians gather frequently to worship God as a church but our assemblies must be enriched by our solitary practice. The "feast" of our public liturgy requires a "postprandial" of private contemplation as we consider the scriptures we have heard and the virtues we have celebrated. Without it the gathering is little more than cheap entertainment, a pep rally or a political demonstration.
"What a man is in God's presence," Saint Francis said, "is what he is, and nothing more." Our religious tradition cultivates solitary prayer and a sense of one's standing alone in God's presence. With practices like the daily examen, Lectio Divina, discernment of spirits and centering prayer the Christian discovers her identity in God's presence. We're often driven to these practices by a personal crisis but, having set out, we realize we cannot turn back. The knowledge of God is too precious to be ignored. His reassurance, even as we discover our sins, is too compelling to be dismissed.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.