Regeneration

I returned home from my retreat the other day. Eight autumn days in Brecon, mid-Wales, of which 6.5 were dry and sunny - a minor miracle in itself! But the major miracle, as ever, was the tender, generous and mysterious way in which God works,  giving gifts in abundance.

Eight days... of deepening inner stillness, silence, reflective sunlit walks, deep sleep and a general recharging of batteries. Eight days of prolonged times of prayer, and being increasingly drawn into more prayer, experiencing what our Constitutions call our call to contemplation, a compelling love written in our hearts by the Spirit... Time spent away from activity and creativity, from words and ideas: time spent in my deepest self, in a place beyond words and images.

A week of non-generation of work, commitments, words and ideas: but undoubtedly a week of re-generation of myself...