Solitude
The Lord Abbot of Quarr Abbey, Cuthbert Johnson, on the Isle of Wight shares with us his thoughts on the discipline of solitude
There is a renewed awakening of the understanding that a love of solitude is an essential part of Christian life. In a world in which finding a space to be quiet is becoming ever more difficult, solitude is even becoming a prized commodity.
Christian solitude is not isolation or being on one's own. There are some who are temperamentally loners but they are not thereby lovers of solitude. Loneliness has nothing to do with solitude, and the Lord exhorted his followers to bring comfort to the lonely and those in any affliction.
There are those who fear solitude. They have almost been conditioned by present day values to enjoy and search out the happiness that material prosperity brings. There are those who, like Christ himself, look with compassion on a world with so many people in need of help and find it difficult to understand what place solitude can have as an abiding value.
Few people have difficulty in accepting that it is good to get away from the daily routine, to interrupt the pattern of the day's work and responsibilities in order to 'recharge the batteries'. The search for solitude, however, cannot be seen simply as little more than healthy periods of rest.
Prayer in common and prayer apart
Christians of all traditions gather together in the name of Jesus in obedience to his words 'where two or three are gathered in my name there I am in the midst of them'. So whether it be in the splendour of cathedral worship, or the more homely atmosphere of the parish or meetings for fellowship, gathering for prayer is part of Christian life.
There is also need for prayer in quiet and solitude in obedience to the word of the Lord, 'when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you' (Matthew 6:6). All need to go apart with the Lord, especially those who are involved in ministry. They need to rest in the company of the Lord and deepen their knowledge of him through prayer and meditation. The Lord himself shows this in the gospels, for we read that after the disciples 'returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught' he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while. And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves' (Mark 6:31-32).
Throughout the whole of the Bible we can see that great moments in the story of our salvation are preceded by a period of solitude. Moses went up the mountain to be alone with God before he was given the Law. The people of Israel spent forty years in the solitude of the desert in order to learn the ways of the Lord before entering the promised land. The prophets spent time alone on the mountain or sat in silence and waited upon the word of the Lord. Before beginning his ministry, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where he dwelt 'alone' for forty days and forty nights.
While on the one hand the gospels show us Jesus as the shepherd caring for his sheep and going from town to town to proclaim the good news of salvation, nevertheless we also see occasions when Jesus felt the need to escape from the crowds. There were also personal moments when Jesus needed to be alone, for example, after he heard of the death of John the Baptist 'he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place apart" (Matthew 14:13).
The example of Jesus, lover of solitude
In the calm and quiet of the morning Jesus found the solitude that he needed for prayer: 'And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.' (Mark 1:35). Not only in the early morning, but also during the day and in the evening Jesus withdrew into solitude to pray to the Father in secret, 'And when it was day he departed and went into a lonely place' (Luke 4:42). 'And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone' (Matthew 14:23).
When he was alone with his disciples they talked more intimately to him 'and when he was alone, those who were about him with the twelve asked him concerning the parables' (Mark 4:10).
Solitude is the setting for the practice of penance and good works, for Jesus said, 'do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you' (Matthew 6:17-18).
Prayer and solitude
We must never forget that prayer is not our initiative, prayer is a gift. It is the action of the Holy Spirit within us. The Apostle Paul tells us: 'no one can say Jesus is Lord unless he has the Spirit'. In even stronger terms the Apostle tells us: 'we do not know how to pray'. The Spirit prays within us, crying 'Abba, Father'. Prayer in solitude is a response to an invitation, it is to accept the words of Jesus: 'Come to me all you who labour and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest'.
A period of solitude is a time of divine favour, because it is the acceptance of the Lord's invitation to go apart and rest with him. This call comes to us, and we respond, we make an effort, it is as though with Jesus we get into the boat, and go apart. The early experiences of solitude are not easy. It may be that we feel we get into the boat and find that we have been left to do the rowing, or perhaps like the moment of the storm on the lake we are in the boat and the Lord is a sleep on a cushion. After having set out with the Lord we may feel that we are not getting much benefit and are making little progress. We must sit still and wait patiently for the Lord. Even if he delays we know that whether it be in the third or the fourth watch of the night, he will come. Blessed are those who are found awake and watching when their master comes.
The experience of the Transfiguration: a guide to solitude
There is a passage in the gospels which contains great teaching on solitude, and that is the account of the Transfiguration. All three evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us that 'Jesus took Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain apart'. The first thing to notice is that Jesus took the initiative, he called his three apostles and so he calls and invites us. Jesus led the way, the apostles followed. So too we must let the Lord lead the way and we follow. 'Iif anyone would come after me, take up the cross and follow me'. The Lord does not ask us to run alongside or to forge ahead, simply to follow his lead. Let the Lord lead you, he is our light, he lightens the path before us.
To climb a high mountain is not an easy task. It requires effort and if we are to reach the top we must not give up when we meet problems on the lower slopes. St Luke tells us that the reason why the Lord led his disciples up the mountain apart was 'to pray'. Solitude is such an indispensable part of Christian life that there can be no growth in holiness without it. Solitude is a sacred word because it has been consecrated by the Lord. Jesus took his apostles up the mountain apart to pray and so we see that the purpose of seeking solitude is in order to pray.
All the evangelists tell that Jesus was transfigured in the presence of his disciples but St Luke tells us that the Transfiguration took place while Jesus 'was praying'. In this detail we have a wealth of material for reflection and for encouragement. It is in prayer that true illumination and enlightenment take place. In prayer and through prayer a transfiguration can take place in our lives.
The Lord already told us this when he said that evil ways can only be overcome 'by prayer and fasting' so if we wish to be rid of evil habits let us be changed through prayer.
We have been called by our Christian vocation to be a light to the world. In and through prayer we shall become this light and shall thus be one with Christ, who is the true light.
A further detail found only in St Luke tells us about the condition of the disciples: 'Now Peter and those who were with Him were heavy with sleep'. How often when coming to prayer do people find themselves 'heavy, weighed down' often in a kind of sleep. After a few moments in the very beginning of prayer the mind wanders off, and all kinds of distractions can enter in and disturb our hearts. But like the disciples, if we wish to make progress and see the light we have to make the effort to keep awake, for Luke says 'they were heavy with sleep but kept awake' and because they kept awake 'they saw His glory'. If we are unable to stay awake, if we do not make the effort to resist temptation then we may find that like the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, despite Jesus' appeals to 'keep awake and watch', we sleep and so the Lord is taken away from our sight.
All three evangelists record Peter's words to Jesus, 'ord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.'
With these words, Peter was expressing the desire to hold on to this wonderful experience. The gospel tells us 'he did not know what he was saying'. We all have to learn that we cannot hold on to any moment or any experience. We cannot look back and say "I used to pray without difficulty if only I could recover that ease and peace that prayer used to bring". Life moves on, the search for God always involves periods of obscurity, of times when we have to walk through the valley of darkness, when we have to call upon the Lord to save us in the storm tossed waters. All growth involves suffering and pain.
The words that were spoken to Peter from the cloud apply to us all, "a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."
So simple and yet how long will it take to learn the lesson? How long will you continue to insist on your own ideals and plans, how long will you want to build your "three tents or booths" and fit Christ into your vision of what and how things should be? If there is any building to be done, let the Lord do it, he knows what he is doing and not just because he was a carpenter by trade, but because as the psalm tells us, unless the Lord builds the house our labour is in vain.
All three writers of the gospel tells us that the disciples were overshadowed by the cloud but Saint Luke tells us that "they were afraid as they entered the cloud". The cloud is scripture has always been seen as a sign of the presence of God. The people of Israel were led by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, the fear that the apostles experienced was not anxiety or terror but what the other evangelists express by saying that the disciples were filled with awe. A sense of awe and wonder is the first step to contemplation in solitude.
In a most moving phrase, the gospel tells us that Jesus came and touched the disciples and looking up they saw no one "but Jesus only". To see Jesus only is surely the goal of Christian life and is the mark of a Christian as we learn from the gospel, "'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And He will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'".(Mt 25, 34-41)
To see "Jesus only" in every situation, in every person who crosses our path.
In the account of the Transfiguration we have we have a programme for our whole spiritual life. We seek solitude in order to be with the Lord and to pray. Through prayer we shall be transformed and grow in holiness. We have to keep awake even though we may be weighed down by the cares and difficulties of daily living. Only through perseverance will we come to the light and become ourselves a light for the world. We must not seek our own way but let the Lord work in us, let him build our house. The sure way of cooperating in this work is by listening to the Word of God, letting Christ dwell in our hearts.
In silence we must reflect on all that happens and learn, grow in wisdom and insight and knowledge of the ways of the Lord. And so we become true worshippers such as the Father seeks who worship Him in spirit and in truth.