Aging Spiritually: Learning to Breathe Again
Mountains and Valleys
Luke 5:16, Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35-37
“Abide in me as I abide in you.”
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Two years ago this month the world recognized something that changed our lives in ways not experienced in a century –the coronavirus pandemic. Now, after two years of isolation, social distancing, masks, illness, and death, we are beginning to reclaim our lives. It’s been a long two years.
Last week I looked at Genesis 2:7 where God, “formed (humankind) from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of God; and the (human) became a living being.” With every breath we take,we repeat that sacred moment, inhaling the breath of God who is life.
My theme for this blog in the season of Lent is Learning to Breathe Again. I am exploring how we can come out of this pandemic with spiritual resilience, growing closer to God individually as well as corporately. I hope you will join me each week as we learn to breathe into our lives the presence of God who is life.
How do we grow in relationship with the God who is life, light, and love (see Aging Spiritually, March 7, 2022)? The Bible offers many examples, but today I want to focus on how Jesus related to God. The Gospels tell us Jesus related to God in both mountains and valleys –mountains of prayer and valleys of service.
The Mountain of Prayer. Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to go to deserted places, sometimes on a mountain, so he could pray in solitude. “He would withdraw to deserted places to pray” Lk 5:16. “He went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone” Mt 14:23. Where do you meet with God? Where is your deserted place, your mountain of prayer?
Solitude is different from isolation. Solitude for prayer is purposeful. We separate ourselves from others to better focus our hearts and minds on the presence of God who is with us in our solitude.
Solitude and silence enable our prayer to become deeper, more genuine. More important, in solitude and silence we are better able to listen to the still, small voice that speaks to our hearts. There we can receive the peace of God’s indwelling Spirit which quietly abides within (Jn 15:4).
Henri Nouwen writes, “It is in the lonely place, where Jesus enters into intimacy with the Father, that his ministry is born” (Spiritual Formation, 21). In that deserted place of mutual abiding our ministry is also born.
The Valley of Service. The mountain of prayer was never a stopping place for Jesus. He always returned to the valley of loving service and care. “In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you” (Mk 1:35-37).
Our relationship with God is expressed in prayer, which calls, informs, and guides us in acts of service and care for others. Jesus came down from the mountain of solitude, returning to community in the valley. His quiet communion with God gave him words to teach, power to heal, and love to share
(Jn 14:10).
Where is your valley of service? How does your relationship with God result in actions of caring ministry with others? As you learn to breathe again, relate to God on the mountain of prayer and in the valley of service. Then your prayer of solitude will result in acts of love for others.
Practice
Our practice this week is spiritual listening. Read Mark 1:29-39. As you read, ask the question, God, what are you saying to me just now? Read slowly, allowing each word to speak to your heart and nourish your spirit. Notice the word or phrase that speaks most strongly to you. What is God saying to you today through this reading?
Greg Smith
Legacy Ministry for Older Adults