Dear Friends,
In a little over a week, I’ll be heading to Italy to participate in a Revolution. I’m very excited to be a part of such a radical movement! Our plans: nothing less than to change the world!
Say what? Well, as many of you know, I head to Assisi, Italy at the end of August for my annual month of leading “peace retreats.” These are week-long retreats where I accompany people as they foster their contemplative life, their search for silence, their inner journey to find their deepest core and truest self, one connected to God, others and the entire universe. Nice, you say, but not particularly “revolutionary.” Yet, in fact, as Rowan Williams says so beautifully:
Contemplation is . . . the key to the essence of a renewed humanity that is capable of seeing the world and other subjects in the world with freedom—freedom from self-oriented, acquisitive habits and the distorted understanding that comes from them. To put it boldly, contemplation is the only ultimate answer to the unreal and insane world that our financial systems and our advertising culture and our chaotic and unexamined emotions encourage us to inhabit. To learn contemplative practice is to learn what we need so as to live truthfully and honestly and lovingly. It is a deeply revolutionary matter.
Living truthfully, honestly and lovingly: what could be more important? What could be more revolutionary in the world’s present state of lies, dishonesty and division? I’m excited to get to Assisi and get going.
Yet, I’ll also be excited to return and to offer opportunities for anyone interested—parishioner, friend of the parish, seekers from any background—to join the revolution. Through Saint Miriam parish I’ll be offering opportunities to come together in person or via Zoom to delve into the Contemplative life through teachings on and the community practice of Centering Prayer.
I hope many will consider joining this “deeply revolutionary matter.”
Peace and ever good,
Father Liam