Taking time out with God

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December 2006

Taking time out with God

Contemplatives in action - is it a contradiction in terms? Not at all, says Margaret Johnstone as she reflects on the recent Diocesan Women's Retreat.

It is quite possible to know indubitably that we are mystically imbued with God's life giving presence, yet be able to go about our MAPing business at the same time. The problem is that this takes lots of practice.

Jesus, of course, did this standing on his head. He had the extraordinary ability to meet people where they were, physically and spiritually, to connect in some way and attend to them.

A woman's silent weekend retreat would seem the last place to go to learn about mission.

However, women at the annual Diocesan Retreat at Maryknoll in September were taught that their inner spiritual lives were in no way separate from their outer practical ones. Are we going about this business of mission without any internal God-warmth? Evelyn Underhill asks 'are we like impressive fur coats with nobody inside?'

The retreat was directed with great gentleness and deep thought by Peter Ryan, a Catholic layman from the Emmanuel Pastoral and Spirituality Centre in Launceston. Peter has a deep involvement with disabled people, having set up the Benn-Abbes (L'Arche) community in Hobart in 1986. Peter wove threads of Ignatian spirituality through his five directive talks over the weekend.

Chief of these threads was that God deals directly with us, and encourages an intimate relationship with Jesus, leading to effective apostolic service. Peter also brought the words of a poet and the works of a musician to the weekend. With the aid of these three 'guests', our fur coats became delightfully filled. The poet was Mary Oliver, and the musician, Margaret Rizza singing contemplative music recorded at the Church of St Thomas, Canterbury, Kent.

From Friday evening until Sunday afternoon we were led from the overwhelming notion of finding God in all things, to the even more startling revelation that God desires to give each of us, personally, his very self.

Unless our own lives are transformed on a regular basis, we will not have a good chance of transforming others. Why is this structure of 'time out with God' seldom used? Jesus made a regular habit of disappearing to tighten the bonds with his Father. How many parishes offer guided, 'quiet days'? Why are most of the retreat directors for the annual retreat at Maryknoll from other denominations?

Evelyn Underhill again...

'So many Christians are like deaf people at a concert. They study the programme carefully, believe every statement made in it, speak respectfully of the quality of the music, but only really hear a phrase now and again. So they have no notion at all of the mighty symphony which fills the universe, to which our lives are destined to make their tiny contribution, and which is the self-expression of the Eternal God...' (from The Spiritual Life).

Can you help?

The Women's Retreat is organised with great dedication by Jeannette Lewis who is seeking copies of the Australian Hymn Book and A Prayer Book for Australia (up to 24 of each) for the annual Diocesan Retreat for Women. If anyone has some to spare please phone Jeannette 6225 3233.

Margaret Johnstone is a lay reader in the Parish of Sorell, Richmond and Tasman.

	The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search
	a healthy church...transformingLIFE
	Home About Contact us News Issues Parishes Prayer Calendar Youth Resources

				December 2006

		Taking time out with God Contemplatives in action - is it a contradiction in terms? Not at all, says Margaret Johnstone as she reflects on the recent Diocesan Women's Retreat. It is quite possible to know indubitably that we are mystically imbued with God's life giving presence, yet be able to go about our MAPing business at the same time. The problem is that this takes lots of practice. Jesus, of course, did this standing on his head. He had the extraordinary ability to meet people where they were, physically and spiritually, to connect in some way and attend to them. A woman's silent weekend retreat would seem the last place to go to learn about mission. However, women at the annual Diocesan Retreat at Maryknoll in September were taught that their inner spiritual lives were in no way separate from their outer practical ones. Are we going about this business of mission without any internal God-warmth? Evelyn Underhill asks 'are we like impressive fur coats with nobody inside?' The retreat was directed with great gentleness and deep thought by Peter Ryan, a Catholic layman from the Emmanuel Pastoral and Spirituality Centre in Launceston. Peter has a deep involvement with disabled people, having set up the Benn-Abbes (L'Arche) community in Hobart in 1986. Peter wove threads of Ignatian spirituality through his five directive talks over the weekend. Chief of these threads was that God deals directly with us, and encourages an intimate relationship with Jesus, leading to effective apostolic service. Peter also brought the words of a poet and the works of a musician to the weekend. With the aid of these three 'guests', our fur coats became delightfully filled. The poet was Mary Oliver, and the musician, Margaret Rizza singing contemplative music recorded at the Church of St Thomas, Canterbury, Kent. From Friday evening until Sunday afternoon we were led from the overwhelming notion of finding God in all things, to the even more startling revelation that God desires to give each of us, personally, his very self. Unless our own lives are transformed on a regular basis, we will not have a good chance of transforming others. Why is this structure of 'time out with God' seldom used? Jesus made a regular habit of disappearing to tighten the bonds with his Father. How many parishes offer guided, 'quiet days'? Why are most of the retreat directors for the annual retreat at Maryknoll from other denominations? Evelyn Underhill again... 'So many Christians are like deaf people at a concert. They study the programme carefully, believe every statement made in it, speak respectfully of the quality of the music, but only really hear a phrase now and again. So they have no notion at all of the mighty symphony which fills the universe, to which our lives are destined to make their tiny contribution, and which is the self-expression of the Eternal God...' (from The Spiritual Life). Can you help? The Women's Retreat is organised with great dedication by Jeannette Lewis who is seeking copies of the Australian Hymn Book and A Prayer Book for Australia (up to 24 of each) for the annual Diocesan Retreat for Women. If anyone has some to spare please phone Jeannette 6225 3233. Margaret Johnstone is a lay reader in the Parish of Sorell, Richmond and Tasman.