Solitude

After I completed my Camino, I stayed in Santiago for a couple of days. I then headed back to Madrid, and from there on to Barcelona. I took the train to a monastery up in the mountains about 30 miles outside of Barcelona, called Montserrat.

The monastery has been in existence for over 1,000 years. It was the location where Ignatius of Loyola had his conversion experience in 1521. It was here that he laid down his sword, took his expensive clothes and gave them to the poor, and then embraced a life of sole devotion to Christ.

The original monastery was destroyed by Napoleon but was rebuilt in the mid-1800s. It currently houses over 50 Benedictine monks who devote themselves to prayer, community, and work. They also seek to model hospitality and interfaith dialogue.

Within the first hours of my arrival, they overwhelmed me with their generosity and kindness.

For the next three days, I will be contemplating, praying, and processing the past month as I seek to consolidate my thoughts—reflecting on what I need to bring back with me and apply.

I also have a number of areas in my life that I’ve been praying over for discernment and wisdom. This will be an opportunity for me to find focus and solitude to reflect on those questions I’m bringing before the Lord.

The Scriptures teach us the importance of having times of solitude and silence. Jesus made this a regular part of his life (Luke 5:16; Mark 1:35). And in the Hebrew Scriptures, we read these beautiful verses: Lamentations 3:25–28“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord… Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him.”

So now, I will take some time to seek the Lord, surrounded by a community of monks who have devoted themselves to prayer and the pursuit of God. If you think about it, say a prayer for me—that my time here would be meaningful. 

I look forward to writing again soon. Until then, pray for me.