I have heard it said that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Does absence really cause us to gain deeper affection for others? How does absence come in relationships? Do we sometime intentionally make distance in our relationship so that there is greater absence? Does the cause of the distance in relationship have influence as to how we respond to the absence of one’s presence in our life?
Several of you have mentioned that since the inception of my newly retired status from the organized Church, you have missed our weekly blogs. Others have dropped off our email list service since they have not received anything from Living Streams Flowing Water ministry for a while. Some only notice that a blog has not gone out since Christmas of last year, and now it is nearly Easter of the following year, when they see me. Others have not even noticed at all that the sending of this blog has shifted. Yet still others wait. In the waiting these people project trust in God’s time that God’s word will come.
A vital human attribute is connection with others. When we share our presence, ourselves that is, with others through frequent communication, sharing our time, attention, and our story, we convey to the other that they are important. Their importance is not only to us as we engage them, but also imperative for our relationship with God.
When our lives get busy or when we get encased in the many tasks of sustaining daily life, it is often easy to let a day to two slips by without spending intentional time with God. A day or two has potential of becoming more and more days which may increase our hearts’ absence from an unseen God. It is said, the first thing to be neglected in our human busyness is our time of prayer. My wonder is, does absence cause our heart to grow fonder in relationship with God? Could our absence of intentional shared presence with God slip into minimal nods to God or even move us from reliance upon God to ever increasing self-led lives?
The Scripture
Holy Week is almost upon us! During Jesus’ final days before crucifixion, he prepared the disciples for his absence. Look at Mark 9. There we discover the disciples have strong reactions to the announcement that Jesus is going away. That reaction encompassed confusion, fear, and misunderstanding. Did their reaction draw them nearer to God or lead them away from Jesus? Would absence of Jesus make their hearts grow fonder?
Today’s Prayer Practice
An Examen is a review of life. St Ignatius structed the Daily Examen for us to practice it morning, mid-day, and evening. During this Examen the pray -er asks God to recall to mind and heart the events of the day. First in this recollection one is to notice consolation (where we were consciously aware of the presence of God throughout the day). In the next silent pause, one is to become aware of desolation (those times throughout the day when we were not consciously aware of God’s presence). And finally, the question for our reflection is: “What would you do differently tomorrow to gain an even great conscious awareness of God’s presence through the day?”
Our Examen today is for considering our relationships. Relationships include people with whom we engage and with God. How are we present to others and to God? Is there any time of absence in our relationships? As you spend time with the St. Ignatius questions above, what do you discover? How will you celebrate the relationships where you do a fantastic job intentionally sharing presence? Is there a call to action for you to increase shared presence with others and or with God? End your time of Relationship Examen by giving thanks to God.
Enjoy Praying.
