ALONE AND TOGETHER

One of the reasons for meditation is to journal our thoughts, prayers, ideas or revelations. This can be helpful to include our thoughts of others. There is great mystery here. On the one hand we must find time to be alone, to seek the Lord in silence and solitude and on the other hand we cannot stay alone because much of our focus and intent should be directed to those we live with. If there is no one other than ourselves involved in our meditations then we soon have only single opinion and single insight. The fastest way to expand is to write down our thoughts and in so doing we discover instantly how selfish they might be, or how universal.

We can never truly pray as individuals if we are completely set apart from the world. We only seek silence so we can take that silence into the noise and we only seek solitude so we can take it into community and we only seek love so we can take it into hurt and destruction. We pray alone so we may enter the accompaniment of others. We practice our solo part to take it to the whole symphony.

This is much like we read in Luke 9:18, “Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him.” Jesus was alone but also with others who were with him in his prayer time.

“But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus