St. Joe's Consecration Day 25 - Interior Recollection and Discernment

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord

  I know them and they follow me. 

The Good Shepherd

A deep interior life means a heart and a mind tuned into the presence of God. God is not found in the noise of life but the silence. . . we position ourselves before God so that He may speak to us. 

"The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in active life." (St. Mother Teresa)

What is our noise and restlessness? It is our lack of trust. We act as if we can avoid suffering for ourselves and others by ruminating on our problems. We allow the noise of our thoughts to drown out the silence of God. We also let the noise of our distractions keep us from the presence of God. 

Discernment is the process by which the noise of our broken and imperfect selves quiets down--dies even--so that all that remains is the silence in which we can commune with God. His thoughts and our thoughts line up. His desires and our desires line up. 

"The total sacrifice whereby Joseph surrendered his whole existence to the demands of the Messiah's coming into his home becomes understandable only in the light of his profound interior life." (Redemptoris Custos, 25)

From Consecration to Jesus through Saint Joseph:

An Integrated Look at the Holy Family

(pp. 90-91)

Bottaro and Settle

What is the root of your distractions when you attempt to recollect yourself in silence? What are you afraid of?

• Not believing that God will provide for me. That I can only rely on myself.
• Fear of being alone
• Fear of not doing enough work so that I appear competent and valuable to other people

What is holding you back?

My inability to surrender. My refusal to admit and live from an understanding of my powerlessness and weakness. 

Draw deeper into interior recollection with the trustful surrender to the goodness of God.