Seeking Silence (And Summer Books)

Jesus comes to us in deep silence.

When peaceful silence lay over all and night had run the half of her swift course, down from the heavens from the royal throne leapt your all powerful word ~ Wisdom 18:14, 15

My life is so busy it concerns me. Its pace brooks no hesitation, no daydreams, and very little interior silence.

I sat in front of the Blessed Sacrament about two weeks ago, and spent an hour filling one page of a legal pad with my many obligations, concerns, worries, to-do lists, and questions in an attempt to lay them all at the feet of Our Lord. I asked Him to help me to simplify—to identify priorities and release whatever might be getting in the way of His will for my life. There is no question I felt a sense of peace afterward, but no specific guidance was forthcoming on where to trim the load. I left feeling like God just wanted me to keep going.

However, a couple of days later, my husband suddenly made an uncharacteristic and quite impassioned plea for me to finish my mystery novel. It's something that has been slowly taking shape over the last several years and is nearly finished. A project, begun on a lighthearted whim, has deepened through much prayer and the passage of time. But I tend to shelve it, again and again, for more "important" work. I consider my little fictional world a guilty pleasure and a distraction, and have just been assuming that God needs me "out there" in the real world, more than within the pages of a tale of faith, murder, and redemption.

Within days of my husband's startling speech, I developed a stress fracture in my left ankle, from working out too hard. I was fitted with an air cast that threw me off balance and out of proper spinal alignment. The pain was considerable. I had to cancel several commitments, get to the chiropractor, and slow way, way down.

Around the same time I rather timidly asked my editor at this website for June and July off to finish a couple of projects—my novel being one. She was great about it. Next, I notified my staff at AmazingCatechists.com that I would do the same with the website. They've all been supportive, too (and a few will continue posting through the summer). Soon afterward, I met with my spiritual director, Monsignor Charles Fink, who counseled me wisely and shared a treasure that really affirmed the need to take a break from my routines.

Father Fink (as he prefers to be called) is a convert to Catholicism, a Vietnam War veteran, an avid reader, and the Director of Spiritual Formation for the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, in Huntington, New York. He's a remarkable, humble priest with a soft voice and an incredibly gentle spirit. He reminds me a lot of my dad, another bookish, gentlemanly fellow (also a Vietnam Vet and devoutly Catholic).

I trust Father Fink to pray for me, to share good and nourishing thoughts and ideas, recommend books, and respond to my many questions. I'm always scribbling notes when I'm with him. Like my dad, Father Fink prefers to write most things long-hand, rather than typing them at a keyboard. So it really surprised me when he told me about his truly extraordinary website project, devoted to the writings and audio recordings of the late, great retreat master, British priest, Father John Keep.

Another convert, scholar, and war veteran, Father Keep spent the last several years of his priestly life as chaplain to a community of Visitation Sisters in the picturesque English town of Waldron, in East Sussex. In addition to his duties to the Sisters, for decades he gave a series of monthly retreats that were open to both lay people and religious. Many of his short talks were recorded, and thirty years of written talks were preserved for posterity by his publisher, John Whelan.

About twenty years ago, Father Fink came across an advertisement for tapes of some religious talks that were billed as "positively addictive." He ordered the first set of five tapes, found them excellent, and then ordered another five. They were consistently "marvelous" and indeed habit-forming. He later wrote to Mr. Whelan, wanting to learn more about this wonderful priest and preacher, and was invited to England to meet him, staying a week and befriending both men. The brief retelling of this story is worth reading . In the years that followed, these invaluable resources would be entrusted to Father Fink to share freely with the world.

Totally orthodox in their content, Father Keep's retreat meditations are presented in a quiet simplicity that required a real adjustment of my American sensibilities. I had to yield to the unhurried pace, the gentleness of the big man's voice, the depths of meaning in his brief presentations.

The first recording I listened to confirmed everything I felt God had been trying to say to me all week; I needed to seek Him in silence. Here is an excerpt of the first segment of a recorded retreat called "God's Word," which particularly affected me:

In all eternity, God the Father, whom we love, has only spoken one Word. The Eternal Word is spoken in the silence of God's glory in a stillness like the middle of the night. And those who wish to hear this Word must receive it in deep silence and in a stillness like the middle of the night.

When in time the Word became flesh and dwelt among us He came in silence. It was in the recollected silence of the heart of Mary as she pondered deeply over the things of God; that is how He first came. It was by the silent powerful action of the Holy Spirit, overshadowing the quietness of her soul as she listened, that He came. The Spirit of God speaks the Word of God into our hearts like a still, small interior voice, and it is in the most beautiful language that there is.

I hope you'll take some quiet time and stop by Father Fink's site to listen to one or two of these extraordinary and beautiful talks. The written ones make great, great reading.

And then, I hope you will seek Him in silence, as will I, in the slower months of summer.

With this break in mind, I recommended some of my favorite spiritual books in last week's column ; below are a few additional picks from a variety of genres, which I hope you'll enjoy.

God bless you! And have a beautiful summer of refreshment in the Lord. Let us meet here again, in August, ready to Be Amazing Catechists to our students, our kids, and to each other!

Sincerely in Christ,

Lisa

Great Books to Tuck in a Beach Bag: (all carry the Catholic Writer's Guild Seal of Approval)

Fiction In Name Only , by Ellen Gable; Gold Medal Winner in the Religious Fiction category, 2010 Independent Publishers Book Awards—a wonderful Catholic romance, rich in Theology of the Body and faith/redemption themes.

Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes , by Ann Margaret Lewis; this is the 2011 Gold Medal Winner in the same category. Ann writes the missing cases referred to by Dr. Watson in the original stories. These are wonderfully researched with charming, lively characters.

Infinite Space, Infinite God (I and II) ; Anthologies edited by Karina Fabian, who wrote some of the stories and has won many awards. These are terrific collections of science fiction informed by an authentic Catholic perspective. They are dramatic, funny, and intriguing. Karina also writes fantasy novels with really delightful funny bones. Check out her book list here .

Non-Fiction Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader's Eye-Opening Journey across the Life Line , by Abby Johnson (with Cindy Lambert). What an amazing memoir, written with unflinching honesty. For all of us "true believers" on the pro-life side, we simply must try to see this debate through the eyes of well-meaning people on the "other" side in order to acquire a well-informed and compassionate Christian perspective. This book accomplishes that. A stunning read.

The Amazing Secret of the Holy Souls in Purgatory: An Interview with Maria Simma , by Sister Emmanuel of Medjugorje. This is a fascinating little book, an interview with Austrian mystic, Maria Simma, who ministers to the Holy Souls who have appeared to her for decades. It increased my faith. Read it free online here , or purchase it through Amazon.

The Quest for Shakespeare , by Joseph Pearce. This examination of the facts of Shakespeare's life by a great contemporary biographer reads like a fast-paced mystery and convincingly presents the case for Shakespeare's Catholic faith. Don't be intimidated by the subject matter. It's a lot of fun. (And once you've read Pearce's book, try anything from the No Fear Shakespeare series . You need never fear the Bard again. In this series, the original text of each play is displayed on the left side and a modern vernacular translation on the right. Our home school group is using these to help our children—ages 7 and up—to befriend some of the greatest plays ever written. We all love them.)

A Guy's List I can't vouch for these personally, so caveat emptor : My husband recommends:

Seabiscuit: An American Legend , by Laura Hillenbrand, which chronicles the true story of one of the greatest race horses in American history. (I have actually read several chapters of this and enjoyed it . . . so far!) This should be in your public library.

With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa , by E.B. Sledge. Another of my husband's top picks in historical reading. For those who love true war stories.

Have a delightful summer! Happy Reading!

Seeking Silence (and Summer Books)