Journey through the wilderness this Lenten season with a new blog published every week by Patrick.

How often have you and I attempted to fill the quiet, waiting space this past week? The answer is likely a lot. 

Where do we go when waiting in line at the grocery store, sitting at a red light, waiting for the kettle to boil? Many times I find myself picking up my phone and scrolling, making a phone call or turning on the radio a bit later.

I hate waiting, so I distract myself. 

We have only a few more days of waiting and preparing in this season of Lent. We have intentionally created space and gone to the wilderness to encounter Jesus.

The wilderness is a space. It’s a gap—an in-between state. The wilderness is the space between what was and what is to come.

This is Holy Week. The in-between.

And this presents an opportunity for silence. 

In these final few days of Holy Week, we have an opportunity to be with Jesus in the silence of His Passion and Death. 

The silence of Judas’ kiss of betrayal, the silence of Peter’s denial, the silence of Jesus’ agony in the garden. The great silence after His final breath on the cross and entombment.  

And it is very easy to let this week pass by just like any other week. We can be full of distractions, commitments and noise in many different places.

However, only in the silence of prayer and repentance can we truly identify that we are Judas and Peter. 

It’s in the gap of silence that we have space to realize that in each of our lives we betray and deny Jesus. 

But this is the week of our salvation!

May it be a week marked by an encounter with silence that truly transforms us.

As people who betray, we are transformed into faithful disciples; as people who deny, we are transformed into missionary witnesses.

Set aside distractions and carve out space and opportunities for silent prayer and reflection this week.

I invite you to take time right now for silence. Set aside what you are doing and invite Jesus into the silence of your heart for a few minutes. I pray that it may be a time of true grace for you this Holy Week.  

Patrick is a beloved son of the Father who desires to use his gifts to build up the Kingdom of God. You can read more of his writing on his blog.