“Might we be oblivious to a gift that God bestows with astonishing regularity in our spiritual lives?” – Fr. Mark Yavarone
“If all we encounter is an unwelcome silence, we might fall into self-absorption and start trying to deconstruct the desert, thus focusing attention on ourselves, when we should be looking at Jesus.” – Glenn Dickinson
“Given the complexity of discerning between consolation and desolation, St. Ignatius also highly valued spiritual direction. A skilled spiritual director can help us navigate these experiences, offering guidance, perspective, and support.” – Jen Arnold
“When we feel strong and consoled in our relationship with the Lord, it is the perfect time to earnestly beg His loving help for times of future weakness, doubt, and desolation.” – Megan Hjelmstad
“A spiritual dark night vs. darkness in life is differentiated by its origin.” – Debra Black
Join us for this episode of Divine Intimacy Radio “Finding Peace in the Storm Part 10: Desolation, Aridity and Prayer” as we talk with Jordan
“The spiritual life, our relationship with God, is eternal and never-ending. Similarly, the Spiritual Exercises have no ‘end’.” – Debra Black
“I will never forget driving home from work for months as tears would fall on my steering wheel. For the first time in my life, I was upset with God.” – Patrick O’Hearn
“Throughout our lives we too go through the ebb and flow of consolation and desolation. But never has our desolation compared to Christ’s.” – Patrick O’Hearn
“No matter how blessed a time the retreat was, most of us are not called to live on the mountain alone with God. We have families, jobs, and communities that, whether we like it or not, are waiting for us. The key, I emphasize, is to integrate our experience on retreat into our daily lives.” – Fr. Jeremiah Shryock