The situation precipitated by Covid-19 has prompted us into a different lifestyle where, admittedly, we are stuck since this is not what we have planned. Things have gone pretty awry in our daily schedule and this might prompt in us a feeling of fear and hesitation. We are no longer in control of our daily lives, to an extent. We may be cooped up in our homes with mounting levels of frustration.
Yet, this situation might be a blessing in disguise. Put simply, we have ample time for reflection. Here, I want to unravel our Christian heritage to the special times of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. These were the people who ventured into the desert in search of the ultimate truth and they managed to arrive at a distillation of the Gospel truth. This they did by reflecting on the Gospels and living this transformation.
Our strange situation may be an invitation to venture into this desert. This desert, inside the recesses of our heart, is the place of solitude where we encounter God. We can, thus, speak of the desert of the heart. It is the place which empowers us to reflect and to act accordingly. It renders us free from all matters which are not conducive to our growth. Reflection on the Word of God and discernment transforms us into real persons who are witnesses to the love of God. Prior to his ministry, Jesus went into the desert, and at many points in his life, we find him in solitude, engaged in prayer.
The desert is a harsh reality because we are rendered helpless and come face to face with a stark reality. We are stripped bare of frivolities. The Desert Fathers and Mothers described their cell as "the Furnace of Babylon in which the three children found the Son of God." (Thomas Merton). This is the place where the monk becomes blazing with fire yet becomes consumed by a pure love.
During this period, I want to share with you some more thoughts in order to empower each other and also to build each other as community. Our desert of the heart becomes the heart of empowerment which transforms us through the grace of God in our dealings with the other. It is like a chain reaction where the fire of the Spirit transforms the whole community.