Seeking Solitude

The Gospel for today (Matthew 14:13-21) once again tells of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. There is a second undercurrent in Matthew's telling of the miracle, however. Jesus was trying to get away from the crowds and they kept following him. He was searching for solitude and no one would let him have it. Yet, he kept giving from his heart to these people. He needed to be quiet and to pray and there he was continuing to love those who needed them.

I can so relate to this. Sometimes it is so hard to get through my morning prayers. One or both of my children may interrupt with whatever they may need at the moment. I try to create a sacred space. I know I need to pray to get through my day, but I am also a mom and my children do have needs. Sometimes they need to be answered immediately and sometimes I tell them they need to wait until my prayers are done. One thing that I have learned since becoming a mom is that quiet is a state of mind. Sometimes you need to find solitude in brief moments in which you can commune with God and tap into the well that provides the energy to continue to love.