One day during our annual retreat is carved out as a “desert day”– a day for which no formal conferences are held, the hours of prayer are prayed privately, and aside from Mass and meals, there is nothing on the schedule. As spiritual tradition holds, a desert day is a day intentionally set aside for solitude, reflection, and drawing closer to God. Inspired by Jesus’ time spent in the desert, a desert day is a deliberate withdrawal from daily routines and distractions to focus on spiritual growth and encounter with the divine.
Ironically, as the title of this blog suggests, my desert day this year was anything but dry. I had planned a wonderful and peaceful desert day. Weather reports told me that rain would move into the region in the afternoon. Therefore, to avoid getting wet on my desert day, I rose early and went down to the shores of Lake Superior to have my Morning Prayer as the sun came up over the lake. I then planned to spend the rest of the morning walking along the Lakewalk. Ahh, best-laid plans! It gently rained for my entire walk along the lake. As it turned out I had a very wet desert day.
I am happy to say that the rain did not disrupt my day. On the contrary, it was a great reminder that God’s blessings are like rain showers. Rather than thinking about whatever it was that I was going to think about, through the rain, the Holy Spirit led me to reflect upon the nurturing, life-giving, and abundant nature of divine favor. I thought of how just as rain nourishes the earth and brings forth growth, God’s blessings are a source of sustenance, renewal, and prosperity in my life. I thought about all the ways God showers unexpected and unmerited blessings on my life. What a wonderful (and wet) desert day!
