The Dryness of Lent

In Lent, we are often presented with the image of the desert.  Even the decorations around our Sanctuary elicit that idea of the desert. The desert is a place of dryness and desolation. This is representative of what the Israelites experienced for 40 years after their escape from Egypt and it is representative of Jesus’ 40 days in the desert where he fasted and prayed.
 
This image can also be representative of what can happen to us in our spiritual lives. The truth is that almost every great Saint and every Catholic has gone through periods of time where their spiritual life felt dry. By “dry,” I mean that our relationship with God can feel as if it is without any fire or life.  Our time of prayer can feel as dehydrated as our hands in the dead of winter. It feels like prayer does nothing to lift us up, nor does it make us feel at peace as it once did. All of this can lead to frustration, anger, and resentment toward God.
 
If this occurs, the first thing that we must do is resist the temptation to dismiss prayer. We will be tempted to set aside prayer as being “useless” because we are not feeling any consolation or response. Resist this temptation. If we are not approaching God, how can we expect our relationship with him to grow? If we shut off our time for connection with him, how can we ever expect that passion to return? Yes, it does mean that we will not be “productive” in the traditional sense. However, it is in these moments where God is working.
 
Similar to a seed that is planted, it’s growth is invisible. It is preparing under ground for its beautiful eruption. The work must be done in quiet and in silence. If the seed is disturbed, it will not reach its full potential, and so the gardener must wait. The seed still needs water and it still needs warmth, but it must work in quiet—so too with our souls. 
 
There are times that God will be working in ways that we cannot perceive. We must still water our relationship with God through prayer. We must still give it heat by staying close to our Lord in the Eucharist. At time when God is ready, all of that preparation will result in something beautiful that will bear fruit for ourselves and the whole Church.
 
If you experience this time of dryness, remember to resist the temptation to distance yourself from prayer, rather, pursue your relationship with God all the more. If we do this, the harvest will be abundant.

Fr. Gjengdahl