When our hearts are directed to the Lord, seeking him and his grace, we can be given the gift of consolation – the experience of being uplifted by God. We see the goodness of creation around us.
However, when our hearts turn away from the Lord, if we turn our gaze away from him and stop seeking his grace, we can experience
desolation – the experience of God’s absence. We can cease to see the goodness around us and the gifts of our lives.
It is important to realise that when we experience desolation, it doesn’t mean that God is absent. We just don’t recognise his presence in our lives. If this happens to us, we can be uplifted by the idea that all we need to do is turn our face back towards God, who is always calling us and drawing us to
him.
If we find ourselves in desolation today, we are invited to come to the Lord in prayer, seeking his face. In his mercy, he will draw us into his love, his grace and his light.
Reflections by Grant Tungay SJ
