Jesus calls us to seek Him

The world is filled with distractions. With smartphones, we all carry a modern-day ‘Ring of Power’ in our pockets—a tool of immense power, but also a source of temptation and control. If you’ve read Tolkien, you know this isn’t a compliment. Our modern media landscape seems designed to drain us, turning us into wraiths—restless, distracted, and disconnected from the peace Christ invites us to. Social media, 24/7 news, and endless content all distract us from our true purpose. Idle comfort masks complacency. But distraction isn’t new. Our fallen nature has always drawn us away from God. The persistent urge you might feel to avoid prayer is proof of this battle.

Even spiritual masters struggle. Noise is as loud as we allow it. Our self-focused desires will always lead us away from God, away from peace toward chaos and despair.

The antidote today is the same as ever: let our hearts rest in God. But how do we respond to the grace being offered in order to find that rest? Our spiritual heroes have told us the answer:

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence.” — St. Teresa of Calcutta

“The Father spoke one Word, which was His Son, and this Word He speaks always in eternal silence, and in silence, it must be heard by the soul.” — St. John of the Cross

And look to Our Lord’s example: “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Lk 5:16).

In silence, our hearts, minds, and souls are free to hear the still, small voice of God speaking to each of us. Amid the chaos, an intentional retreat is the best strategy. Silent retreats help us rediscover Christ’s peace, but we must choose to step away from the noise.

I’ve known this since my adolescence, but as middle-aged life became busier, I lost sight of this truth. Several years ago, I recommitted to annual silent retreats. Living in Nevada, finding such retreats is difficult, so in 2024, I traveled 1,300 miles to Conception Abbey. The journey was transformative, and the peace I found was invaluable.

Seeking Christ in a period of silence should be central to every Catholic’s life. Conception Abbey’s retreat model is simple yet profound, rooted in the traditions of Jesus, the desert fathers, and Benedictine peace. I hope more retreat houses adopt this approach.

Jesus calls each of us to seek Him, to find Him—He is the Way. And in purposeful silence, we will find Him. This is the heart of the Conception Abbey retreat series. 

—Tony Schweiss

Retreatant Testimonial

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