I’ve just returned from a week of silent retreat at the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in beautiful Wernersville, PA.  For all the years I worked in higher ed, my retreats had to be in the summer, so this was my first opportunity to soak in the fall foliage of the rolling hills around God’s country house.  It felt fitting, pondering the autumn of my life (early autumn, one hopes) during the autumn of the year, as the fruits of both are similar.

First is the most obvious:  the stunning and particular beauty of this season.  On retreat, I spent hours outside, gazing at the gratuitous blaze of colors all around me, the leaves spiraling down like fiery snowflakes, the kind angle of sunlight turning the afternoons golden.  From the west cloister in the hour before dinner, I could bask in surprising warmth at the end of a clear, brisk day. 

It makes me conscious of the beauty of later life, for those who can embrace it gracefully.  I call to mind the white-haired women I know, the lines in their faces etched by a lifetime of smiles.  I think of the older Jesuits at Wernersville—men I’ve known for decades—joints stiff, shoulders a bit stooped, but their whole being still aflame with a well-tended fire that the Jesuit novices on retreat could only envy. 

Next are the literal fruits (and vegetables) of autumn.  Gone are the tender peaches and snap peas, the bumper crop of fast-growing zucchini; farm stands are full of apples, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes now.  This is the time for hearty produce:  the kind that has taken all season to ripen, that packs in the nutrients, and that can withstand the coming cold.

This is the wisdom of the autumn of life.  There are lessons that only come through time, reflection, and loss.  Certain spiritual insights are visible only from this vantage point, as we look back on our own personal salvation history.  The wisdom of autumn knows there is frost in the forecast, but has the power to nourish us through the dark days ahead.

And finally, there is the gleaning.  During my long walks on retreat, I saw the ground littered with corn cobs, acorns, and fallen apples.  The harvest is over, but there is so much still available to feed the sweet chipmunks, frisky squirrels, and roaming deer.  It reminds me of the Biblical mandate to leave the corners of one’s field unharvested, and not go back to pick any overlooked produce, so that those who are in need may find some sustenance.

Gleaning is all about availability.  We may not have a field to leave unplowed, but the autumn of life may give us a unique opportunity to make ourselves available.  With calendars no longer scheduled to the very edges, we are more free to respond to those in need, whether in our families, neighborhoods, or faith communities.  “Where do you need me today?” we can ask God, and listen for the answer.

And speaking of availability . . . If you can spare two hours on Tuesday, I’m offering a Zoom retreat through St. Placid Priory on the topic “Finding God in Ordinary (and Far-from-Ordinary) Time.”  We’ll explore nature as a way of connecting with God in any season, and consider the wisdom of St. Ignatius Loyola’s First Principle and Foundation.  The retreat will feature mostly presentation, with time for reflection and two brief breakouts.  That’s this Tuesday, October 27, from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. EASTERN.  Click here to register ($25).

Though we live in fraught times (understatement!), I hope this autumn finds you able to appreciate the beauty, wisdom, and availability that the season evokes in these waning weeks of Ordinary Time.

May your ordinary (and far-from-ordinary) days be extraordinarily blessed!

Christine

P.S. I am offering several Advent retreats in both live and Zoom formats; stay tuned for a newsletter with details in early November, or visit my Speaker page.