The noun, rumination, means a deep considered thought about something.

Last Sunday, I had a restless dream that I remembered when I woke up and has made me think a lot about it since then.

The dream was about being in a remote country on some sort of retreat or pilgrimage. In the dream, I felt a wonderful sense of calm and joy at the place where I was with fellow retreatants. We were in a monastery like setting etched into the side of a mountain with a beautiful chapel and view of beautiful mountains and valleys below. 

The group that was visiting this location with me was scheduled to leave to go and visit another Church location. I told them I wanted to stay where I was and would find my way back to them at some point. The priest leading the tour kind of winced at my naivete in thinking I would be able to do this and left very concerned that I did not stay with the group. 

After they left and as I was about to tell the monks living there that I would accept their invitation to stay for an additional day or more, I quickly came to my senses in my dream and asked myself if I had made a good decision. 

Questions quickly entered my mind about how I would travel back to the group being in such a remote area. There were no buses on this road and no taxies. The monks only had one car and that was often used for charitable ministry in the area that I was at. I started to panic, wondering what would happen if I missed my plane. I woke up in a very anxious state of mind.

After I had woke up, I said to myself that one’s intentions might be honorable but going off one’s own without needed guidance might lead to chaos; an inability to get home.

I then thought isn’t that true about one’s journey to God? We all try our best to follow the path given to us by Jesus. If we think we can sidestep the guidance we are given by Jesus, Church or our priests, we may find ourselves lost or worse not on the path on which leads us to God. 

By Deacon Tom Gryzbek