On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are you with being alone? 

If you asked Anthony of Lerins the same question, his answer would likely break the scale. He wasn’t just comfortable being alone. He preferred it. Why? Because he cherished the power of silence and solitude.

From the young age of twenty, Anthony spent as much time alone as possible. He was a monk and a hermit, living on an island in Lake Como. But due to his deep faith (and the miracles he performed) word spread about Anthony and many people wanted to become his followers. Still, Anthony prioritized his time alone with God. Are you prioritizing time alone with God?

One of the first requirements of the Christian life is to learn to be comfortable in our own company. If we are not, we will avoid silence and solitude, two of the key ingredients for spiritual

growth. But perhaps more important, we will constantly seek the approval of others, because we are afraid to be alone.

It is out of the silence that clarity emerges. We tend to look at people who live with great passion and purpose and think to ourselves that we would like that for ourselves. What most people

fail to realize is that passion and purpose are the by-products of something else: personal clarity. Those who live with passion and purpose have more personal clarity than most people. They have a greater sense of who they are and what they are here for. They know what matters most, and this empowers them to focus and prioritize their days. Where do they get this personal clarity? In the classroom of silence.

Clarity emerges from silence. You know this instinctively. If you are taking a road trip with a car full of people and you get lost, what does the driver ask everyone to do? Turn off the radio

and be quiet. Why? When you need laser clarity you want silence. Lots of people who work listening to music turn the music off when they really need to concentrate on something. Why? Clarity emerges from silence. And people who live with high levels of faith, passion and purpose are not afraid of spending some time alone in silence to work out who they are, what they are here for, and what matters most.



Feast Day: December 28 (Feast of The Holy Innocents)

Feast Day Shared By: Saint Caterina Volpicelli, Blessed Matthia dei Nazzarei, Blessed Hryhorii Khomyshyn

Also Known As: Anthony the Hermit