Last week I was at a retreat at St. Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, Colo., reflecting with a group of folks from around the world on the future development of the contemplative lineage within the Christian tradition. It was a fruitful time, and we were vividly aware that we were sharing deep conversations about prayer and the cultivation of an awareness of God’s presence in the midst of societal pressure, anger and violence. One of my 20 colleagues was from Charlottesville, Va., and we shared in her grief, confusion and anger.