--- title: "Praying Twice: Holy Darkness by John Michael Talbot" description: "Susan Bailey reflects on the difficult task of waiting for clarity from God with music by John Michael Talbot: \"Holy Darkness.\"" --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/07/27/praying-twice-holy-darkness-by-john-michael-talbot/#) [MEDIA](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/media) # Praying Twice: Holy Darkness by John Michael Talbot Jul 27, 2018 3:30:11 PM  |  by [Susan Bailey](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/susan-bailey) !["Praying Twice" (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/praying-twice.png) Image copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz. All rights reserved.[/caption] > “Holy darkness, blessed night Heaven's answer hidden from our sight As we await you, O God of silence We embrace your holy night.” How many of us have gone through times of confusion, longing for clarity? What does God want of me? Why is this thing happening? Where am I supposed to go? Anxiety rises at times to a fevered pitch as we demand answers through our prayer. Limbo is a tough place to be! As Tom Petty put it, “The waiting is the hardest part.” Yet sometimes, many times, that is what God is asking of us. We don’t know why and it is hard to accept. For driven problem-solvers and result-oriented people; waiting is considered a waste of our time. Yet it is a time of possibility, growth and blessing. John Michael Talbot expresses God’s meaning for this time of limbo and confusion beautifully in his song, “Holy Darkness:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAeCzCDb9NQ As you meditate on this song, ponder these things: 1. Is the waiting somehow easier as you think on these lyrics? 2. Does this song help to illuminate God’s purpose in making us wait? What do you think He is trying to teach us? 3. What do you think you need to do in order to learn how to wait? How will you implement it this week? ### [See our other Praying Twice features here.](http://catholicom.com/tag=praying-twice) --- *Copyright 2018 Susan W. Bailey*   ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F07%2F27%2Fpraying-twice-holy-darkness-by-john-michael-talbot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F07%2F27%2Fpraying-twice-holy-darkness-by-john-michael-talbot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F07%2F27%2Fpraying-twice-holy-darkness-by-john-michael-talbot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Praying%20Twice%3A%20Holy%20Darkness%20by%20John%20Michael%20Talbot) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F07%2F27%2Fpraying-twice-holy-darkness-by-john-michael-talbot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F07%2F27%2Fpraying-twice-holy-darkness-by-john-michael-talbot%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Susan Bailey](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/susan_bailey1.jpg) ### [Susan Bailey](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/susan-bailey) Susan Bailey is the author of *River of Grace: Creative Passages Through Difficult Times* (Ave Maria Press), and *Louisa May Alcott: Illuminated by The Message* (ACTA Publications), part of their Literary Portals to Prayer series. Along with her blogs Be as One and Louisa May Alcott is My Passion, Susan writes for the Diocese of Worcester newspaper, *The Catholic Free Press*. ## Related Blog Articles [ Praying Twice: Agnus Dei by Michael John Poirier Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/06/22/praying-twice-agnus-dei-by-michael-john-poirier/) [ Praying Twice: Gregorian Chant Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/08/30/praying-twice-gregorian-chant/) [ Can't go away on retreat this Lent? Try this stay-at-home multi-media retreat, "A Journey Within" Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/03/08/cant-go-away-retreat-lent-try-stay-home-multi-media-retreat-journey-within) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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