quieting, day 2

Come to Stillness:
Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.

Opening Prayer:

Uncrowd my heart, O God,

until silence speaks

in your still small voice;

turn me from the hearing of words,

and the making of words,

and the confusion of much speaking,

to listening,

waiting,

stillness,

silence.

                              ~Thomas Merton

Psalm for the Week: Psalm 23

Scripture for the Day: Mark 1:29-39

Reading for Reflection:

Somewhere we know that without a lonely place our lives are in danger.  Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, without distance closeness cannot cure.  Somewhere we know that without a lonely place our actions quickly become empty gestures.  The careful balance between silence and words, withdrawal and involvement, distance and closeness, solitude and community forms the basis of the Christian life and should therefore be the subjects of our most personal attention.  Let us therefore look somewhat closer, first at our life in action, and at our life in solitude. (Out of Solitude by Henri J. M. Nouwen)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

Song for the Week: Be Still My Soul

 

            Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.

            Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

            Leave to thy God to order and provide;

            In every change, He faithful will remain.

            Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend

            Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

            Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

            To guide the future, as He has the past.

            Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

            All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

            Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know

            His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Closing Prayer:

O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and

rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be

our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee,

to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou

art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(The Book of Common Prayer)