Mark 4: 35-45 Quiet! Be Still!

"Quiet!  Be still" Jesus orders.  Nature follows it master's command.  The Apostles too are comforted and quieted. 

A priest once told me that this is one of the most difficult things to do in life is to be quiet and still.  With my experience, I believe it.  When I started running I chose not to use a device for music.  That meant that I had a lot of quiet time on the trails.  It was really difficult to be alone with my thoughts and no computer, TV or radio for distraction. It helped to bring greater awareness to the need for that quiet in my prayer life.  It is in that stillness that I can turn inward to that voice within, God's voice, that small whisper in my heart, reminiscent of Jesus' small quiet voice in that great storm. I am assured that he is near not only in the good times, but also the turbulent times too. 

It is still difficult for me to sit quietly and just listen.  Our pastor gives us communal prayer for Adoration, but them allows us a quiet period for personal prayer.  I watch people with their prayer books and other religious material.  I tried that, but then realized that I wasn't quieting myself inside, just externally.    I took my inspiration in this thought from my trail runs.  Then I stumbled upon a quote from Mother Teresa, "God speaks in the silence of our hearts, Listening is the beginning of prayer."  I began to focus on one thing only, perhaps a scene from Jesus' life and I would think of what he said to his disciples.  I would put myself into the scene.  That is how I found that quiet place within my heart.  Soon I realized that I was able to think clearly about different things in my life, my priorities were slowly changing.  I even gave up a computer game that I'd played for over a year and replaced it with visiting those in my community who were home bound.  God speaks to people in different ways.  The real question is, are we listening? 

Luke 4:14-22a Scripture Fulfilled

Have you ever gone away from family for awhile and returned home to meet everyone again for a reunion?  Suddenly despite how our experiences may have changed us, we are put right back into our  familial stereo types and expectations.  Have you considered if you were there within the temple seeing the son of the carpenter, one of your old playmates, or a cousin suddenly take up a scroll of Isiah, read it, and ending by stating that he was the fulfillment of the messianic passage.  How would you react?  You'd been taught to wait for the Messiah, and here is a person you know saying he is the Messiah.  Luke tells us, "All spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth." 

The first letter of St. John reminds us that all who love God also love one begotten by him, namely his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  In doing so we love Christ and each other as Christ taught us.  If we do not love each other, then don't we lie when we say we love God?  It is sometimes hard to love each other.  Hurt, deception, and killing can stop us and make it difficult to love each other.  A man mentioned yesterday that it is difficult to love because he can't forgive.  In the course of the liturgy he realized that he and we are being called to forgive.  Sometimes that first step to forgiving is praying for those who have hurt us, he realized.  Let us endeavor to take those small first steps that will unite us in love with Our Father in Christ.