Take Time to Step Back From Our Hectic Lives
OPENING PRAYER
A prayer of silence and listening and patience ...
"Jesus came to us as a child so that we might come to understand not only that nothing we do is insignificant, but that every small thing we do has within it the power to change the world.” "TAKE TIME TO STEP BACK FROM OUR HECTIC LIVES" How do you dedicate time, space, and yourself to be present in silence with God without distractions? VIDEOS
"Silence" (Decision Point 4.0 — Matthew Kelly) MUSIC
"Come, Lord, Jesus" OTHER RESOURCES
"How to Practice Contemplative Mediation" REFLECT ON YOUR EXPERIENCE
O Lord, I offer you this moment of silence.
faith and flowers
This moment is for You.
I consent to Your action
In my mind and in my heart
In my will and in my soul.
I welcome Your action!
And to prepare myself, to make room for You,
I will sit here, quietly, with my eyes closed,
In an attitude of peaceful rest and loving devotion,
My intent is to welcome You.
I will slow down my thoughts and my imagination,
I will calm down my fears and my emotions,
I will try to exercise patience and humility
And I offer you these feeble efforts…
I lift up my soul to You,
Whispering in my heart and in my mind,
"Here I am! Quiet but attentive to You"
Amen.
Source: http://www.leblogdelabergerie/prayers.com
Joan Chittister, OSB
If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we are hungry—hungry for an authentic encounter with God, and hoping to have our lives transformed by that encounter. We want to experience God now and through that experience to find meaning, purpose, fulfillment and joy in our lives.
Advent is a time of new beginning, expectation, and hope for the future. It is a time to step back from the whirlwind of life, to look back on what has happened to us, to take stock of where we are at this moment in our lives, and to make any necessary changes for a better future now and, with God’s grace, throughout eternity.
Advent calls us to a deep, passionate surrender of our-selves to our loving God. Allow us this Advent to re-claim for ourselves a sense of wonder and awe at the mystery of God at the depth of our being.
Our prayer is simply one of “being real with God” and letting God “in” to the often messy reality of our lives. Our hectic lives are like a pool of water when it is agitated and churned up. It makes it impossible to see into it. At best, we can only see our distorted reflection. On-ly when our mind and heart become calm and clear, is it possible for us to see into the depths of God’s love.
We are called to become quiet within and listen to the deepest desires of our heart, where God speaks to us. We are called to step back from our hectic lives, to find a quiet place where we will dedicate time, make space, and be present to God, allow God to be present to us, and where others will not distract us. Let us choose to turn off our TVs, iPads, computers, and our mobile phones in order to create an atmosphere of solitude – where we can be present and alone with our God.
It is a time to leave aside our public roles or whatever “masks” we wear in our social life. Today we face the Lord naked and vulnerable. We let God see our heart because we come to realize that God loves us as we are. “God is closer to us than we are to ourselves.” It is a time to allow our true desires, our fears, our concerns and our hopes to surface, and to listen to the “inner voice” of God loving and communing with us.
Make no effort to achieve, to get things done, or to gather, possess or control. Today is not for doing, but for being. Allow God to caress you and allow each breath you take to say “Yes” to God.
Advent is a time to prepare for Christ’s coming into the world – into our lives – and God’s desire to be close to us through each of us.. As Jesus promised us, “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).
"The Value of Silence" (Fr. Mike Schmitz)
"Experience God in Contemplative Prayer" (Fr. Thomas Keating)
"Contemplative Prayer" (Sr. Rebecca Shinas)
"The Cloud of Unknowing and Contemplative Prayer" (Fr. William Meninger)
"What is Contemplative Prayer and Why is it So Needed" (Fr. Richard Rohr)
"Silence Prayer—Part !" (Fr. Thomas Keating)
"Silence Prayer—Part 2" (Fr. Thomas Keating)
"O Come Divine Messiah"
"Come, Lord, Maranatha!"
"What is Silent Prayer" (Franciscan Media)
"What is Contemplative Prayer?"
"Catholic Meditation and Contemplative Prayer: What's the Difference?"
"Seven Blessings of Silent Prayer" (Carl McColman)
"The Power of Silence in Prayer"
Advent and Christmas Resources 2023
Other Prayer and Spiritual Practices
What prevents you from spending more time in solitude with God?
What can you do to help change that?We encourage and invite you to spend time to reflect, pray, and write in your journal about what you have read, seen, heard, or experienced this week. You can find some questions you may wish to consider here.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, in now, and ever shall be.
Amen.