Silence, Please!!!

     “It is so hard to be silent, silent with my mouth, but even with my heart. There is so much talking going on within me. It seems that I am always involved with inner debates with myself, my friends, my supporters, my opponents, my colleagues, and my rivals. But this inner debate reveals how far my heart is from You. If I were to simply rest at Your feet and realize that I belong to You and to You alone, I would stop arguing with all the real and imagined people around me. These arguments show my insecurity, my fear, my apprehensions. You, O Lord, will give me all the attention I need if I would simply stop talking and start listening to You. I know that in the silence of my heat You will speak to me and show me Your love. Give me, O Lord, that silence. Let me be patient and grow slowly into this silence in which I can be with You. Amen. Henri Nouwen

     As I read Henri Nowen’s words, I felt stunned! Stunned like finding a hidden chest, filled with pertinent, life-changing information: about myself, about what I was doing, about how I was robbing my soul of God’s peace and presence. Until those words penetrated my mind and heart, I was totally unaware of the damage I was inflicting upon myself and my relationship with God. But once I knew -- I could not know. From the depths of my heart and soul, I knew instinctively, that I needed desperately to change my behavior…. A practice I had engaged in, probably, for most of my life. Although this would be difficult, I saw it as a graced moment from God, sent to me by a dear Friend, via email.

A Gift Beyond Measure

     “Give thanks to the Lord, invoke His name; make known among the nations His deeds.”               Psalm 105: 1

  

      It was almost three weeks since my retreat and I felt very encouraged by the changes that had taken place in my relationship with Jonathan.

     So often in our primary relationships, and our primary vocations, we can slip up and not be as “present” as we once had been. Because I was trying to be more present and listen, so I could “do whatever He tells you” - Jesus, that is, I was being more attentive to my husband. 

That Mary Thing

     My head and heart were in another world, as I strolled through the store. Our parish May Procession had been the previous day and I was overflowing with love for Our Lady.

     The music, the prayers, the multitude of young and old alike, lifting their hearts and minds to God in praise and thanksgiving for His Mother, filled my being with joy! The hymns that were sung stirred childhood memories which brought sweet tears to my eyes. I was grateful to God for the gift of His Mother and the love that we've shared all these years.