Saturday- Advent 3 -- the silence of Advent

Prayer:  O God,  as I turn aside from the noise of the world around me to enter the inner silence, quiet also the clamouring voices of my heart so that I can hear the voice of Your son,  Jesus Christ.  Amen.

 

Silence.    We don’t really like silence that much.   We fill out days with noise…. TV,  Radio,  Computer,  MP3,  CDs.    Noise.   We only hear God when we focus on the silence.    Today we will focus on the silence and one way to create a time of silence.

 

Slowly read over the following scripture.  

 

“For God alone my soul waits.  My help comes from God”  Psalm 62:1

 

Read  this verse again slowly so that each word has one breath before reading the next word.    

 

For (breath out -   breath in)   God  (breath out – breath in)   alone  (breath out – breath in)  my (breath out – breath in)  soul   (breath out – breath in)  waits  (breath out – breath in).

My (breath out – breath in)  help  (breath out – breath in)  comes (breath out – breath in)  from  (breath out – breath in)   God  (breath out – breath in).

 

Close your eyes for a few minutes and just sit in silence.  

This day as you speak to your family and friends,  remember to create some silences so that God can get a word in edgewise!

(prayer exercise adapted from Katharine Howard  “Praying with Benedict”)

 

Prayer:  Gracious and loving God,  we sit here in silence listening for Your voice.  You have spoken to us beyond word and sound in the silence of Your Word,  Jesus Christ.  May the silence of that Word fill all our silences and speech this day.  May we respond to Your great Love and goodness to all by listening to Your voice and the needs of others this day.  In Jesus name.  Amen.