Have we heard a word?
Let it die with you. Be brave!
It will not make you burst!
Sirach 19:10
You
are invited to take sometime everyday in the morning and near
the close of the day to simply rest in God. Twenty minutes for
each prayer time seems to be a good length for someone beginning
this daily practice of attentiveness to God. Silence is not an
end in itself, but simply a means of achieving an interior silence
which helps you to focus your whole mind, heart, and soul on God.
The
ancient practices of the church, Lectio
divina and Centering
Prayer are ways of opening yourself to God's Word and to wait
on him in the silent chamber of your heart. Often these practices
are combined, listening to God's holy Word and then letting the
Word take shape within you. When Lectio precedes Centering
Prayer, the Daily Office of Morning and/or Evening Prayer with
readings from the Psalms and the appointed Lessons prepare you
for the period of silence. However, these practices may be separated
depending on the personal need of the seeker.
