The power of silence

Someone once said that some husbands are like the split-type air conditioner. Why? They are loud outdoors, but quiet and silent indoors.

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In today’s Gospel (Mark 1:29-39), we read: “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.” No matter how busy Jesus was, He always took time, and made time to pray. Prayer is the secret weapon of Jesus that made Him focused and strong. We, too, must learn that without prayer, we become weak, selfish, shallow, vain, and empty.

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Do you have a quiet place, a silent time with the Lord in prayer? Do you have a charging station when you are “low-bat” or when you are running low on fuel? Do you take time for candle-glow moments in this world so full of grind-sparks and flashbulbs?

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“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence” (Desiderata). Find your quiet corner, your prayer mountain, your desert, and just be still before God every day, in different moments of the day so that you do not become weak or weary along the way.

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It’s good to start the day with the Lord, when things are still slow and quiet. Personally, I kneel down in prayer as soon as I wake up, and humbly give thanks, and acknowledge my dependence on God. I open the day with a prayer, and all things fall into place. In silence there is peace, and there is order. Start the day right. Start the day with God.

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At different moments of the day, let us seek refuge from the cares and scares of the day, by spending some silent moments in prayer. Below are my simple practices to keep me in touch with God throughout the day.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Bow your head and acknowledge the presence of God: “Father, you are here … Jesus you are here … Holy Spirit, you are here … Mama Mary, you are here … Saints and Martyrs, you are here … Angels, you are here!” Pray this continuously, and slowly at different moments of the day.

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LISTEN TO GOD’S WHISPER. Take time to listen to God at different moments of the day and as He whispers: “Just love me … Just love them … Just be loved.” Take time to listen to the Lord, amidst the noise and the haste, and listen to Him reminding you of His love and presence.

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SMILE. Find time to smile at the Lord, and let Him smile at you. It is good to just take a break, relax, smile, knowing that there is Someone bigger than you and I, someone who cares, and who is just nearby.

—————- Yesterday, we celebrated the Feast of St. Blaise, healer of illnesses of the throat. Let us ask Him also to heal us of our illnesses of the tongue, namely: “D”—dirty words; “O”—overusing words; and “H”—hurting words. May we not use our tongues to disturb or hurt others. Rather, let us use our tongues to give glory to God, and to give love and hope to others.

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Let us remember that the Lord is the source of our strength, power, mission. If we are not connected with Him, we grow tired, we grow weary, and we fall, and we lose our way. Without the Lord, we are nothing, and all our work and achievements are empty, vain, and not worthy.

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May the peace, the silence, the joy, and the loving embrace of the Lord be upon us all every day. May we listen more to Him in silence and allow Him to embrace us, and whisper to us His love and His plan.

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A moment with the Lord.

Lord, help us to listen more to You, and less to ourselves. Amen.

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