Reflection by Christina Palis
How often do we sit quietly or rest in stillness? What might reveal itself to us if we were to turn away from noise and movement? What insights or joys or challenges or learnings or opportunities might come to us in the quiet and stillness of the present moment? In our sacred texts, we see that God uses these moments of calm and quiet to connect us deeply with God and ourselves. Jesus urges Martha to put down her serving tray and settle herself at his feet to listen and learn. He invites her to set aside her worries for a moment and focus on matters of meaning and value. Elijah is weary with fighting, brought low by fear and loneliness, before God gently whispers in his ear. The Psalmist is invited to trust in God amidst suffering and inequality, to be still and wait patiently. What a unique opportunity we have in this moment to practice stillness and quiet. Without the distraction of serving guests, without being caught up in the wind, earthquake, or fire of commutes and gatherings and schedules. We are being offered an opportunity to sit, to wait, to get comfortable facing ourselves.
And it will likely not be comfortable at first. It will be disorienting and challenging and confusing. We are used to movement, in our minds and in our bodies. We are used to noise, around us and within us. God’s love and presence is in the movement and noise too, certainly, but how much more deeply might we experience it in the stillness? So settle in at Jesus’ feet. Come to the mouth of the cave as Elijah did. Bring your distraction and your weariness and your confusion. Sit quietly and listen. God is there. And so are you.
Christina Palis, 27, is an Eastern Orthodox Christian living in Cambridge, MA. She is a clinical social worker with a Masters in Social Work from Boston College and a Masters in Divinity from Harvard University. She loves to bake.