“To sit quietly and see one’s self pass by!”
Luke 10:38-42
“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
1 Kings 19:9-12
“9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.”
Reflection:
To sit quietly and see one’s self pass by.
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.
- Reflection by Christina Palis
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.
The Way of Beauty:
Sit in silence and listen for the Holy Spirit, while noticing the simple sophistication and soothing colors in the art print below, “Silence and Beauty- Resonance,” by Makoto Fujimura.
The Contemplative Mystical Way:
Sit in the quiet space in which you created yesterday, light a candle to remind you of the presence of the Holy Spirit. In silence, close your eyes, and listen to all the sounds in the room. Do you hear the traffic outside? Can you hear the sound of your fan or the air moving through your vents? Listen to the noises of your body, the sound of your breath. God invites us into a holy place of stillness, to invite the relentless busy of our minds to practice the discipline of resting. Draw your attention to the space between thoughts, to God’s master weaving that is the matrix of grace in which we float. Notice your reactions, your discomfort or your relief, all your reactions are welcome, let them slide away and practice stillness, the deeper place beyond reactions. Practice this quiet. Be still and know that God is holding you. If this is a new practice for you, try this at other times in the day or night, and practice this new gift. God is with you, holding you, supporting you, waiting for you, calling for you.
The Way of Practical Action:
Consider your embodied self. You are held by your body and yet you are able to leave it and imagine yourself passing by. Below are a simple stretching exercise and an introductory Yoga exercise for you to use. Certainly more are available online to suit your particular ability. Choose one and spend some time stretching and moving your body.
Stretch:
Yoga:
Prayer:
Dear Creator and Sustainer and Redeemer, thank you for the gift and discipline of stillness. Develop within us the eyes to see the beauty in calming down our inner noise to feel the holy whisper of your call in holy silence. We present our all to you, and pray for an awareness of your presence as you transform these gifts we give to you, which you have given to us. Amen.
Comments