Silence
and Listening
by Robbin Brent
St. John of the Cross was first credited with the saying
“Silence is the first language of God.” Thomas Keating went on to add,
“Everything else is a poor translation. In order to understand this language,
we must learn to be silent and to rest in God.” We can’t fully appreciate the
importance of listening without valuing the importance of silence. It is in the
silence where we discover how God is present and active in our lives, and where
we grow our trust in the ways God speaks to us.
Today we will explore the practice of Intercessory Prayer
as one way to listen more deeply to God. This contemplative prayer practice can
help us to more clearly sense how we are all connected through God’s longings
and desires: for us, for others, for the world.
I pray the following intercessory prayer questions,*
calling God “Beloved of my heart,*” but feel free to use whatever name for God
resonates in your heart.
Beloved
of my heart,
•
what is your prayer, your deepest desire, for me/this person/this situation? •
what do you want my prayer to be for myself/this person/situation?
• what, if anything is getting in my way of
joining more fully and freely in your prayer for me/this person/this situation?
• are there any boundaries I have created in
my heart that I now need to relinquish?
• is there anything you would have me say or
do on your behalf?
Making
It Personal:
If you engaged with this practice, which questions
resonated most with you at this time in your life?
Is there one you’d
like to write down to return to later?
* These questions were part of a Shalem seminar on
Intercessory prayer and were inspired by the contributions of Rose Mary
Dougherty.
Living
Well Through Lent 2021
Copyright
©2021 Scott Stoner.
All rights reserved.
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