“Silence is God’s first language.”
~ John of the Cross (1542-1591)
I am writing to you today from the beautiful Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville, Maryland, where I am immersed in a four-day contemplative prayer retreat with the Shalem Institute. Bon Secours means “good help,” and good help is just what my soul receives whenever I’m here.
The cherished heart of the retreat is the “Great Silence. ” For 40 hours—from Monday evening to Wednesday at noon—we eat in silence, journal in silence, walk the labyrinth and the wooded paths in silence, circle the pond in silence, and bow in silence as we pass one another in the hallways.
And in the silence, of course, we pray. We hold in deep, focused prayer the troubles and sufferings—as well as the hopes—of the world, our families, and our communities.
In her book, Psalms for Praying: An Invitation to Wholeness, Nan Merrill offers this paraphrase of Psalm 132:
Enter into the Silence, into the
Heart of Truth;
For herein lies the Great Mystery
where life is ever unfolding.
Herein the Divine Plan is made known,
the Plan all are invited to serve.
Listen for the Music of the Spheres
in the resounding Silence of the universe…
Enter into the Sacred Altar within;
converse with the Beloved in sweet communion.
Blessings of the Great Silence be with you
as you help to rebuild the heart of the world with love.
I have prayed for you this week, FBC family. As the Great Silence began, I tucked this week’s prayer list in my heart: Frank. Jay. Dinh. Pat. Andy. Paul. Sadye. Violet. Chris. Maya. Jeannette. Amareo. Tony. Elise. Daniel. Mary…
Working my way through twelve months of birthdays, I’ve prayed for just about every person who calls First Baptist home. And of course, I have prayed for our fractured country and world.
If you’ve not experienced an intentional, extended period of silence lately (or ever), I highly recommend giving it a try. Start with an hour, then two. Before you know it, as you “enter into the Sacred Altar within” and “converse with the Beloved in sweet communion,” you’ll find your spirit spreading its wings…your heart opening like a flower.
In the Great Love,
Pastor Julie