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A Reflection from the JPIC Team
Christ Comes through the Quiet
She prayed for the Christ to come,
for long hours and many winters,
her prayer was to see the Christ in all.
Contemplation, mediation, stillness, quiet…
prepared her mind and heart
to receive and offer Love in abundance.
“Beloved Christ, Son of God, Mercy…,”
was chanted with desert companions one early morning.
The circle became silent,
focused attention in meditation.
The silence was interrupted by strangers at the door.
She answered the call saying,
“The Christ has come!”
She knew whoever it was, it was the ONE.
Food, drink, and dry clothing freely given;
but more, love radiating from her eyes,
warmth extending through her smile,
fullness flowing from her heart.
All recognized this real food.
Centuries before, Francis preached to the birds,
chastising them for their idle “twittering.”
He reminded them of God’s gift to them of beautiful calls and songs,
to celebrate Being and Creation.
This should be their fruit!
Mystical grounding is the seeding for action;
action is the outgrowth of contemplation.
Good deeds devoid of God
are mere twittering.
Let go, ego! Let go, doing for the sake of doing!
Cultivate mystical grounding through contemplation,
that what you do, you do for God.
In this way, participate in
God’s work of creation.
In this way, manifest God through creativity.
When action is born of contemplation,
consciousness cooperates with the will of God in creation.
Through contemplation we are blessing to others;
as I learn to love myself, faults and all,
I learn to see and love you, faults and all.
Rest in God’s love to know who God is in you,
and to see who God is in others.
In quiet stillness see God acting,
in the midst of pain and suffering.
Fruits of the spirit are born from a contemplative spirit.
Provide drink for the thirsty, shelter for the homeless,
as you awaken to the presence of God.
“Only action that flows from a converted heart—
informed by contemplation,
fueled by love and sustained in community—
has the holding power to co-create with God
a new world that is just and sustainable for all.” (Sr. Ilia Delio)
Contemplation is essential as we grapple with the challenges
of the changing face of the province.
Contemplation is essential to live compassionately and creatively
with the chaos and brokenness of the Church and the world.
In contemplation we can face all that life presents,
while returning only blessing,
and opening ourselves to be instruments of peace, transformation, hope and healing.
Reflection courtesy of CM Jeanne Guilfoyle
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