Prayer and Stillness
The story is told of Rabbi Mendel who, on a visit to Kotzak,
was asked by the rabbi of that town where he had learned the
art of silence. He was about to reply to this question; but,
changing his mind, he practised his art.
St Clement of Alexandria described some people as being
like old shoes – all worn out except for the tongue.
In the Gospels we have wise teaching on the art of prayer.
Jesus said: “When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless
words, as the pagans do, who think that God will hear them
because their prayers are long.” (Matthew 6:7)
No group of Christians has taken this advice more to heart
than the Quakers (the Society of Friends, to give them
their official designation) whose group worship is conducted
in silence unless God moves one of their number to speak.
In the same connection, we may heed the teaching that “times of silence are demanded by love of God”, and that “the search for intimacy with God involves the truly
vital need of a silence embracing the whole being.”
Brian B.Grenier in No Turning Back
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