Spirituality

Advent 2011

Advent can be a particular time of crisis- The season is often seen as a “stand alone” time - the hectic end of year rush, the expectation of a festive family time, the holiday break and then another 365 days to the ‘next one”. John Main OSB has a particular invitation for us to keep alive the “something” that we know is at the heart of this “new beginning” of the Church’s Liturgical year. His invitation to “stillness and simplicity” in the practice of meditation is a life giving one –our wellbeing, wholeness and “full life” depend on it.
This is what he says: -
It often seems as if we rush through life at such high speed while in our heart there is the essential interior flame of being. Our rushing often brings it to the point of extinction. But when we sit down to meditate, in stillness and simplicity, the flame begins to burn brightly and steadily. As we abandon thinking in terms of success and self – importance, the light of the flame helps us to understand ourselves and others in terms of light, warmth and love.
The mantra leads us to this point of stillness where the flame of being can burn bright. It teaches us what we know, but frequently forget, that we cannot live a full life unless it is grounded on some underlying purpose. Life has an ultimate significance and value that is only really discovered in the still steadiness of being which is our essential rootedness in God. (John Main “Word Made Flesh”)