The Importance of Silence and Meditation in the Life of a Christian

"The contemplatives and ascetics of all ages and religions have sought God in the silence and solitude of the desert, forest and mountain.
We too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence and aloneness with God, together as a community as well as personally. To be alone with him not with our books, thoughts, and memories but completely stripped of everything, to dwell lovingly in his presence-silent, empty, expectant and motionless."  St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

More than ever the Church, all the people of God, need to withdraw, at times, and just sit and listen. In peace and quiet, whether in front of the Blessed Sacrament in Eucharistic devotion or in a quiet church, or any other quiet place and just be.

I'm taking a Christian meditation course at a local church and though I've taken it before I continually need to be reminded of the importance of meditation, of just being in the presence of God with no agenda. Just breathing deeply and rhythmically and clearing my mind and waiting for God in stillness. Meditation is a powerful form of prayer and very beneficial on many levels-psychological, physical and spiritual. Many of the saints meditated in one form or another. It is a way to calm the body, mind and soul. It has many measurable health benefits.

But its a discipline and like other disciplines it takes work to do it every day. But I for one, need it in this fast paced, crazy, modern world we live in.  I need it to calm my mind with all the "stuff" that's constantly bombarding our psyche.

People need to be taught the importance of stillness, meditation and solitude and the benefits it has. Also more silence should be built into liturgy, in my humble opinion. I truly believe that after people receive Holy Communion at Mass, there should not be singing at that specific time in the Mass and only instrumental music, so the congregation can go within and commune with God. Soft instrumental music so that after receiving the Body of Christ we can enter a brief meditation and feel God's presence within.

NJA