Have you ever been to a Church on an ordinary day and prayed in silent worship of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament? Some of us enjoy this kind of prayer but others may find it a bit hard to keep still in prayer for any length of time.
My two-year-old daughter, Joelle, is always very active and she talks a lot … loudly. We love her 'celebrating' mood and how she makes us laugh all the time. However, it's really hard to get her into serious moments. I'm not saying she should keep very quiet all the time. But sometimes, we'd love to hear some serious response from her in order to know if she understands some of the things that are going on around her.
In our relationship with God, amidst all the jumping and shouting of praises to Him, there are times when we need to come away from the busy daily activities and rowdy crowds to keep “still and know that [the Lord] is God” (Ps 46:10).
When I was in secondary school, I found it very convenient to visit the Lord every morning before class started to uphold my day to the Lord because St Joseph's Cathedral was just a little gate away from my school. I would praise God for all His blessings, my family and friends, and the life that He has given to me. Whenever I was down, it helped a lot that I could express my frustrations to Him when no one else could understand what I was going through. Sometimes, it was overwhelming just to sit still and not say anything but experience His great presence in the Day Chapel.
Some of my friends would also start their day off by having a little quiet time there. But after we left secondary school, many of us fell away from the usual practise because Church was always out of the way of our everyday lives. I don't know if they feel the same way, but there were times when I longed to make frequent visits to the Lord again. I would miss the serenity of the presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and the stillness away from the daily traffic of life.
About six months ago, I was offered a publication job with the Archdiocese of Kuching. Incidentally, my office is situated right next to the Carmelite Chapel. I immediately knew that the Lord had it all planned out for me to come back and spend quiet times with Him again. It was a dream made real for me.
So every morning before I start my day at the office, I'd drop by the Chapel to say 'Hi' to the Lord and ask for His blessings for myself and my loved ones throughout the day. It's like breakfast for me, only that this is food for my spiritual being. I find renewed strength every time I come to seek the Lord for His guidance in my work and my family. It's a very refreshing and rewarding experience to be able to begin a brand new day with the Lord.
I would encourage everyone to do the same, even for a short while each day or week. Somehow you'll become more aware of the Lord's presence in life and this gives you the courage to take on what real life has to offer every step of the way.
Jo Terry
