“The quieter the mind, the more powerful, the worthier, the deeper, the more telling and more perfect the prayer is. Meister Eckhart
“God reduces to nothing that which he will use for his purpose” popped up in a Grapevine story we ready at an AA meeting this morning. Is a quiet mind one which has been reduced to nothing? Is there were the quiet mind where all things are possible found. Perhaps. Quiet comes from reducing noise internally and reducing distraction which simply our ability focus. Clarity comes to me not when agitated but when I am able to step to the side and casually observe the agitation as if it is happening to someone else unknown to me.
I don’t really believe a quiet mind that is wholly merged into God is possible for a living human. A peaceful mind as described by Eckhart is an elusive goal because it depicts a perfect state of completion. We can, at times, experience peace or something close but it is ephemeral like a wispy morning mist. Here one minute and gone the next. We pursue peace. We practice how to seek it. We take steps to create a place where we can find it but it remains just out of reach like a slippery fruit we can't quite grab.
I imagine what prayer of Jesus would have been like. Perfect, I should think, comfortable and uncomplicated because he was wholly merged into the will of God. I marvel at what it would have looked like to observe. Sometime I like to watch people pray. Several weeks I ago I happened to see Monsignor O'Neill praying silently before the tabernacle. He was totally relaxed but sat perfectly erect as though he had completely drawn within himself. I felt great peace just watching him pray and felt some envy he could just let if flow. Of course he has a lifetime of experience so he should be able to make it look easy. My wife can do it as well.
I am, well, a work in progress. Peace is out there and I can sense it at times.
I imagine what prayer of Jesus would have been like. Perfect, I should think, comfortable and uncomplicated because he was wholly merged into the will of God. I marvel at what it would have looked like to observe. Sometime I like to watch people pray. Several weeks I ago I happened to see Monsignor O'Neill praying silently before the tabernacle. He was totally relaxed but sat perfectly erect as though he had completely drawn within himself. I felt great peace just watching him pray and felt some envy he could just let if flow. Of course he has a lifetime of experience so he should be able to make it look easy. My wife can do it as well.
I am, well, a work in progress. Peace is out there and I can sense it at times.
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