secret place of the hushed soul, The

Spiritual Life, Winter 1999 by Lein, Evelyne

AN OLD PEASANT OFTEN TRUDGED into an English countryside church, where he sat quietly. One day, his face radiant, he

,told the sexton, "I like to come here. I look at my Lord, He looks at me, and we are both happy." The peasant gave a simple but profound interpretation of what it meant to bask, happy and contented, in the stillness of the Lord's presence.

When I, likewise, withdraw into a place of solitude and silence, become still, and commune with the Lord, I experience moments of completeness and fullness of God. I call this meditation the secret place of my hushed soul.

The majority of us, marching to the quick tempo of our busy lives, need to provide for this stillness. When we manage to depart from our daily duties, we sometimes find that our minds remain hyperactive. Though the physical structure stops moving, the mind resembles a turbulent sea, foaming and swirling, crashing against the shoreline. Deep below the turmoils and activities of our lives, however, we may find a calmness that enables us to keep our minds stayed on God.

Many biblical injunctions, such as "Be still and know," bid us to exit from our busy lives and seek his presence in meditation. God's word assures us that the secret place is not impossible to locate: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Ps 91: 1); and Christ said, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret" (Mt 6:6). The Lord is waiting to meet us in this meditative silence.

St. Mark writes that Jesus sought the meditative silence after a strenuous day in Capernaum. He had taught in the synagogue, cast out a fierce unclean spirit from a man, and healed Simon's mother-in-law. At sundown, more sick people came as "all the city was gathered together at the door." Jesus healed many and cast out more demonic spirits. Then, "in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (Mk 1:35).

Seeking Silence and Prayer

Prayer sometimes conjures up the vision of activity. However, praying need not always be talking. The greatest prayer we can offer the Lord is to seek his presence and become still before him. Prayer opens the door to meditation, a quiet listening to God. In this prayerful, meditative silence, we consciously turn our minds to higher spiritual thoughts or a noble ideal. As a Christian, my ideal is Christ. When entering this quiet time, if I focus on him, I sense a shifting of thoughts from my own life to his. This attuning of my physical and mental makeup to the Lord becomes the threshold of experiencing a deeper relationship with him, When I become still, I know he is nearer than my hands and feet. Like the air, his presence is constant.

Going into the secret place and becoming still before him need not require complicated preparations. However, it is beneficial to execute a few simple arrangements that create a meditative mood and help in the transition from routine thoughts to spiritual ones.

A pleasant, quiet room is conducive to entering the secret place. Early morning and late evening, when work or family activity is minimal, are ideal times. A picture of Christ or a framed Bible verse may encourage an inspirational or meditative mood. Choose something that will help focus your mind on higher thoughts. Preparation is enhanced by moving to a tranquil place where we no longer entertain our own imperfect thoughts. Cares or problems need not infringe on these moments. I have often found that upon "coming back" from the silence, problems have diminished in importance or have been resolved.

The Lord's Prayer is an inspiring introduction to the meditative silence. It is complete in that we acknowledge his presence, saying, "Our Father." We attune our wills to his, stating, "Thy will be done." We experience cleansing by forgiving others and asking for forgiveness. The use of the ancient prayer "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me" is another good invocation. Saying this prayer out loud, then softly, and finally silently takes the prayer to my heart and deepens its meaning. Quietly contemplating the words, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee" (Is 26:3), further encourages my mind to dwell on the Lord, thereby bringing me closer to the secret place of_my_hushed soul.

David, when going into the presence of the Lord, prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Ps 51:10). We too are seeking a right spirit. This suggests surrendering our human weaknesses to the Lord. However, in the meditative silence, the process of surrender is more passive than active. I am active at first by seeking and yearning for the silence. Then, as I wait, my surrender brings a feeling of oneness with him to whom I yield myself-Christ.

When I have difficulty pulling away from the world, it helps to imagine myself being with the Lord in the temple, or with him when he was feeding the multitude or teaching by the sea of Galilee or walking on the road to Emmaus. Merging into these scenes with him, I am able to forget the present and coax myself into a spiritual frame of mind.