January 04, 2023
Chuck Neff
The quiet moments at the Carmelite Monastery are stunning. A time to just listen! The eager footsteps of those trying to find a pew and a kneeler before the Lord. At times it is so quiet I can hear the tic-toc of the clock on the wall behind me. The outside noises, the planes, and the cars are only minor distractions today. The quiet – a reverent, awe-filled silence – a stillness where your heart slows down and gently pushes the world and all its rushing ways aside, at least for a few moments.
The quiet – a time to reflect and listen! No words per se, but a gentle, reassuring confidence that the road before us is, indeed, the Lord’s road. Bump-free? Not a chance, but it’s still His road. His way! His plan!
Lately all the paths we walk seem to be funneling toward just one path. Old doors closing and, as He promised, new ones opening. I love coming here to the quiet of Carmelite.
The silence is a contradiction, of sorts. For the quiet speaks so loudly about what is really important in life. The Lord, you, and our family.