It’s Friday so it’s time to connect with Jen’s Conversion Diary

A few thoughts on listening in the silence for the coming of Jesus in our hearts.

• People honoured the children and their teachers who were slaughtered at this same time a week ago with a  moment of silence. A moment of silence for the end of innocent lives and of moment of silence to welcome the child of God into our hearts, into our midst. What better way to honour 26 innocents than to make room for the King of Peace in our own hearts?

• Listen has the same letters in it as silence.

• Silent Night- I want to listen on Christmas Eve

• Silent Night

• Silent night holy night
  All is calm, all is bright
  Round yon virgin mother and child.
  Holy infant so tender and mild,
  Sleep in heavenly peace.
  Sleep in heavenly peace.

  Silent night holy night
  Shepherds quake at the sight,
  Glories stream from heaven afar,
  Heavenly hosts sing alleluia;
  Christ the Savior, is born
  Christ the Savior, is born.

  Silent night holy night
  Son of God, love’s pure light
  Radiant beams from thy holy face,
  With the dawn of redeeming grace,
  Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
  Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

• The biggest stumbling block to truly listening is our self-important business.  Henri Nouwen S.J., Jesuit author, university prof,  complained to God about all the students who came to his office, interrupting his writing of an important book. God’s answer?

  “I just gave you that book to write to keep you busy in between appointments; your real work is all those interruptions.”

• When we take time to listen to a small child with respect, we learn to listen to the Christ Child in our hearts. I have to slow down and let go to really hear what is behind their words

• To respond to my kids or in the case of any adult, to respond to interruptions to work, requires surrendering to the duty of the moment. To respond to an interruption often means we must put our agenda to the side for a moment and embrace the agenda of another person. If we refuse the call to love, we miss out on a meeting with the divine because when we serve the least of our brethren, we serve Christ himself. When we listen to a child, giving him all of our attention, we are discovering how to listen to the divine voice of the Christ Child as well.

•   light shines in my prison  when i listen to the still small voice of God within me