Prayer Diary
Page last updated: Friday 4th July 2025 8:33 PM
Today's Prayer
Using silence in prayer
Sometime in the 14th Century an anonymous monk wrote a book about prayer which he called “The Cloud of Unknowing”. In a modern translation (easily obtained) it’s an easy read. But it’s also a revolution in praying. Out of his life shaped by the many words of the seven daily prayer services (“offices”) and Holy Communion, he was able to see that silence was the only way to be closer
to God. Language was laid aside as it is quite inadequate to describe God or to express the relationship between us and God. He said: “By love may he be gotten and holden; but by thought, never.”
The silence I want to encourage you into practicing is an act of love towards God. It’s called a practice for a good reason - you have to practise it! The monk said. “Smite upon the thick cloud of unknowing with the sharp dart of longing love.”
Look at the sky the wrong way down binoculars and you’ll see lots of blue and lots of clouds. Look the right way down and you’ll see the cloud close up - shapeless, formless, indefinable.
Blessed and Holy Trinity, give us the love to press hard on your mystery and to know, without thoughts and words, the passion of your embrace. Amen
Sometime in the 14th Century an anonymous monk wrote a book about prayer which he called “The Cloud of Unknowing”. In a modern translation (easily obtained) it’s an easy read. But it’s also a revolution in praying. Out of his life shaped by the many words of the seven daily prayer services (“offices”) and Holy Communion, he was able to see that silence was the only way to be closer
to God. Language was laid aside as it is quite inadequate to describe God or to express the relationship between us and God. He said: “By love may he be gotten and holden; but by thought, never.”
The silence I want to encourage you into practicing is an act of love towards God. It’s called a practice for a good reason - you have to practise it! The monk said. “Smite upon the thick cloud of unknowing with the sharp dart of longing love.”
Look at the sky the wrong way down binoculars and you’ll see lots of blue and lots of clouds. Look the right way down and you’ll see the cloud close up - shapeless, formless, indefinable.
Blessed and Holy Trinity, give us the love to press hard on your mystery and to know, without thoughts and words, the passion of your embrace. Amen
Footer Text