Prayer Diary
Page last updated: Friday 4th July 2025 8:33 PM
Today's Prayer
Using silence in prayer
Jesus said: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”
(Mark 6.31) The only prayer he taught them was the “Our Father”.
St John Cassian, writing in the 5th century, said the “Our Father raises those
who make themselves familiar with it to …. an ineffable state that is far above
all human feeling, without the sound of any voice, with any movement of the
tongue, without any articulate word.”
The early church learned slowly that silence was where all prayer must be
heading. Learning the prayer of silence is perhaps the most important way in
which we Christians can grow in our faith. Without it our mission is doomed to fail,
as we shall have nothing to offer the world but words and more words. The prayer of silence allows God to be God, which is all the Church’s mission ever was.
Word Made Flesh, in our noisy church, in our noisy world, teach your love in
silence of heart.
Jesus said: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”
(Mark 6.31) The only prayer he taught them was the “Our Father”.
St John Cassian, writing in the 5th century, said the “Our Father raises those
who make themselves familiar with it to …. an ineffable state that is far above
all human feeling, without the sound of any voice, with any movement of the
tongue, without any articulate word.”
The early church learned slowly that silence was where all prayer must be
heading. Learning the prayer of silence is perhaps the most important way in
which we Christians can grow in our faith. Without it our mission is doomed to fail,
as we shall have nothing to offer the world but words and more words. The prayer of silence allows God to be God, which is all the Church’s mission ever was.
Word Made Flesh, in our noisy church, in our noisy world, teach your love in
silence of heart.
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