Many occupations and only one thing really necessary

 I read this poem on Tuesday and thought I could share it with you today:

The desert fathers tell us we need silence, / so we can hear the speaking of our soul. / The mockingbird tells us to keep silent, / so we can hear her song. / The running brook tells us to keep quiet, / and listen as it babbles across the stones. / The rushing wind tells us to listen / as it makes the tree limbs dance. / A thousand stars say look and be quiet, / as they brighten the night. / The little baby says listen to my cooing, / in my world all is right.
—From the poem “Silence” by Gary T.  

I read this in Richard Rohr's daily meditation and it made me think that the one thing necessary is to be able to listen. We need to listen to the quiet voice within for that is how God speaks to us; we alwo need to listen to others and to the events in the world around us, but we will only know how to act when we can listen to the quiet, gentle voice within us as that is how the Holy Spirit moves us.

I am off to spend an hour listening to the Spirit in front of the Blessed Sacrament. It was a joy to have had all the Heads of School here for Mass on Tuesday morning.