In our gospel lesson, Jesus' disciples were stunned when, in the midst of the storm, "the wind ceased, and there was dead calm" in response to Jesus' call, "Peace! Be still!" We know what it feels like to be awash in chaos, to yearn for that calming voice to echo in our hearts here and now, to recognize the presence of the Holy One at work in our lives.

There is so little peace or opportunities for stillness in our busy lives that, if we truly want to have such an experience, it is up to us to make space and time for it to be birthed in our hearts, to prioritize our relationship with the Beloved. Christ Jesus wants us to know the peace of God that passes all understanding deep within our being, and to ready us for that grace, Christ urges us to be still for a while, to enjoy resting in stillness with God.

A thousand years before Jesus, the psalmist knew the power of such stillness, "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10a) Try that for a minute and see what you notice. Thomas Keating, one of the founders of the Centering Prayer movement, says, "Silence is God's first language; everything else is a poor translation." If that minute of silence whetted your appetite, try it tomorrow for two minutes, and the next day for three. Likely you'll be surprised by the peace that infuses you. One of my favorite prayers of invocation as I go into silence is found in the BCP, p.832, #59, "For Quiet Confidence":

"O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: by the might of your Spirit, lift us, we pray, into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

You may find such an invocation helpful in setting the stage for sitting in silence, trusting in God's presence.