I’m amazed how many times I’ve seen Mary and Martha referenced by the Desert Fathers and Mothers and by The Philokalia writers. Jesus’s words, “Mary has chosen what is better,” affirms a contemplative approach to living (Luke 10:38-42).
For the Desert Elders the Mary and Martha story affirms the decision to renounce all and enter the desert. In the twenty-first century, the story sometimes simply confirms the decision to renounce the laundry and sit on the cushion for twenty minutes.
It’s not the desert, or the cave in the desert, or the cloister, or the monastery that ultimately matters. What matters is our desire to let go of all secondary busybody pursuits in order to pursue the spiritual life—in order to gaze upon Jesus, like Mary (Luke 10:38-42). “The hesychast, in the true sense of the word, is not someone who has journeyed outwardly into the desert, but someone who has embarked on the journey inwards into his [her] own heart,” says Kallistos Ware.
Amazon is offering the kindle version of Be Still and Listen for $6.99.
Also by Amos Smith, Healing the Divide: Recovering Christianity’s Mystic Roots
Centering Prayer Course: A Training Course for Opening to the Presence of God – Centering Prayer is a silent prayer practice that can move you toward a profound relationship with the Spirit of God within. It is a way of praying that opens the door to the Divine Indwelling—the ground of our being. With Centering Prayer, Father Thomas Keating and his colleagues Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler and Father Carl Arico present the first online course in this method for deepening your intimacy with God and ultimately consenting to the presence and action of the Divine in all aspects of your life.
David Frenette’s book The Path of Centering Prayer re-energized the Centering Prayer tradition with its fresh insights and teachings. This companion audio program—created to be equally rewarding as a stand-alone guide—gives listeners an immersive resource to learn contemplative prayer, step by step and in the moment. With clarity and compassionate presence, Frenette explains the essential principles of this contemplative practice for both new and seasoned practitioners, and then guides us experientially through core prayers and meditations.
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