Listen, listen wait in silence listening

Brendan Murphy on November 27, 2012

Listen, listen wait in silence listening. For the One from whom all blessing flows.

During the North Carolina Wisdom School with Cynthia Bourgeault in October, we sang chants to ground and calm our minds, hearts, and bodies in preparation for centering prayer. It began as a simple, beautiful chant, 50 voices singing as one. Then, one harmony softly joins the melody, then another, until the room was reverberating with the sound of our voices lifted in rich harmonies and in thanksgiving.

Listen, listen wait in silence listening. For the One from whom all blessing flows.

Every time we sang this chant, I thought about the atrium at the cathedral where we offer Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) to our 3-6 year-old children. The chant evokes the same sense of quite, joyful, expectant waiting that I find with each small mind and heart that comes through the door. For those who are unfamiliar with CGS, this definition comes from the CGS website: “Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is an approach to the religious formation of children. It is rooted in the Bible, the liturgy of the church, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori. Children gather in an “atrium, a room prepared for them, which contains simple yet beautiful materials they use to help them absorb the most essential proclamations of the Christian faith. According to one of the 32 points of reflection on CGS,The atrium is a place in which the only Teacher is Christ; both children and adults place themselves in a listening stance before his Word and seek to penetrate the mystery of the liturgical celebration.

One of the most important roles for us as catechists is to help create a sacred place where a child can “fall in love with God.” I could share many things about the atrium, but everything meaningful comes from witnessing a child’s encounter with God. Many Sundays one can overhear a soft voice singing,Shalom my friend, shalom as they move the figures of the Last Supper, or “Alleluia, alleluia, as they set the altar, or prayer table, or watch as they discover the places on a raised map surface where Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose again. Every Sunday I can be present, I arrive early to wet the sponges, fill the pitchers with water, sweep the entrance, and talk with our lead catechist about anything we might want to pay special attention to that day. Then I like to spend a few minutes in prayer, preparing myself to be present in a way that will help the children feel welcome, cared for, and supported, so that when they arrive, they feel free to come into the space with quiet confidence and expectation that they will discover and experience something new and meaningful. I can’t imagine any place I’d rather be than with one of our children as they fall in love with God As we move into Advent in the atrium, I am filled to overflowing with the promise of waiting with each child, joyfully and expectantly, for the coming Christ.

Listen, listen wait in silence listening. For the One from whom all blessing flows.

Grateful and hopeful, Robbin Whittington is the Director of the Center for Spiritual Resources, and a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level I Catechist at the Cathedral of All Souls in Asheville, North Carolina.