An invitation to be still

The French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, once wrote:

I have often said that the sole cause of man's unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room [Source]

[..j’ai dit souvent que tout le malheur des hommes vient d’une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos dans une chambre].

Remaining silent for even a few minutes seems harder than ever in an age of constant digital distraction and social media. Yet if we were to set aside just ten minutes each day for silence - whether alone or in the company of others who are likewise silent - we might begin to cultivate a habit that would serve us well. If we were then to integrate this practice into

adoration before the Blessed Sacrament - where circumstances and work commitments permit - we might discover something profoundly liberating and even healing.

In every Roman Catholic church where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved, a sanctuary lamp burns near the tabernacle. Typically housed in a red glass holder and suspended from the wall or ceiling, it marks the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. The photograph above was taken in my local parish church in Goresbridge.

As I explained in a previous blog, The Tabernacle, What, Where and Why?, the sanctuary lamp is a small but powerful sign that Christ is sacramentally present nearby. For those raised in the Catholic tradition, it can act almost like a trigger, quietening the mind and directing attention to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

The fact that the lamp remains lit day and night is also a powerful symbol of Christ's abiding presence and faithful watchfulness. Certainly, Christ is present in many ways - in his Word, in the liturgy, in the gathered assembly and in the poor whom he calls us to serve. Yet the Church teaches that in the Holy Eucharist Christ is present in a unique and unsurpassed way. Before the tabernacle, we encounter the Real Presence of the Lord reserved in the Blessed Sacrament.

As Pascal observed, much of our restlessness comes from our inability to be still. The sanctuary lamp invites us to pause, to enter into silence and simply to remain with the Lord. In a busy and distracted world, that may be one of the greatest graces we can receive.

Try it.