At the end of the day, I need time to settle down.  Whether I’ve been working in the office, teaching OCIA, hosted a ministry meeting or visiting with a family, it doesn’t seem to matter how late is when I return to the rectory, or how early I have to be up the next morning, I need at least an hour to to settle down, without phone calls, emails or doing any kind of office work.  I’m not alone in this need for time to make the transition.  This is also one the biggest reasons for and effect of Night Prayer (Compline) in the Liturgy of the Hours, it marks the end of the day and transition into rest for the night.

Even though this is something that I need everyday, and it is always a good and enjoyable thing on the other side,  it can be hard at times to flip the switch and actually slow down.  I find myself often tempted to stream an episode of tv or make another check of my emails.  It is taking that first step into making the transition, the letting go, that is often the hardest thing to do.

There are a number of things in life that are the same way, when it’s the moment of transition that is the hard part, even if we know that what is on the other side is good.  Advent is both a time of transition and that time of slowing down at the end of the day; it is a time of separation between the normal activity of life (Ordinary Time) and the celebration of our Lord’s birth (Christmas).  Yet many of us continue full speed, full voice and in the midst of full noise all of the way up to Christmas Day—in fact, I think many take their first breath and relax on the 2nd Day of Christmas.

You may find slowing down difficult, but give yourself permission to be silent.  The silence and time of quiet is as important as anything else that we do.  It is as necessary to our ability to see the presence of God as sleep is to the body, or eating is to our health.  But just like sometimes when we are tired and have to force ourselves out of bed, so also we can be so stressed and used to the noise and movement of things, that we need to force ourselves to stop and be at rest.  We need to take the step to force ourselves into the silence, but once entered, we begin to see and receive the benefits.

Not only does it allow us to rest, but silence allows the soul to speak and express itself to God without the bombardment or pressure of outside things.  It is about being in the presence of God.  There are things that by their nature help allow your mind to be still: Taking time to look at a sacred image;  Sounds that are quieting, like the sounds of nature, prayers or sacred music; reading printed material (has an objectively different affect than digital); engaging in a creative hobby has a surprising impact on quieting the mind.  Whatever the course may be, find the way that leads you into silence.