I’ve shared here before that Kirk and I have been attending a contemplative eucharist service on Sunday nights over the last few months. It’s such a refreshing place to gather in silence with other pilgrims and be present to God.

It’s a very simple service: there are some prayers we all say together, as well as a reading of the Gospel and a simple song. The rector blesses the bread and wine and invites us all to partake in the eucharist.

But other than that, there are extended periods of silence. Between each segment of the service, there is silence. Before the service begins, we gather in the silence. And when the service ends, we are asked to depart in silence. 

I wonder: do you find silence easy or difficult?

It’s so rare to find bits of quiet in daily life, isn’t it? Even when we’re alone, it’s easy not to experience silence with all the ways we can stay connected to information and conversations online. 

When I find a moment of quiet, I experience it as a blessed relief.

However, I know that for others, silence can be disconcerting and somewhat unsettling. The silence is so … silent. 

What about you? How is it for you to experience silence? Is silence something you value in any way?