Augustine links the story of Martha and Mary with Psalm 46.

Mary, he says, had truly heard the psalm’s promise, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ He sees the scene this way.

‘While Martha was busy seeing to all the serving, Mary was sitting at the Lord’s feet, and listening to his words. One was working hard, the other sitting still, doing nothing. One was feeding others, the other was being fed. Martha was absorbed in the matter of how to feed the Lord; Mary was absorbed in the matter of how to be fed by the Lord. Martha was preparing a banquet for the Lord; Mary was already revelling in the banquet of the Lord.’

In medieval times the unnamed author of The Cloud of Unknowing pictures Mary gazing on Jesus with all the love of her heart. ‘Nothing she saw or heard could budge her, but there she sat, completely still, with deep delight. From “this part” nothing on earth could move her ... She had other work to do that Martha did not understand.’

Sitting still and remaining quiet in the Lord’s presence, like Mary, may be hard for some who are just setting out on the journey into silence. Others will find it easier.

A priest serving a rural parish in Ireland tells the story of an old lady who was housebound for many years with arthritis. He had called in, and sat for a while to chat. ‘I suppose, Brigid,’ he said, ‘you have time to say lots of prayers for us all.’

‘Indeed, Father,’ she answered, ‘I must confess that I don’t say many prayers. You see it’s like this,’ she said. ‘I begin to say the Our Father and I say “Our Father,” and I think how wonderful it is to be able to call him father. And that seems so wonderful that I can’t get any further. I just sit and wonder at it.’ Without being taught, Brigid had discovered the truest form of prayer.

Now, most of us pray in the way we have been taught. And the way we pray reflects, or perhaps even fashions, our idea of God. If we fear him, our prayer will be anxious. If we know God as a loving father, then our prayer will be more like Brigid’s. So if we are not happy with our prayer we may need to look closely at our notion of God.

An extract from Finding Your Hidden Treasure

© 2010 Benignus O’Rourke OSA

Published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd

© Photo: Ian Wilson OSA

Get the book: www.theaugustinians.org