Today's meeting is on Thomas Merton's thoughts on busyness or what is more important than getting things done.
1. Meditation
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx6gj6RLRdg
2. Song
Danny Gokey - Love God Love People - YouTube
3. Narrative
https://richerbyfar.com/2020/08/21/daily-riches-something-more-important-than-getting-things-done-thomas-merton/
DAILY RICHES: SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN “GETTING THINGS DONE” THOMAS MERTON
Posted on August 21, 2020 by Bill Britton under "Being" with Jesus, Being and Doing, Being the Beloved, Busyness, Jesus the Savior, Meditation, monasticism, Silence, Solitude, Stillness, Striving and drivenness, Success
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered,
“you are worried and upset about many things,
but few things are needed—or indeed only one.
Mary has chosen what is better,
and it will not be taken away from her.”
(read the full story) Luke 10:41-42 NIV
“We experience in ourselves a new and special kind of truth when we imitate Mary. We [who are monks] who have this particular call recognize that when we are agitated by all kinds of external concerns which do not touch us deeply at all we are less authentic, less real, less ourselves, less what we are supposed to be. We feel less faithful to the will of God than when we remain simply in an attitude of freedom and attentiveness to His word, His love and His will. This gospel text illustrates our experience that we are summoned by the Holy Spirit to make an act of preference. We are called to prefer the apparent uselessness, the apparent unproductiveness, the apparent inactivity of simply sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to him. We are called to prefer this over an apparently more productive, more active, more busy life. We quietly affirm that there is something more important than ‘getting things done.’ Together with this is another implied assumption: that this preference goes against the ideas of the majority of our fellow human beings at any given moment and especially today in the twentieth century. Our act of preference for ‘quiet’ is at the same time an implicit protest and defiance, a protest against and a defiance of the counter-opinion of those who are absolutely convinced that our [monastic] life is useless and who reproach us for it.” Thomas Merton
Moving From the Head to the Heart
Concern to get things done comes naturally to me–even when it makes me less authentic, less myself, less who I am supposed to be. Is it just me?
Are you, at least sometimes, able to prefer apparent usefulness, apparent unproductiveness, apparent inactivity–quietly affirming that something else (attentiveness to God) is more urgent than your “to do” list?
Many others will reject this invitation. Are you willing to join with Merton in defiance of a driven, busy life?
Abba, in each circumstance, may I wrestle to know and to choose what is best–shaped by your call rather than pressure from within or without.
4. Prayer
Dear Lord, at the start of this day, help me to keep the eyes of my heart on You, and may I not sacrifice what is really important for what I perceive to be urgent.
Help me not to be too busy to forget to look at all the beauty that surrounds me in the world that You have created. Help me not to be so much in a hurry that I miss listening to Your still small voice.
Keep me I pray from ‘busy-ness’ and may I draw ever closer to You. In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.
Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/prayer/prayer-to-keep-me-from-being-too-busy-130
5. Meditation
Heavenly Hymn Harp 😇 Like a River Glorious Harp 😇 Like a River Glorious Hymn - YouTube_____________
6. Song
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