Knitting before God

Following is a beautiful and interesting story, given to us by Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, explaining the importance and centrality of silence. This might seem as a passive understanding of our existence and our relationship towards others and towards God. On the contrary, silence should be understood as a virtue and an achievement we should all strive to achieve, in order to fully comprehend His presence in our lives. Anthony Bloom narrates the following story in the book Creative Prayer, p.59.

‘I remember that one of the first people who came to me for advice when I was ordained was an old lady who said: ‘Father, I have been praying almost unceasingly for fourteen years, and I have never had any sense of God’s presence.’ So I said: ‘Did you give him a chance to put in a word?’ ‘Oh well’, she said, ‘no, I have been talking to him all this time, because is not that prayer?’ I said: ‘No, I do not think it is, and what I suggest is that you should set apart fifteen minutes a day, sit and just knit before the face of God.’

And so she did. What was the result? Quite soon she came again and said: ‘It is extraordinary, when I pray to God, in other words when I talk to him, I feel nothing, but when I sit quietly, face to face with him, then I feel wrapped in his presence.’

You will never be able to pray to God really and from all your heart unless you learn to keep silent and rejoice in the miracle of his presence, or if you prefer, of your being face to face with him although you do not see him.’