Deepening our Christianity

the Monday Newsletter of Paul Prins

Edition #32 · 10 June 2024

Blessings Reader,

Jordan and I are heading to the States for a couple weeks. If you are around it would be fun to see you. I'm preaching next Sunday in the Twin Cities at Meetinghouse Church, and there are two other events below you are invited too. Let me know if you're around!

Acceptance and Silence

Last Sunday we had our monthly online gathering of Urban Monastics. The format is pretty simple. We pray Vespers, share in the Eucharist, and then have a conversation for the remaining time. Our conversation was on silence from our Way of Life.

Silence is a practice and discipline that doesn't get much attention. Yet, it is within silence that I most often hear from God. It is within silence that I get to rest in the presence of God. There I get to rest with myself. Silence can be such an intimate space. In this prayerfully attentive space I become aware of myself in new ways, and the thoughts that are dancing through my mind.

Silence is not just one thing. This is where we get to start to struggle with it. This prayerful silence is not being quiet. Silence invites us to still our minds. The only ways I have ever been able to find myself in silence is with acceptance. I have to fully accept myself as I am in that moment. It takes radical and complete acceptance for me to rest in silence. My mind often floods with doubts, anxieties, fears, and endless things I need to do. Only has accepting each and every thing helped me get to stillness and silence.

Acceptance is a word that we hear a lot, but is often misused. As we accept ourselves we do not need to apply any judgement. I can see something in myself I don't like, and still accept that is part of me. Denying its reality and existence does not make it any less present. Instead, I would be occupied with fighting against a part of myself. We accept things about ourselves by seeing them, feeling them, and acknowledging that it is real. My fears and doubts are real. They may still be there later. That is okay.

God accepts us exactly as we are in this moment. God's love for us is present and wonderful. It is not love that loves us for who we might be one day. Jesus accepts me exactly as I am in this moment. When we accept ourselves in stillness and prayerful silence, we do so just like our Christ. If who we are is enough for our Lord, then I can accept who I am today. I can choose to enjoy the intimacy of being present with myself, and my God.

Until Next Week

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Unpublished Photo for this Edition

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See me in Minneapolis!

We are heading to Minnesota later this week for a couple weeks. During that time I have three public ministry events that you are invited too.

• Preaching at Meetinghouse Church​
  ​Next Sunday the 16th @ 9:30am [Website]
  ​I will be preaching at their Alternative service on Faith being a Gift (Ephesians 2).
• An Urban Monastic Gathering at Meetinghouse
  ​Thursday the 20th @ 6:30pm until 8:00 [Website]​
  Jordan and I will be leading a gathering at Meeting House. We'll pray vespers, share the Eucharist, and have a conversation. The talk will be an introduction to Urban Monasticism.
• An Urban Monastic Day in Minneapolis
  ​Tuesday the 25th @ 9:00am until 4:45 [Register Here]​
  Take a day with us to devote yourself to prayer, rest, and silence. ​
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A Prayer for the Week to Come

Jesus, meet me in the moments between things and in the spaces within myself. Invite me with your tenderness to be still within the swirls of my mind. Let me find myself in the silence. Help me accept myself as you have, and to love who I am as you do.

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