I thought I would end my posts of this year by sharing the Northumbria Community reading for today. The last month has been based around the poustinia. All the extracts have been from ‘Poustinia‘ by Catherine de Hueck Doherty. I won’t go into explaining that in great detail, other than to say it is a process of trying to be one with God in quiet. Go here to find out more.

The poustinia is a state of constantly being in the presence of God because one desires him with a great desire, because in him alone one can rest. The poustinia is walking in this inner solitude, immersed in the silence of God. My life of service and love to my fellowman is simply the echo of this silence and solitude.

Inwardly I identify myself with God and with humanity. Jesus Christ himself conducts me into this inner silence, into that solitude that speaks so loudly to the Father under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Now I am immersed in the Trinity, in the fire of the silence of God (for the silence of God is always fire; His speech is fire). Now I become as one on fire with love of Him and all of humanity across the world. Now it is not I who speak. I speak what God tells me to speak. When my immersion into this immense silence has finally caught fire from His words, then I am able to speak. I can speak because his voice is sounding loudly and clearly in my ears, which have been emptied of everything except Him.

Now only His name is on my heart, constantly; it has become my heartbeat.



If I could personally write something similar this time next year, I would look back and say 2005 had been a great year.