Finding Pause

Sometimes, it is not until people ask you, that you really think through why it is you do something – or what it means to you. There are a lot of things we do in Church – making signs like the cross, or bowing or saying certain words which might seem a little superfluous to the casual observer.

I remember over-hearing my brother’s confirmation class being told that making the sign of the cross before you took communion was a sort of “pulling yourself together” – this has always stuck with me – although perhaps I would use different language – getting ready or laying open sort of language – the action has remained a part of my devotion – reminding me of both the seriousness and the blessing of that moment.

Just a little pause is required to make a cross – and I am not saying that that is for everyone – but little pauses are important – moments where we ground ourselves back in our maker, actions which acknowledge to God who we are. The action that made me think about all this recently was a brief bow to the altar as I passed – why do I do that – my own reason is not just because that is what you do in Church but that it is a conscious slowing down and offering to God – it reminds me where I am, who I am and what I am supposed to be about.

I have found all sorts of ways to find pauses over the years – sometimes I have stuck up a Bible verse on a kitchen cupboard, or a picture inside the of door house. There have been places of prayers, actions which have grounded me. Some of these things seem to continue to make sense and have meaning – when I was younger I cheekily walked in front of the altar, when no adults were around, with no bow, just to see what would happen. Of course, nothing did – God does not need me to do all these things – but the truth is that I need these moments – I need to stop if only for a few seconds and take a breath - self out, God in.

Our days are busy and in between our deliberate times of prayer it can be good to have small actions, or habits – momentswhich bring us closer to our heavenly home.