Seeking the Lord – with the help of Anselm and Quoist

Sep 5, 2017 | Audio-Visual Presentations

Before he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Abbot Anselm did much to develop the community at Bec Hellouin in Normandy in the late eleventh century into a leading centre of intellectual and spiritual thought, combining his pastoral ministry with an extensive correspondence with rulers and nobles all across medieval Europe as a spiritual adviser and counsellor.How we need his wisdom to integrate and act on His call to draw aside and spend time in the Lord’s presence! This beautiful Sound Cloud is taken from the introduction to Anselm’s Proslogian, (an extended argument to support the existence of God). Its words and its truths live on. I love the fact that he says, “For this I know to be true, that unless I first believe I shall not understand”. That word unless is such a pivotal one. Unless the Lord were willing to lead and guide us, both inwardly and outwardly, and unless we are willing to respond, where would we be? It’s all about giving Him the chance to do so rather than taking matters into our own hands!

The beautiful music that Amy Roberts and Christiane von Albrecht play for us is Elevazione, which was written by Domenico Zipoli, an Italian Baroque missionary to South America.

Ruach Breath of Life · Seeking with Anselm and Quoist

Lord, we’re hungry to turn aside from what we’re doing
and from our restless thoughts,
and to hide ourselves awhile in You.

Enter the secret chamber of your heart,
shutting out everything but God,
and that which may help you in seeking Him.
And when you’ve closed the door, seek Him.

Now my whole heart says to God: ‘I seek Your face,
Your face, O Lord, do I seek.’

I will seek You by desiring You,
and desire You in seeking You.
I will find You by loving You,
and love You in finding You . . .

I do not seek to understand so that I may believe,
but believe that I may understand.
For this I know to be true,
that unless I first believe I shall not understand.

This then leads on to a meditation by Michel Quoist, a worker priest who ministered in Rouen and Le Havre, very close to the monastery of Bec Hellouin that I was privileged to spend several weeks in a few years ago. Quoist’s ‘Prayers of Life’ are known and loved around the world. I remember reading some them in school assemblies, and noticing how deeply they touched people’s hearts.

Given the time constraints that most people face, we will readily be able to identify with the sentiments expressed in this meditation, and can pray for the Lord to help us to find ways to overcome distractions and ‘interruptions,’ big and small, internal and external, and reach a place of creative stillness in His presence.

Lord, here we are . . .
Caught between the infinity of our desires and the limitation of our means, torn, pulled here and pulled there, confused and exhausted.
So Lord, here we are, finally still, and finally ready to listen.
You’ve seen how dissatisfaction has made us suffer.
You’ve seen how fear has led us astray in choosing our commitments.
You’ve seen how we were afraid of doing too little.
And You’ve seen the cross imposed by our limited means.

Lord, make us strong enough to do what we should do calmly, simply, without wanting to do too much, without wanting to do it all ourselves.
In other words, Lord, make us humble in our wish and Your will to serve.
Help us above all to find You in our commitments.
For You are the unity of our actions;
You are the single love in all our loves, in all our efforts.
You are the wellspring, and all things are drawn to You.
So we come before You, Lord, to rest and gather strength.

Because these words are so deep, you may care to hear them again set to a different piece of music, this time set to a piece for recorder by Thornowitz.