Wednesdays to be observed as a Day of Silence at the Diocesan Center

Houston, TX- His Grace Alexios Mar Eusebius, Diocesan Metropolitan, has decided to observe Wednesdays as days of silence at the Diocesan Center. The diocesan office will also be closed on Wednesdays. The diocesan office will not attend any phone calls or do any administrative tasks on this day.

An experience of stillness is essential for every person who wants to learn the art of prayer. To achieve this experience, one should not necessarily withdraw to the desert. But one has to put aside some minutes every day and pray to God Who is in secret.” Our usual temptation, or deception, is that we are always very busy and forever rush to do something extremely important: we believe that if we spend too much time in prayer, we will not have the opportunity to do these important things. On the contrary, prayer teaches one to concentrate more to make one’s mind more disciplined: as a result, time is won rather than lost.

The lack of taste for solitude and silence is one of the most common illnesses of the modern person. Many are even scared of remaining in stillness, being alone or having free time: they feel more comfortable being constantly occupied; they need words, impressions; they always hasten in order to have the illusion of an abundant and saturated life. But life in God begins when words and thoughts fall silent, when worldly cares are forgotten, and when a place within the human soul is freed to be filled by Him.

To lead by example, during this allocated time, His Grace has decided to discourage meetings, suspend all communications and administrative tasks from the ever-busy Diocesan center. This should encourage the faithful to follow the example to set apart a fixed time to meditate on the Lord.