# Attention Day 3 > Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God. ### Opening Prayer: *Lord, I ask for the grace to let go of my own concerns and be open to what you are asking of me, to let myself be guided and formed by my loving Creator. (Sacred Space: the Prayer Book 2010 by Jesuit Communication Centre)* #### Psalm for the Week: Psalm 130 #### My Soul Waits for the Lord #### A Song of Ascents. *130 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! 2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!* *For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.* #### Scripture for the Day: Ephesians 5:8-21 *8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,* *“Awake, O sleeper,and arise from the dead,and Christ will shine on you.”* *15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.* #### Reading for Reflection: *Attentiveness to God’s spirit requires deeply receptive, prayerful listening. Practicing the art of attending to the Spirit involves us in contemplative listening. Such listening is quite distinct from the various ways in which we generally listen to another….* ​ *It is holy listening, rooted in silence. It seeks emptiness in order to be filled with the Spirit. It is permeated by humility. Such listening assumes that the Spirit is active among us and works through us. So it makes space for that movement. It is primarily receptive, patient, watchful, and waiting. Yet it does not fear action when action is called for. Such listening is generously flexible, hospitable, and warm. It embraces the widest possible spectrum of life’s beauty and pain. It acknowledges the creation of all people in the image and likeness of God. It approaches life as a mystery into which we joyously and generously live. While in one sense a gift, such listening is generally cultivated over the years as we prayerfully attend to the Spirit in our own lives and as others listen to us in the same grace-filled way. (Companions in Christ: Participants Book, Part 5 by Wendy M. Wright)* #### Reflection and Listening: silent and written #### Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself #### Song for the Week: O Come, O Come, Emanuel *O come, O come, Emmanuel,* *And ransom captive Israel,* *That mourns in lonely exile here,* *Until the Son of God appear.* *Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel* *Shall come to thee, O Israel.* *O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free* *Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;* *From depths of hell thy people save,* *And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.* *Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel* *Shall come to thee, O Israel.* *O come, thou Dayspring come and cheer* *Our spirits by thy justice here.* *Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,* *And death’s dark shadows put to flight.* *Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel* *Shall come to thee, O Israel.* *O come, thou Key of David, come* *And open wide our heav’nly home;* *Make safe the way that leads on high,* *And close the path to misery.* *Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel* *Shall come to thee, O Israel* ### Closing Prayer *My God, since You are with me, and since it is Your will that I should apply my mind to these outward things, I pray that You will give me the grace to remain with You and keep company with You. But so that my work may be better, Lord, work with me; receive my work and possess all my affections. (The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence)*