Quiet and prayer in the Christmas season

Each year at Christmastime I hunger more and more for the sanctuary of quiet. I seek inconspicuous corners of my day where all the hustle and bustle of secular celebration does not, cannot, intrude. Of course, in a life that includes a husband, children, telephones, school concerts, cookie baking, tree trimming, gift procuring, and carol singing, quiet is a fleetingly brief event. And such passing bits of silence—though appreciated whenever they actually do occur—fail to provide the genuine rest and relief, nourishment and fresh perspective, that a spiritual sense of quietude can bring. In fact, more often than not, I've found that such "peace and quiet" merely causes me to long for the real thing even more.

So where can we turn for genuine, spiritual peace and find a quiet sanctuary during an active day? I have found refuge in prayer. In a letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul recommended prayer, and he said that in praying, "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." ^{Phil. 4:7.}

Mary Baker Eddy once wrote in a letter: "Three times a day, I retire to seek the divine blessing on the sick and sorrowing, with my face toward the Jerusalem of Love and Truth, in silent prayer to the Father which 'seeth in secret,' and with childlike confidence that He will reward 'openly.' In the midst of depressing care and labor I turn constantly to divine Love for guidance, and find rest. It affords me great joy to be able to attest to the truth of Jesus' words. Love makes all burdens light, it giveth a peace that passeth understanding, and with 'signs following.' As to the peace, it is unutterable ...."^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 133.}