Liturgy for Life : WK 4 - FRI
Statio
Matthew 11:28-30
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
“Hurry up!” Doesn’t just reading that statement stress you out? It seems like rushing is the normal pace in our lives and culture these days. When we pause or slow down, it feels as if we are not doing something that is considered “normal.” In fact, it seems abnormal to be less hurried and to take moments to pause and be present with God, ourselves, or others. To be mindful in the moments of our lives that seem to be flying by so quickly. So fast.
Today, we are discussing a spiritual practice that many people may not be familiar with. This practice is called statio, derived from a Latin term meaning "to stand still." In ancient Rome, it was commonly used in a military context to refer to a soldier’s post or watch. For modern disciples of Jesus, it means pausing at various moments in your day to be mindful of God’s presence and His activity around you. It's a simple yet powerful practice that enhances our interaction with God throughout the day. It allows us to create margin or space between our various activities. For instance, it could involve arriving a few minutes early to a meeting, class, or appointment, taking a few slow, deep breaths, and asking Jesus to guide you in being aware of what He is doing in that space. It might mean taking a moment before going to bed to reflect on your day and asking the Holy Spirit to help you notice where you experience His presence, both in your life and in the lives of those you interacted with that day. Additionally, it could involve using moments when you are forced to slow down and wait—like sitting in traffic, standing in line at the grocery store, or waiting at the DMV—as opportunities to practice this sacred pause, breathing deeply and seeking God’s presence with you and around you.
This is very much the type of rhythm of life Jesus invites us to share with Him when He offers His yoke to us. When we decide to live in Jesus’s yoke with Him, it becomes a yoke of learning from Him how to live less hurriedly. When you read the Gospels, do you ever see Jesus hurried? Nope. It's not there. Jesus was a very busy person, but never hurried. As apprentices of Jesus, we are being trained by Him to live an incredibly beautiful and wonder-filled life because it is lived with Him. As we walk with Him in His yoke, we walk at the pace of grace, love, mercy, and compassion.
I love how The Message translation interprets our text for today. I leave it with you to enjoy and reflect on with Jesus and consider how you might incorporate the practice of statio into your life and daily rhythm. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
“Hurry up!” Doesn’t just reading that statement stress you out? It seems like rushing is the normal pace in our lives and culture these days. When we pause or slow down, it feels as if we are not doing something that is considered “normal.” In fact, it seems abnormal to be less hurried and to take moments to pause and be present with God, ourselves, or others. To be mindful in the moments of our lives that seem to be flying by so quickly. So fast.
Today, we are discussing a spiritual practice that many people may not be familiar with. This practice is called statio, derived from a Latin term meaning "to stand still." In ancient Rome, it was commonly used in a military context to refer to a soldier’s post or watch. For modern disciples of Jesus, it means pausing at various moments in your day to be mindful of God’s presence and His activity around you. It's a simple yet powerful practice that enhances our interaction with God throughout the day. It allows us to create margin or space between our various activities. For instance, it could involve arriving a few minutes early to a meeting, class, or appointment, taking a few slow, deep breaths, and asking Jesus to guide you in being aware of what He is doing in that space. It might mean taking a moment before going to bed to reflect on your day and asking the Holy Spirit to help you notice where you experience His presence, both in your life and in the lives of those you interacted with that day. Additionally, it could involve using moments when you are forced to slow down and wait—like sitting in traffic, standing in line at the grocery store, or waiting at the DMV—as opportunities to practice this sacred pause, breathing deeply and seeking God’s presence with you and around you.
This is very much the type of rhythm of life Jesus invites us to share with Him when He offers His yoke to us. When we decide to live in Jesus’s yoke with Him, it becomes a yoke of learning from Him how to live less hurriedly. When you read the Gospels, do you ever see Jesus hurried? Nope. It's not there. Jesus was a very busy person, but never hurried. As apprentices of Jesus, we are being trained by Him to live an incredibly beautiful and wonder-filled life because it is lived with Him. As we walk with Him in His yoke, we walk at the pace of grace, love, mercy, and compassion.
I love how The Message translation interprets our text for today. I leave it with you to enjoy and reflect on with Jesus and consider how you might incorporate the practice of statio into your life and daily rhythm. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
- Have you ever heard of statio before today? If not, what do you think about it? If so, how have you practiced it, and what are some moments that you remember being particularly meaningful for you?
- Take a moment to reflect on the pace of your daily rhythm of life. How is the speed of your typical day? How might you practice statio to give yourself the grace of margin to remember that you are a human being created in the image of God and not a human doing?
- Imagine walking with Jesus, side by side. How fast are you walking? Now take a couple of minutes to visualize you and Jesus walking together through your day today, from morning until the time you go to bed. What pace is He inviting you to take with Him? When does He pause (statio) with you? What are you noticing as you pay attention to Jesus while visualizing this day together?
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