Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.
~Augustine from “Confessions”

He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17b

Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
1 Peter 3:4

When worries overwhelm and fretting becomes fearsome,
I seek quieting.
When the noise of news headlines screams for my attention,
I long for quieting.
When there is sadness, conflict, tragedy, illness, estrangement in family and friends,
I weep for quieting.
When too many balls are juggled at once, and the first one is dropped with three more in the air,
I wish for quieting.
When the ache lasts too long, the tiredness lingers, the heart skips a beat, and one too many symptoms causes anxiety,
I am desperate for quieting.
When tempted and ready for surrender, forgetting confidence, conviction, commitment and faith,
I pine for quieting.
I need to stay in place, remain still and prayerful,
as a reflection of the depths of restoration and peace
found in the call to quieting.

Peace, peace, peace on earth
and good will to men
This is a time for joy
This is a time for love
Now let us all sing together
of peace, peace, peace on earth…

This year’s Advent theme is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s sermon on the First Sunday in Advent, December 2, 1928:

The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come. For these, it is enough to wait in humble fear until the Holy One himself comes down to us, God in the child in the manager.

God comes.

He is, and always will be now, with us in our sin, in our suffering, and at our death. We are no longer alone. God is with us and we are no longer homeless.
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer – from Christmas Sermons