Advent takeaway

During Advent I encountered this exhortation from St Anselm to take time for personal prayer:

Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business for a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts.  Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors.  Make a little time for God and rest a while in him.

Enter into your mind’s inner chamber.  Shut out everything but God and whatever helps you to seek him; and when you have shut the door, look for him.  Speak now to God, and say with your whole heart:  I seek your face; your face, Lord, I desire.

It’s from the non-Scriptural reading in the Office of Readings for Friday of the First Week of Advent.  If it doesn’t sound familiar, it’s probably because this year it coincided with the Memorial of St John Damascene, which had its own non-Scriptural reading for the Office of Readings.  This excerpt now occupies a prominent place on my desk at home.  I may need to go further, and attach it to my computer monitor, my checkbook, my DVD player, etc., etc…..