--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The question that must guide all…" description: "\"“The question that must guide all organizing activity in a parish is not how to keep people busy, but how to keep them from being so busy that they can..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_voice-of-god_the-question-that-must-guide-all-organiz_1819263.jpg" --- # The question that must guide all organizing activity in a… ![“The question that must guide all organizing activity in a parish is not how to keep people busy, but how to keep them from being so busy that they can no longer hear the voice of God who speaks in silence.” quote by Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_voice-of-god_the-question-that-must-guide-all-organiz_1819263.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_voice-of-god_the-question-that-must-guide-all-organiz_1819263.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_voice-of-god_the-question-that-must-guide-all-organiz_1819263.jpg) > ““The question that must guide all organizing activity in a parish is not how to keep people busy, but how to keep them from being so busy that they can no longer hear the voice of God who speaks in silence.”” [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parish work should prioritize spiritual listening over keeping people merely occupied. **In simple terms:** Emphasizes listening to God over busyness. Key Takeaway Create space for silence and reflection. Themes spirituality busyness leadership Mood contemplative serene Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - church meetings - small group retreats - personal prayer Key Concepts silence listening community focus Questions to Reflect On - How can you reduce busyness in your community? - What practices foster silence? A Different Perspective Too much activity can drown out spiritual insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Voice of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [God speaks in the silence of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/god-speaks-in-the-silence-of-the-heart/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/before-you-speak-it-is-necessary-for-you-to-listen-for-god-speaks-in/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Ministers are tempted to join the ranks of those who consider it their primary task to keep other people busy … But our task…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/ministers-are-tempted-to-join-the-ranks-of-those-who-consider-it/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“In our own lives the voice of God speaks slowly, a syllable at a time. Reaching the peak of years, dispelling some of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/in-our-own-lives-the-voice-of-god-speaks-slowly-a-syllable-at-a-time/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Jesus speaks in the silence of the mystery of the Eucharist and reminds us each time that following him means going out of ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/jesus-speaks-in-the-silence-of-the-mystery-of-the-eucharist-and/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [A man of virtue, judgment, and prudence speaks not until there is silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/a-man-of-virtue-judgment-and-prudence-speaks-not-until-there-is/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [“The soul speaks in silence, not because it has nothing to say, but because truth requires stillness to be heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-tholalu/the-soul-speaks-in-silence-not-because-it-has-nothing-to-say-but/) Anita Tholalu > [Meditation speaks. It speaks in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/meditation-speaks-it-speaks-in-silence/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [“May you know, that spirit speaks through silence and is in the wind. Every breath, blown into you, is still with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulonda-faye/may-you-know-that-spirit-speaks-through-silence-and-is-in-the-wind/) [Ulonda Faye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulonda-faye/) > [Being busy and being productive are not necessarily the same. Many people keep busy to avoid taking action on things they're afraid to pursue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-mackler/being-busy-and-being-productive-are-not-necessarily-the-same-many/) [Lauren Mackler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-mackler/) > [Grown-up people seem to be busy by clockwork... They run their unswerving course from object to object, directed by some mysterious inner needle that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bowen/grown-up-people-seem-to-be-busy-by-clockwork-they-run-their/) [Elizabeth Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bowen/) > [People are not busy always they make themselves busy! Some people chooses the lightest part of life by spending time for their friends:)Like me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhargavi/people-are-not-busy-always-they-make-themselves-busy-some-people/) [Bhargavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhargavi/) > [Nowadays people are busy in seeking and talking about people who hate them, not about those who love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akash-rajoriya/nowadays-people-are-busy-in-seeking-and-talking-about-people-who-hate/) [Akash Rajoriya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akash-rajoriya/) > [“People are always busy in trying to manipulate and dominate others!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-aziz/people-are-always-busy-in-trying-to-manipulate-and-dominate-others/) [Salman Aziz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-aziz/) > [“Opportunity knocks but some people are too busy watching TV.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/opportunity-knocks-but-some-people-are-too-busy-watching-tv/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) ## More by Henri J.M. Nouwen > [“Spiritual reading, therefore, is slow, deliberate, meditative reading in which we allow the words to penetrate our heart and question our spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/spiritual-reading-therefore-is-slow-deliberate-meditative-reading-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“The mystery of ministry is that we have been chosen to make our own limited and very conditional love the gateway for the unlimited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/the-mystery-of-ministry-is-that-we-have-been-chosen-to-make-our-own/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Jesus changes our history from a random series of sad incidents and accidents into a constant opportunity for a change of heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/jesus-changes-our-history-from-a-random-series-of-sad-incidents-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Why should a man marry and have children, study and build a career; why should he invent new techniques, build new institutions, and develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/why-should-a-man-marry-and-have-children-study-and-build-a-career-why/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“It wasn't that the Gospel proved useful for my many worries but that the Gospel proved the uselessness of my worries and so refocused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/it-wasn-t-that-the-gospel-proved-useful-for-my-many-worries-but-that/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“But mortification - literally, "making death" - is what life is all about, a slow discovery of the mortality of all that is created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/but-mortification-literally-making-death-is-what-life-is-all-about-a/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Christians should put survival of the planet ahead of national security...Here is the mystery of our global responsibility: that we are in communion with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/christians-should-put-survival-of-the-planet-ahead-of-national/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“We want to live as people chosen, blessed, and broken, and thus become food for the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/we-want-to-live-as-people-chosen-blessed-and-broken-and-thus-become/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Those who really can receive bread from a stranger and smile in gratitude, can feed many without even realizing it. Those who can sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/those-who-really-can-receive-bread-from-a-stranger-and-smile-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Whereas discipline without discipleship leads to rigid formalism, discipleship without discipline ends in sentimental romanticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/whereas-discipline-without-discipleship-leads-to-rigid-formalism/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“When God makes a covenant with us, God says: 'I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/when-god-makes-a-covenant-with-us-god-says-i-will-love-you-with-an/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Am I afraid to die? I am every time I let myself be seduced by the noisy voices of my world telling me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/am-i-afraid-to-die-i-am-every-time-i-let-myself-be-seduced-by-the/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Our life is a short time in expectation, a time in which sadness and joy kiss each other at every moment. There is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/our-life-is-a-short-time-in-expectation-a-time-in-which-sadness-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Here the mystery of drinking the cup becomes clear. The coming and leaving of friends, the experiences of love and betrayal, of care and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/here-the-mystery-of-drinking-the-cup-becomes-clear-the-coming-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway-to-new-life/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) [Explore all 115 Henri J.M. Nouwen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) ## More Silence quotes > [Let us have the luxury of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/let-us-have-the-luxury-of-silence/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [I just can’t, Nick, okay? Now, please give me a second to lie here in silence and bleed.” – Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-just-can-t-nick-okay-now-please-give-me-a-second-to-lie-here-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“SILENT LIKE SLEEP You appear by my side, silent like sleep. Soft hair, a little wild. No fear, gentle like a calm river. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/silent-like-sleep-you-appear-by-my-side-silent-like-sleep-soft-hair-a/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“A word is not filling in the gaps, but the fertilization of silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/a-word-is-not-filling-in-the-gaps-but-the-fertilization-of-silence/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“I’m not like her. I don’t steal people.” Mr. Tibbalt watched her, saying nothing. The silence made Victoria bristle. “Well, I don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-legrand/i-m-not-like-her-i-don-t-steal-people-mr-tibbalt-watched-her-saying/) [Claire Legrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-legrand/) > [Silence can be the world's strongest weapon in torturing people's emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/silence-can-be-the-world-s-strongest-weapon-in-torturing-people-s/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“When all are one sentience, Language withers and fades away. Let's sit together and speak in silence, Let's be light to each other's way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-all-are-one-sentience-language-withers-and-fades-away-let-s-sit/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [True friendship is sitting together in silence and feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-friendship-is-sitting-together-in-silence-and-feeling-like-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So what did God say to me in the silence that morning? I’m not sure, but I think God said something like, Don’t try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/so-what-did-god-say-to-me-in-the-silence-that-morning-i-m-not-sure/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I suppose he'll just have to do," she amended. "You'll have to suffer in silence with your male model...I feel for you." "Oh, stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-adornetto/i-suppose-he-ll-just-have-to-do-she-amended-you-ll-have-to-suffer-in/) [Alexandra Adornetto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-adornetto/) > [The silent majority is silent, and that is best for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-kocher/the-silent-majority-is-silent-and-that-is-best-for-everybody/) [Gerhard Kocher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-kocher/) > [“I once asked you what anxiety felt like, and you told me that most days left you riddled with bullet holes. Every morning came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-s/i-once-asked-you-what-anxiety-felt-like-and-you-told-me-that-most/) d.a.s [Browse all 8,731 Silence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The question that must guide all organizing activity in a parish is not how to keep people busy, but how to keep them from being so busy that they can no longer hear the voice of God who speaks in silence.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri J.M. 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