RESTORE
This chapter from the BFG Handbook (Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching) presents the gospel through a new "Expression" of God’s Love to RESTORE the Truth.
Chapter 15 from the BFG Handbook (Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching) presents the gospel through a new “Expression” of God’s Love to RESTORE people to the Truth.
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Chapter 15: Power in Stillness
The chosen are most profound and subtle 1
Their wisdom is measureless
We cannot discover its depth
All we can do is describe their appearance
Careful, like men crossing thin ice 2
Watchful, like men waiting for their master 3
Courteous, like a guest 4
Yielding, like melting ice 5
Simple, like an uncarved block of wood 6
Open-minded, like a widespread valley 7
Non-revealing, like muddy water 8
Who can be still while the muddy water clears?
It is in stillness that the mind becomes clear 9
Who can be calm and yet persist?
It is in stillness that the right action arises
Men of God do not need to be self-fulfilled 10
Since they have no desire to be self-fulfilled
They can live in the present moment
Wisdom Too Deep to Measure
“The chosen are most profound and subtle
Their wisdom is measureless
We cannot discover its depth
All we can do is describe their appearance”
Chapter 15 of the Christian edition of the Tao Te Ching, titled Power in Stillness, speaks to the profound wisdom and calm presence that those who follow God can embody. The chapter emphasizes the paradox that true strength often comes from stillness and humility, qualities that reflect the nature of God’s presence in the believer’s life.
The chapter begins by describing the chosen as being “most profound and subtle,” with wisdom that is “measureless.” In Christian terms, this wisdom reflects the immeasurable depth of God’s wisdom, as expressed in Ecclesiastes 7:23-25, where the writer acknowledges that the fullness of God’s wisdom is beyond human understanding. This wisdom is not grasped through human effort alone, but through divine revelation. The characteristics of the chosen—being careful, watchful, courteous, yielding, simple, and open-minded—mirror the qualities that Jesus exhibited and encourages His followers to cultivate. Jesus’ life was one of perfect humility, watchfulness, and submission to the Father’s will. His simple and unassuming nature, described as “like an uncarved block of wood,” emphasizes that true greatness comes from being free of self-interest and pride, allowing God to shape and guide one’s life.
The opening lines are honest about our limits: “We cannot discover its depth. All we can do is describe their appearance.” The wisdom God gives His friends runs deeper than we can measure. The writer of Ecclesiastes, in the passage this line points to, reached the same edge and said so plainly.
“All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?”
Ecclesiastes 7:23-24NRSVue
Yet we can see something. We cannot measure a holy person’s inner life, but we can see how they carry themselves: their patience, their kindness, their calm in trouble. That is how holiness usually reaches us. Jesus said our good deeds would help others glimpse the Father. So the chapter goes on to “describe their appearance,” one picture at a time, and each picture is a quality the Holy Spirit grows in anyone who lets Him.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16NRSVue
“The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David.”Catechism 1831
“The witnesses who have preceded us into the kingdom, especially those whom the Church recognizes as saints, share in the living tradition of prayer by the example of their lives, the transmission of their writings, and their prayer today.”Catechism 2683
Think of the calmest, wisest person you know. Maybe a grandmother who prays every morning, a coach who never yells, a coworker who listens before she speaks. You probably cannot explain everything going on inside them, but you can describe them: steady, kind, unhurried. That is exactly what Chapter 15 does: “All we can do is describe their appearance.” Their peace did not come from an app or a self-help video. It grew slowly, from many quiet hours with God.
Try this today: Think of one person whose calm faith you admire, and ask them this week how they pray.
Careful Steps, Watchful Hearts
“Careful, like men crossing thin ice
Watchful, like men waiting for their master”
Picture someone crossing a frozen pond in early spring. Every step is deliberate. They listen for cracks, test the ice and never run. The chapter says God’s people walk through life that carefully, not out of fear, but because they know their choices matter, for themselves and for the people beside them.
“Be careful, then, how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil.”
Ephesians 5:15-16NRSVue
Careful does not mean anxious. St. Paul asks us to make sure our freedom does not become “a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9). Care is a form of love: we think before we speak, post, spend or promise, because others are walking on the same ice.
The second picture is watchfulness: servants staying up late, lamps lit, listening for their master’s knock. Jesus told this very story. A watchful Christian is not nervous but awake, expecting the Lord in prayer, in the sacraments and in the people He sends.
“Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes…”
Luke 12:37ESV
“Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it…”Catechism 1806
“He calls his hearers to conversion and faith, but also to watchfulness. In prayer the disciple keeps watch, attentive to Him Who Is and Him Who Comes…”Catechism 2612
You are about to fire off a reply in the group chat. You are about to buy something you cannot really afford. You are about to say yes to a plan your gut is unsure about. These are thin-ice moments. Chapter 15 says to be “Careful, like men crossing thin ice.” Slow down and test the next step. And be “Watchful, like men waiting for their master,” because Jesus may be right there in that moment, asking you to choose love over speed.
Try this today: Before one important message or purchase today, stop, take a breath and ask, “Jesus, is this the right step?”
A Guest, Melting Ice, an Uncarved Block
“Courteous, like a guest
Yielding, like melting ice
Simple, like an uncarved block of wood”
Next come three pictures of humility. A good guest is grateful and gentle. They do not demand the best seat or take over the conversation. Jesus, in the passage this line points to, told His followers to choose the lowest place at the table and let the host lift them up.
“For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 14:11NRSVue
“Yielding, like melting ice” describes a heart that is no longer frozen hard. Ice holds its sharp shape; water flows and gives life wherever it goes. Psalm 1, behind this line, pictures the person who delights in God’s law as “a tree planted by streams of water.”
“Simple, like an uncarved block of wood” is the humility of letting God do the shaping. We do not have to finish ourselves. St. Paul says Christ is the one foundation, and each of us builds on Him with care.
“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 3:11ESV
“Simple and faithful trust, humble and joyous assurance are the proper dispositions for one who prays the Our Father.”Catechism 2797
“Praying to our Father should develop in us the will to become like him and foster in us a humble and trusting heart.”Catechism 2800
You visit your in-laws, and they do things differently. They eat later, the TV is always on, the conversation goes places you would not take it. A good guest does not rearrange the house. Chapter 15 says to be “Courteous, like a guest” and “Yielding, like melting ice.” The same goes for a new job, a team project or a friend’s apartment. Let go of the need to be right about small things. You may be surprised how much God teaches you when you stop insisting on your way.
Try this today: In one conversation today, let someone else have the last word, and thank God for what you learn from them.
Open Like a Valley, Quiet Like Deep Water
“Open-minded, like a widespread valley
Non-revealing, like muddy water”
A wide valley receives what flows into it: rain, rivers, sunlight. Being “open-minded” in this sense is not believing everything. It is a heart wide enough to receive God’s word and to really hear other people. Isaiah, in a verse this line points to, describes God lifting up every valley to prepare His way.
“Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.”
Isaiah 40:4ESV
Valleys can also be dark, and the same footnote points to Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” An open heart stays open to God even in the low places, and keeps asking, seeking and knocking (Matthew 7:7).
“Non-revealing, like muddy water” is a surprising picture. The wise do not put everything on display. Jesus warned against throwing pearls to pigs (Matthew 7:6). Some things are holy and belong in prayer, not in a post. Mary is the great example.
“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19ESV
“Contemplative prayer is hearing the Word of God. Far from being passive, such attentiveness is the obedience of faith, the unconditional acceptance of a servant, and the loving commitment of a child.”Catechism 2716
“Charity and respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication. … No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it.”Catechism 2489
Discretion is not dishonesty. We may never lie, but love and wisdom do not require us to share everything with everyone.
Something big is happening: a hard diagnosis, a fight with your spouse, a prayer God just answered. The pull is to post it, text everyone or vent at work. Chapter 15 offers another way: “Non-revealing, like muddy water.” Not everything needs an audience right away. Take it to God first. Talk to the one or two people who truly need to know. And stay “Open-minded, like a widespread valley,” ready to hear what God and wise friends may say before you decide what it all means.
Try this today: Before you share something personal today, bring it to God in a short prayer first, then decide who really needs to hear it.
Still While the Water Clears
“Who can be still while the muddy water clears?
It is in stillness that the mind becomes clear
Who can be calm and yet persist?
It is in stillness that the right action arises”
The metaphor of muddy water and stillness points to the importance of clarity and peace in one’s spirit. When “the muddy water clears,” it symbolizes the inner transformation that takes place when one submits to God’s still, guiding presence. Psalm 46:10 urges us to “be still and know that I am God,” emphasizing the peace and clarity that come from surrendering to His will. In stillness, the mind is purified, and the right action emerges naturally. This parallels Jesus’ teachings about abiding in Him and allowing His peace to direct our steps (John 15:4-5).
The chapter asks two questions, and both are about patience. “Who can be still while the muddy water clears?” Most of us would rather stir. We keep checking, fixing and reacting. But mud only settles when the water is left alone. The psalm behind this line says the same thing to an anxious heart.
“Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.”
Psalm 37:7NRSVue
The second question matters just as much: “Who can be calm and yet persist?” Stillness is not giving up. Jesus slept in the boat during a storm, then stood and calmed the wind and waves with a word (Luke 8:24). His calm was full of power, and His frightened disciples were amazed.
“…“Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?””
Luke 8:25ESV
This is the power in the chapter’s title. People who pray before they act are not slower in the end. They waste less, hurt fewer people and keep going when others burn out, because their strength comes from God and not from their own nerves.
“Contemplative prayer is also the pre-eminently intense time of prayer. In it the Father strengthens our inner being with power through his Spirit “that Christ may dwell in (our) hearts through faith” and we may be “grounded in love.””Catechism 2714
“In his teaching, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray with a purified heart, with lively and persevering faith, with filial boldness.”Catechism 2621
It is late, and your mind will not stop: the email you have to send, the bill that is due, what your friend meant by that text. You scroll, hoping to calm down, and only stir the water more. Chapter 15 asks, “Who can be still while the muddy water clears?” Try the opposite of scrolling. Put the phone in another room. Sit, breathe and simply say, “Jesus, I trust in You.” Let the thoughts settle. In the morning, the right next step is often surprisingly clear.
Try this today: Tonight, put your phone away and spend a few quiet minutes with God before you sleep, without asking Him for anything.
Free to Live in the Present Moment
“Men of God do not need to be self-fulfilled
Since they have no desire to be self-fulfilled
They can live in the present moment”
The Christian understanding of the power in stillness is evident in the call for men of God to be free from the desire for self-fulfillment. Jesus Himself embodied this when He said, “I do not seek my own glory” (John 8:54), showing that the pursuit of personal honor is secondary to fulfilling the Father’s will. The Christian life is not about self-advancement but about aligning oneself with God’s purpose, being led by the Spirit rather than personal desires. This allows believers to live in the present moment, free from anxiety and self-centered striving, trusting that God’s plan will unfold in His perfect timing (Matthew 6:34).
Notice that the chapter does not say God’s people are unhappy or unfulfilled. It says they “do not need to be self-fulfilled.” They are not chasing a version of themselves that is always one goal, one purchase or one relationship away. Their fulfillment comes as a gift from God, so they are free to stop chasing it.
That freedom opens up the present moment. St. James, in a passage this line points to, gently questions our big plans for tomorrow and reminds us how short life is. The answer is not to stop planning, but to plan with open hands.
“Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.””
James 4:14-15NRSVue
Today is where God meets us. Yesterday is in His mercy and tomorrow is in His providence. Only now is in our hands, and with Him it is enough.
“…let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24ESV
“…time is in the Father’s hands; it is in the present that we encounter him, not yesterday nor tomorrow, but today…”Catechism 2659
““This day” is also an expression of trust taught us by the Lord, which we would never have presumed to invent. … If you receive the bread each day, each day is today for you.”Catechism 2836
You are at dinner with your family, but your mind is at work. You are at your kid’s game, checking how your post is doing. You are on vacation, already planning the next one. We are rarely where we are. Chapter 15 says people of God “can live in the present moment,” because they are not busy building their own fulfillment. Today, be where your feet are. The people in front of you and the God who is with you are enough for this moment.
Try this today: Pick one meal or conversation today and give it your full attention, phone away, as a gift to God and to the people with you.
Living the Chapter
The whole chapter, put into practice
Ultimately, Power in Stillness calls Christians to reflect the character of Christ—humble, patient, and attentive to God’s voice. Through stillness and yielding to the Holy Spirit, believers can find clarity and wisdom, leading them to act in accordance with God’s will rather than out of self-interest. In this way, true power comes from surrender, as believers remain grounded in God’s eternal presence and wisdom.
Put together, Chapter 15 paints a portrait of a person shaped by God: careful and watchful, courteous and yielding, simple and open, quiet when quiet is wise. None of it is weakness. It is the strength the prophet Isaiah described long ago.
“…“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling”
Isaiah 30:15ESV
This is the life of Jesus Himself, who went off very early in the morning to pray before a busy day (Mark 1:35), who stayed calm in the storm, and who sought His Father’s glory, not His own. When we let Him live this way in us, people may never measure our wisdom, but they will see His peace in our appearance.
“So let me ask you: Are there moments when you place yourself quietly in the Lord’s presence, when you calmly spend time with him, when you bask in his gaze?”Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate 151
“The prayer of Jesus makes Christian prayer an efficacious petition. He is its model, he prays in us and with us. Since the heart of the Son seeks only what pleases the Father, how could the prayer of the children of adoption be centered on the gifts rather than the Giver?”Catechism 2740
Your workplace is loud, your home is busy and your feeds never stop. You cannot change all of that. But you can become the calm person in the room: the one who listens, does not panic, waits before reacting and keeps showing up. People notice. One day a coworker or friend may ask, “How are you so steady?” That is your chance to tell them about the God who meets us in the stillness, where the muddy water clears.
Try this today: Choose one daily moment, like your commute or your morning coffee, to be still with God this week, and keep it.
RENEWAL
The Trinitarian M.A.P. is the method for RENEWAL, where God’s Love shapes our MINDSET, Trust in the Son directs our AIM, and Faith in the Holy Spirit guides our PRACTICE.
This chapter offers a new “Method” for the New Evangelization to RENEW our hearts and minds through the Trinitarian M.A.P. Bring this chapter into your day with the BFG Companion App. Pick Chapter 15 and an area of your life, and get Guidance made for you.
Renewal starts in the mind, and Chapter 15 starts with humility: “The chosen are most profound and subtle. Their wisdom is measureless.” Then it admits, “We cannot discover its depth.” A renewed mind does not pretend to have every answer. It stands before God the way Solomon did, who received a breadth of understanding “as measureless as the sand on the seashore” (1 Kings 4:29) and still knew it was a gift. So we stop rushing to sound smart and start asking God to make us wise.
The chapter then gives the key to a clear mind: “It is in stillness that the mind becomes clear.” Our thoughts are often like stirred-up water: worries, notifications, opinions and old hurts all swirling at once. Shaking the glass harder never clears it. Setting it down does. God says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Renewal of the mind begins with quiet: we let our thoughts settle in His presence until we can see again.
Try this: Before you reach for your phone this morning, sit still for one minute and pray, “Lord, let the muddy water clear.”
Psalm 46:10NRSVue “Be still, and know that I am God!…”
1 Kings 4:29NRSVue “God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore”
More Scripture: Proverbs 9:10 · Romans 11:33
A renewed mind needs a direction, and Chapter 15 gives one in a single picture: “Watchful, like men waiting for their master.” Jesus told the same story about servants who keep their lamps burning, ready to open the door the moment their master knocks (Luke 12:35-36). That is our aim. Not to impress anyone or win every argument, but to be ready for Christ, who will come at the end of time and who comes to us every ordinary day, in prayer, in the Eucharist and in the people we meet.
The chapter also names what we do not need to aim at: “Men of God do not need to be self-fulfilled.” So much of life today is aimed at ourselves: building a brand, chasing the next goal, proving we matter. Jesus said, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing” (John 8:54). When we aim at the Father’s will instead of our own glory, we stop straining. We can be “calm and yet persist,” because the goal is His, and He will finish it.
Try this: Before work or school today, pray: “Jesus, I am waiting for You. Help me notice You when You come today.”
Luke 12:35-36NRSVue “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks.”
John 8:54NRSVue “Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me”…”
More Scripture: Matthew 26:41 · Philippians 2:3
Renewal becomes real in how we treat people. Chapter 15 says it simply: “Courteous, like a guest. Yielding, like melting ice. Simple, like an uncarved block of wood.” A good guest does not grab the best seat; Jesus told us to take the lowest place (Luke 14:10). Melting ice lets go of its hard edges. An uncarved block lets the craftsman shape it. In practice, that means listening before answering, letting go of the last word, and letting God shape us through the people around us.
Then the chapter shows where good action comes from: “It is in stillness that the right action arises.” We do not have to react to every message the second it arrives. We can pause, pray and let the water clear, and then act. And the chapter ends in freedom: “They can live in the present moment.” The Holy Spirit is not waiting in yesterday’s regret or tomorrow’s worry. He meets us here, in this conversation, this chore, this person in front of us.
Try this: The next time a message upsets you, wait before you reply, pray one Hail Mary, then answer from the calm.
Luke 14:10-11NRSVue “But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Psalm 37:7NRSVue “Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.”
More Scripture: James 3:17 · Jeremiah 18:6
In short: think humbly, aim at what is eternal, live by the Spirit. Let your mind grow still before God’s measureless wisdom, aim to be ready for your Master instead of chasing self-fulfillment, and practice the courteous, yielding, simple calm from which the right action arises.
RESPOND
Renewal brings the transformation of our spirit with ardor, empowering us to RESPOND to the call of holiness and make disciples of all nations. This encourages meaningful dialogue to embrace shared truths that transcend cultural and religious boundaries.
Renewal does not end with us. When God quiets a heart, He sends it out. Chapter 15 says of His chosen, “We cannot discover its depth. All we can do is describe their appearance.” People may never read our theology, but they see how we carry ourselves: careful, courteous, calm under pressure. A still heart that waits on God speaks louder than a crowded argument.
In 1983, Saint John Paul II called the Church to an evangelization that is “new in its ardor, new in its methods, new in its expression.” The Gospel never changes. The way we carry it must be alive for our time. Chapter 15 shows why: a restless, noisy world needs fresh words that point to the stillness where God lets the muddy water clear.
Ardor is the fire of a heart that has been loved by God. People feel it before they hear a single word. Chapter 15 asks, “Who can be calm and yet persist?” The fire of mission is not frantic; it burns steadily in a heart that has been still with God.
Use the words people use today: simple, honest and personal. Share your story, not a lecture. Chapter 15 calls us “Courteous, like a guest,” so share your faith the way a good guest speaks: kindly, humbly and without taking over the room.
Meet people where they are: on the phone in their hand. The BFG Handbook and the BFG Companion turn one conversation into a path to Christ and His Church. Chapter 15 says “It is in stillness that the right action arises.” Our tools help people make room for a few quiet moments with God before they decide what to do.
Use the words people use today: simple, honest and personal. Share your story, not a lecture. Chapter 15 calls us “Courteous, like a guest,” so share your faith the way a good guest speaks: kindly, humbly and without taking over the room.
What my life was like before I really met Jesus.
How He met me, and the moment things began to change.
What is different now, and the hope I carry. Like the chapter’s “muddy water,” when did a confusing season finally clear after you waited on God?
Meet people where they are: on the phone in their hand. The BFG Handbook and the BFG Companion turn one conversation into a path to Christ and His Church. Chapter 15 says “It is in stillness that the right action arises.” Our tools help people make room for a few quiet moments with God before they decide what to do.
Every chapter has its own song and is written in a language people of every faith can understand. A doorway for dialogue. Chapter 15, Power in Stillness, helps anyone who feels rushed, scattered or anxious, or who is pushing hard to prove themselves.
A friend shares a struggle. Together, pick a chapter and an area of life (start with Chapter 15 when someone is too overwhelmed to think straight, or is about to make a big decision in a hurry). In seconds: a reflection, the M.A.P., a saint, a prayer, Scripture, a song and a church nearby. Send it by email, PDF or a share link.
Hard question? Ask it together. Answers are grounded in Catholic teaching, the saints and the BFG Handbook. Talk or type. Try asking together: “How do I hear God when my mind is too noisy to be still?”
Pray the Rosary with a guided voice, the daily mysteries and beads that follow along. Pray it with someone, even over the phone. Praying the beads slowly is a simple way to be still while the muddy water clears, walking beside Mary, who treasured all these things in her heart.
Catholic churches near anyone, with Mass and Confession times, directions, and one tap to add a time to the calendar. Every conversation can end at a church door. Sitting quietly in a church before or after Mass is one of the best places to learn that “It is in stillness that the mind becomes clear.”
Morning, midday and evening prayer reminders, a daily streak and a steady prayer rhythm help a new believer keep going. A gentle call to stop, breathe and be still with God for a moment.
Free to start, no card needed. Read aloud in 48 languages.
One tool that walks with a person from the first question to the church door.
Jesus sent His apostles first to Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria, then to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Start where you are. Chapter 15 says the chosen are known by their “appearance,” so the people who watch how you react at home, at work and online are already reading your witness.
- Pray the Rosary together on Pray My Rosary.
- Bless your children at bedtime.
- Share a Guidance with a spouse or child who is struggling.
- Find Sunday Mass times together with Church Finder.
- After a tense moment at home, call a family pause: everyone sits quietly for one minute, then you talk again.
- Text a verse from your Guidance.
- Ask, “How can I pray for you?” and pray right then.
- Invite a friend to Mass, then go for coffee.
- Send the line: “It is in stillness that the mind becomes clear.”
- Be the calm, kind one.
- Pray on your lunch break with a reminder.
- Start a small chapter group that meets once a week. Begin with Chapter 15, Power in Stillness.
- Respect the rules: invite, never push.
- Listen for the moment: “Things have been hard.”
- Offer: “Can I send you something that helped me?”
- Share the Chapter 15 song.
- Ask good questions and really listen.
- Share your three-part story.
- Open Ask BFG together when a question comes up.
- When a friend is spinning over a decision, share the line “Who can be still while the muddy water clears?” and offer to pray with them before they choose.
- Visit the sick, the elderly and the lonely; pray the Rosary with them.
- Serve at a food bank.
- Welcome newcomers at Mass.
- Join your parish evangelization team.
- Ask shops, cafés and offices to display a BFG card with a QR code.
- Offer a short lunch talk on faith at work.
- Business owners: offer the Companion to staff as a free gift, never a requirement.
- Go where people already gather, and be the friendly one who listens.
- Pray quietly for the people around you.
- When a talk turns real, share a Guidance or the chapter song.
- Wear or carry a simple sign of your faith, like a cross or a rosary, that can start a conversation.
- On a walk in the park or before a big game, take a quiet minute together and share that Chapter 15 says “It is in stillness that the right action arises.”
- Host a Chapter 15 “Power in Stillness” night, a Handbook chapter night, a Rosary night or an “Ask Anything” faith night.
- Show the Companion on a big screen and let people try it.
- We did this at our free conference, The New Evangelization in the Age of AI, at Christ Cathedral.
- Share a Guidance, a chapter song or a Scripture card. Try: “It is in stillness that the mind becomes clear.”
- One post can reach someone you will never meet.
- Join a parish or diocese mission trip.
- The Companion speaks 48 languages, so you leave behind something that keeps speaking after you go home.
- Every culture knows the picture of muddy water settling until it runs clear, a natural bridge to the God who says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
- Your parish ministries, the Legion of Mary, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, prison, hospital and campus ministries, and mission groups.
- Bring the BFG tools to their work.
You will not always have the perfect answer. Some days you will feel like you are walking on thin ice. But Chapter 15 asks, “Who can be calm and yet persist?” and answers, “It is in stillness that the right action arises.” Go gently. Go watchfully. Go together. The same Spirit who stilled your heart now sends you, to carry His calm into a restless world.
God of stillness and measureless wisdom, Holy Spirit, set my heart on fire. Jesus, send me to the one You love. Father, make me Your witness today. Amen.
NRSVue © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.