Silence.

[Abba]

I like silence. Not only the silence we can keep by speaking less but also the silence in the environment. A friend from Washington, D.C. once visited me and out of the blue she said: I like it. I asked her: what? And she said: the silence. If I am not listening to music I don’t have it as a background noise. Then, I visited that same friend one day at her home and the music was blasting and we had to scream to hear each other. It was disturbing and tiring.

I am working on speaking less. I like it as it helps me to keep inner peace. But, as I said: I am working on it .

I was just reading this nice article and thought to share it here:

Cloistered nuns live lives of prayer and contemplation
by RACHEL DOBIESZ

http://www.wnycatholic.org/content/images/news/cloistered005.jpg

“The reason for the silence is so that we can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, so we can be attentive to the spiritual world,” said Mother Miriam of Jesus, prioress of the Carmelite Nuns at the Shrine of the Little Flower of Jesus.
wnycatholic.org/news/article/current/2012/02/09/100429/cloistered-nuns-live-lives-of-prayer-and-contemplation

 

[jeannetherese]

Thank you for the article.
I’ve also come to more deeply appreciate silence and contemplation in a bustling, noisy world.
I love the contemplative opportunities which I find at my Latin Masses and hope to be able to participate someday in one of the silent retreats offered in our Archdiocese.
May God bless the many religous who have found these vocations and lead many to such paths of holiness.
Amen.

 

[christofirst]

I think we are now seeing an increased yearning for silence, especially in crowded, noisy cities like mine. Of course, not everyone recognizes or acknowledges the need for a certain amount of silence in our lives. Many people, it seems, are afraid of silence; afraid of facing reality without a cacophony of distractions. But more and more, I see people turning off the noise and quieting down - at least for a little while - and seeking out silence. And silence, as the article about the Carmelites reminds us, allows us to hear the still, small voice.

 

[Used2beSherryG]

Eucharistic adoration is both perfect silence and perfect venue to hear God’s voice speaking into our hearts and minds. I love living in a quiet peaceful place. It is so much easier to think things through during times of trial or even times of creativity! Thank you Lord for peace…and quiet.

 

[christofirst]

An updated rendering of 1 Kings 19:12:

God speaks to Elijah at Horeb:

“So He said, ‘Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord was passing by. And a noisy television set was blaring before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the T.V. Next to the T.V., a cell phone was beckoning, but the Lord was not in the incessant chatter, busyness, and social media. Near the cell phone, a radio played loudly, but the Lord was not in the radio. After the T.V., cell phone, and radio were turned off, the sound of a gentle blowing could be heard. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?..’”

 

[lalindsay225]

Thank you for sharing the article.

I often find that I crave silence. I grew up in a home where the TV was on constantly. My ex-husband also insisted on constant noise; if not the TV, then the radio. Now, as a divorced, middle-aged adult, I have many nights without the TV ever being turned on. So peaceful. And it doesn’t seem to bother my son, who is 11.

 

[Abba]

An updated rendering of 1 Kings 19:12:

God speaks to Elijah at Horeb:

“So He said, ‘Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord was passing by. And a noisy television set was blaring before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the T.V. Next to the T.V., a cell phone was beckoning, but the Lord was not in the incessant chatter, busyness, and social media. Near the cell phone, a radio played loudly, but the Lord was not in the radio. After the T.V., cell phone, and radio were turned off, the sound of a gentle blowing could be heard. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?..’”

 

[jeannetherese]

Eucharistic adoration is both perfect silence and perfect venue to hear God’s voice speaking into our hearts and minds.

Amen.
I encourage my non-Catholic friends who are stressed and in need of peace to walk into our church and just sit for awhile in His presence. What a gift to share.