The legend is that St. Francis was praying in the field one day when a pilgrim came to be edified by his words. The pilgrim sat waiting for quite some time when finally a fellow disciple walked to Francis and said, “Please say something to our brother that he may be edified.” Francis replied, “If he is not edified by my silence, he will not be edified by my speech.”
Look around at the ‘wordiness’ of our world. Signs everywhere begging you to “taste me, touch me, buy me, smell me, drink me, etc”. The ‘word’ has become worthless for we are drowning in them. The result is that the function of the word is no longer realized. The word no longer communicates, no longer fosters communion, no longer creates community, and therefore no longer gives life.
Often it seems that we find ourselves entangled in such a complex series of discussions, debates, and arguments about God or ‘God Issues’ that a simple conversation with God or simply enjoying the presence of God has become nearly impossible.
Silence is the home of the word. Meditation gives strength and fruitfulness to the word. Words are meant to disclose the mystery of the silence from which they come. Human silence is often born out of embarrassment, shame, or guilt. In divine silence, love rests secure.
Unfortunately for us, silence has become a fearful thing. For most people it creates an itchy nervousness. Most people experience silence not as full and rich but as empty and hollow. We have all experienced times when someone has said in church, “Let’s be silent for a few moments.” People become restless like one waits for a fuse to burn down to the powder. I have shunned silence in some services because of the anxiety it provokes. But God is not a God of fear but of divine love. He also is silent more often than He speaks. Allow this time of silence to store up the heat and passion for His presence within you. Convert an empty silence into a full silence. Don’t be disappointed if He doesn’t “speak to you” as you think He ought to. Be content to enjoy a shared moment of silence with the Creator of the universe.