Dear Parishioners,

I wish today to talk to you about silence. Silence is that state of having no intentional noises. It is necessary for prayerful meditation because we need to be open to how the Lord is directing us. If we are constantly filling our ears with distraction, we are not making room for God.

Yet, silence can make us very nervous and fidgety. Whenever there is silence in a conversation it can become very awkward. During the parts of the Mass where there should be silence, I often hear people coughing or making other noises. I even read an article where people were given the option of being silent with their thoughts for a certain amount of time or self-administering electric jolts. About half the participants preferred to shock themselves four times before the period of silence elapsed. So, literally, there are some people who prefer pain to being quiet.

It is understandable why people are nervous. When you live in a world full of distraction, you become used to distraction. There is no shortage of people making small talk, background music, social media or television in our lives. The absence of those things can be disconcerting. However, by constantly having those noises in our life, we are giving up a great opportunity for growth. When we depend on noise, we lose focus. On a personal level, we become more easily stressed. On a scientific level, our brains are unable to regenerate brain cells as well. On a psychological level, we are less in tune with our real thoughts and feelings. On a spiritual level, when we have no connection to silence, we are no longer listening to God.

Silence is more than just a lack of sound. It is being present in one’s thoughts. It is being alert to the voice of God. We cannot hear God if we are constantly talking or filling our thoughts with what is useless. So, I urge you, for this Advent to find some way to embrace silence. Because once you actually cherish the silence, you may find comfort that only comes from God.

God bless,

Fr. Carter