We continue our catechises on silence.
Mother Theresa once said "The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The first line of this teaching considers silence as something given or attainable. Yet, where does one find silence? It is covered over by competing sounds and voices, the tug and pull of competing desires. One question remains, what is silence?Silence resounds in our ears as the absence of an ever-present cacophony of sound. Should we consider silence as a negation, something akin to absolute zero, darkness, or evil?
Many people get confused, when it comes to silence during prayer. To some, this isn't achievable. They want to sing, worship, dance, pray and listen to the preacher; no room for silence!Yet still, some say 'I'll fall off if I keep silence for a view moment". To them it's simply unachievable!Some are struggling to make it work by using their cars, lavatory, and private Eucharistic adoration.
What at all is silence during prayer? Prayer is a communication, a lifting of one's mind and heart to the Lord. I simply define prayer as "the connection of one's heart and mind to the heart of Jesus." God blesses the human heart, it can in return bless him who is the source of every blessing. (C.C.C 2645). Therefore, the heart can't get connected when there is no silence. The heart can't get connected when there is all around you noise, when all you hear is the music from earpiece plugged into your ears.
Silence is achievable during prayer. Silence is achievable during the praying of the rosary. Isn't it interesting that Prophet Jeremiah had to encounter God in the still cool air?
The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
(1 Kings 19:11-13)
The Rosary engages the whole person. It involves our speech and our hearing. It occurs our minds and incites our emotions. It assigns a task to our fingertips, those sensitive organs of touch. If we pray before a sacred image, we feed our meditation through yet another bodily sense.
The rosary is a beautiful resource for silent prayer and reflection. The name Jesus is at the very center of the rosary as prayer and sacramental.
Silence in prayer is by which one enters prayer by narrow gate of faith.
What of family prayer in silence?
To be Continued...
Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Pray for us!
#Ave_Maria
#Grace_Abounds💫
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