THE
P RTAL
April 2016
Page 10
“O Lord Open Our Lips”
- but help us to close them too
“Silence is a source of great strength” - Lao Tse,
Chinese philosopher and poet ...
Donato Tallo has been contemplating silence
Silence can
often seem a far distant concept in our secular and materialistic world. We are all busy
within our own lives and in our own different ways and quite often people from all walks of life can feel
that there is so much to do but not enough time to get everything done.
We live in a fast paced world with advanced
technology and we live in a world that is very
virtual, with various means of communication at our
fingertips twenty four hours a day wherever we may
be. Mobile phones, i-Pads, i-Pods, tablets, computers
and televisions can often appear to dominate our lives.
Different sounds of all varieties enter our ears every
day; various noises and sounds (the vast majority of
which can bring happiness, joy and comfort to us)
dominate and affect our lives on a daily basis.
our hearts and minds, has the potential to bring great
comfort and benefit to all of us.
Over-complicating prayer is something that many
of us may be guilty of, but simplicity and sincerity
through silence can help us all examine who we are
and where we are going, bringing us closer to the one
who made us. Prayers do not need external words in
order to be effective and meaningful and periods of
silent prayer, wherever we may be, can allow us times
of inner refreshment bringing both spiritual and
It may often feel as if there is no room for silence mental health benefits to us all.
in our busy lives with all the noises and sounds that
surround us, but in our fast paced lives surely periods community prayer
Just as individual prayer is important,
of silence are a good thing?
community prayer is of great importance too,
be silent and Listen
especially as God calls us to be one with those around
In his Rule, St Benedict, the father of Western us, but it must never be forgotten that individual
monasticism, mentions the importance of silence, prayer is when we can truly be one with God.
teaching us to be “silent and to listen” (RB 6). From
inward and outward silence all of us have an
The use of a crucifix or a religious icon may help us
opportunity to allow God to enter our hearts, allowing in our prayer but is not essential and while Eucharistic
ourselves time to be still, pondering situations in our Adoration is a wonderful form of worship, it is
lives and allowing God to speak to us though prayer.
important for all of us to remember that silent prayer
and reflection can take place anywhere at any time. For
For many monastic communities, particularly many, silence may be a scary concept, but prayerful
Benedictine ones, periods of silence on a daily basis, mediation on an individual level can take many
where prayer takes a central place, are encouraged and different forms and bring many different benefits.
are seen as important and beneficial.
the cultivation of
The need and benefit of having periods of silence outward and inward silence
and allowing ourselves time and space to think and
be still have been well researched and documented by
academics and clinicians alike, but those of us who
believe in the Lord have a useful tool at our disposal and that tool is prayer.
Pope Emeritus Benedict said several years ago at a
Papal Audience, that “to be able to hear God’s word
requires the cultivation of outward and inward silence
so that his voice can resound within our hearts and
shape our lives”.
Maybe with this in mind we should all seek to make
While prayer as part of a community both within
and outside of liturgical and spiritual celebrations more time for silence in our lives, using it as a tool
is of great importance and benefit, silent individual working in partnership with prayer to bring us closer
prayer, where we can truly come before the Lord with to the Lord and make us all more peaceful.
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