SILENCE!

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Silence!”

In T.S. Eliot’s long poem, entitled, Ash Wednesday, he writes, “Where shall the word be found, where will the word / Resound? Not here, there is not enough silence.” [Ash Wednesday, 1930, V.]

T. S. Eliot in that same poem has the prayer, “Teach us to sit still.”

THIS HOMILY, THIS LENT

In this Ash Wednesday homily for this Lent, I’m making the suggestion to myself and to others to become more quiet as a Lenten practice.

Now there are many things we can do for Lent. We can do do’s and we can do don’ts.

As the poet, T.S. Eliot, indicated in his Ash Wednesday poem, maybe we’ll hear the word more if we practice more silence and quiet in our lives. Maybe we’ll hear God more and each other more.

I don’t know about your life, but I’m feeling the need for more space and quiet in my life and I don’t even have a cell phone. Does that make me a Neanderthal? However, when I’m on duty, I carry the duty cell phone with me – so I know what a cell phone is.

We begin Mass and movies and lectures now with the announcement: “Would everyone please check their cell phones and put them on quiet.”

That’s easy compared to putting our inner chat, chat, chat, on quiet.

But cell phones could be a visible way of becoming more reflective.

Looking around I see lots and lots of people on cell phones – on the street – while driving – while eating.

Today’s Baltimore Sun in a front page article says young people from 8 to 18 years old – according to a study – spend on the average 7 ½ hours per day with electronic devices: TV - 4 hours 29 minutes; music and audio devices (iPods, etc.) - 2 hours and 31 minutes; computers -1 hour and 29 minutes, video games 1hour 13 minutes, etc. etc. etc. [Feb. 17, 2010]

The plus side could be parents had it easier during these locked in snow days. That’s young people, but what about all people?

Like food – electronic devices can be great – enjoyable – but like too much food – we can become fat and bloated with our intake.

I’m suggesting fasting – make fast exits from too much chat, chat, chat, games, games, games, computer, computer, computer, text, text, text, twitter, twitter, twitter, TV, TV, TV., E-mail, e-mail, e-mail.

Someone e-mailed me today saying she heard robins. Can spring be near? Do people with things in their ears hear the twitter of robins?

Lent is a good time to fast from too much – and reflect on our life.

The hope for Lent is that we do something to improve our lives as Christians and the lives of others during these 40 Days of Lent. Jesus went into the desert – alone – into the quiet – and heard God his Father as well as life’s big temptations – big time – and he came out of the desert after 40 days a changed and charged person.

The hope for Lent is that we do something to improve our world – our homes, our places of work – our places of recreation – our neighborhood – starting with ourselves.

One suggestion: Silence – a very difficult experience at times.

There is something in us that doesn’t like someone doing this to us: “Silence” [Finger of lip gesture] or the dreaded word, “Shush!” or the angry words, “Shut up!”

Lent is a good time to become silent, to shush, to shut up.

If you are here in Annapolis, drop into church or the Eucharistic Chapel when it’s quiet or if there is a church near where you work – drop in for some quiet time.

If you have a quiet place in your home – if you have a good place to hide – hide and pray. Do you have a man cave or a woman shrine?

You heard Jesus say in today’s gospel, “But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And the Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

Jesus was talking from experience. He often escaped to quiet places.

This Lent take long walks by yourself. This Lent enjoy quiet time.

Think about Pascal’s intriguing comment, “I have discovered that all human evil comes from this, our inability to sit still in a room.” Pensees [1670], # 139

Try leaving your cell phone and your worries in another room.

We are living in a world of increasing calls and interruptions.

CONCLUSION – THE RESULTS

The results of silence can be peace – insight – understanding.

The results of silence can be we’ll hear a lot more after silence.

The results can be we’ll discover an old a new novel – or a non-fiction book or the scriptures that has great insights for our spiritual life.

Enough. Silence. I better practice what I’m preaching.