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The Anomaly of Silence

“. . .thus worship in all its degrees is an education in charity, a purgation of egoism.” ⁴

Let us pray:

O God, Creator, Preserver of Humankind, assist us mercifully with your help to enter with joy upon the meditation of those mighty acts whereby  you have given us the path to abundant life and immortality.  During this most solemn of weeks as we are humbled and reminded of the sacrifice of your son, attune our minds to that still small voice as you speak in and through your people.  Give us the wisdom to listen and to hear amid the clang and clamor of our busy lives.  Teach us to worship in  every activity and to quiet the “I” and listen for the “we” as we struggle to live with each other striving to discern your will.  “Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire, O still small voice of calm!”  Amen.

In a tract published by Coventry Cathedral titled, “Evensong in Coventry Cathedral,” the writer explaining this daily service states: “The Church’s worship is a conversation which began long before you were born and will continue long after you are dead.”  It says that we must be sensitized to listen and hear the conversation already going on before, and then join in it.  O course, the conversation being described is the innermost intimate conversation existing between the Christian and God.

One of the most exciting and most challenging facets of being a Christian is a feeling of “universal oneness” between Christian believers of all times and places. Through the grace of God, the true essence of each one of us, love, faith and truth, remain forever after our mortal body is discarded.  Some would call this the “soul.”  As Christians in the Reformed tradition, we believe that every time we worship, we are united with all of those who have (1) died in Christ, which we call the Communion of the Saints; (2) with the Christians of our own time and (3) with those yet unborn.

Through this unity we find ourselves on a lifelong quest for faith and strength; for that essence of our being that transcends time, death and the grave.  We seek through community (corporate worship) a glimpse of the eternal; of that something greater than all human language, art or music can fully describe.  That great 20^th century theologian, Evelyn Underhill in her monumental book, Worship ⁴ says, “. . .the worshiper, however lonely in appearance, comes before God as a member of a great family; part of the Communion of Saints, living and dead.  His own small effort of adoration is offered ‘in and for all.’”

So, perhaps it is not surprising, maybe even encouraging that we often find ourselves at a loss for words.  “Encouraging,” you say?  Yes, encouraging. . .because it is something greater than any one of us or even than the sum of all of us.  If we could fully explain or fully express that which we call God, God suddenly becomes a bosom buddy, just like us.  All mystery vanishes and our search for something greater is forced to continue.

What if it is that very inability of humans to fully understand God that presents the very portal through which we open ourselves up to listen and hear God speak. . .that still small voice that is only audible through silence.   Silence is almost impossible to find in the 21^st century.

Beginning in the 1830’s, prior to the Industrial Revolution, everyday life was quiet.  Everyday life consisted of natural sounds made by humans, animals and nature.  There were few loud sounds  except from those caused by meteorological or geological forces.  Imagine the terror of thunder, of the eruption of a geyser, the eruption of a volcano, stampede of a herd of animals.

With the beginning of the Industrial Revolution which included the invention of the steam locomotive, the invention of large industrial machinery that made possible the mass production of inexpensive items, of the phonograph, radio, televison, automobiles, airplanes, air conditioning, rockets, missiles, telephones, pagers, cell phones, car radios, I-pods, congested traffic on the ground and in the air, Muzak in retail stores, malls and when you are “on hold” on the telephone, etc. humans have become all but deaf to silence, real silence.  For any born since the 1920’s, silence no longer really means “silent.”

Slowly, sometimes not so slowly, humans have not only forgotten what real silence is, many are decidedly uncomfortable in a situation where there is NOT any “background” noise.  This has made true silence a rare commodity, one that is in danger of extinction.  Obviously noiseRead More »The Anomaly of Silence