The first word of St. Benedict’s Rule is Listen. But to listen, one must first not speak and be quiet. One must encounter silence. St. Benedict uses two words for that: silentium and tacituritas.
The first is literally closing your mouth, while the second is an interior attitude of docility, humility, and wonder. Both are necessary and both are possible.
This emphasis on silence is so that we can learn to listen to the Lord more acutely. Yes, He speaks through the Scriptures, but also in the depths of our heart.Silence allows us to step back from the noise and clutter in our lives in order to reflect on what is most important in our life. It clears the way for us to hear His voice speaking to our hearts.
St. Benedict says (chapter 42) we are called to strive for silence and in chapter 4, we are called to have a love for silence. So many who come to us today are seeking a more prayerful life for themselves and their families. I have three young women with children who want to be Oblates as they want their family to have a more balanced life. We already have young families relating to our monastery that are trying as much as possible in the chaotic world, to bring focus on the things which will bring us eternal life- prayer and love of Christ - into the lives of their children.
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| Tomie dePaola- Days of the Blackbird |