February 4 - 5, 2012
Dear Cathedral Community,
Recently, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, gave a wonderful message on the Feast of Saint Francis de Sales, the patron of communications. He has been emphasizing over the past year the need for greater evangelization. In this most recent message, the Pope eloquently made a correlation between the necessity of silence and the role of evangelization in the world. At first impression, a teaching about silence may seem an odd way to talk about the communication of the Gospel. However, upon further reflection, the role of silence in evangelization and in the world generally is most appropriate.
"Silence is an integral element of communication; in its absence, words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth; we understand with greater clarity what it is we want to say and what we expect from others; and we choose how to express ourselves. By remaining silent we allow the other person to speak, to express him or herself; and we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested. In this way, space is created for mutual listening, and deeper human relationships become possible. It is often in silence, for example, that we observe the most authentic communication taking place between people who are in love: gestures, facial expressions and body language are signs by which they reveal themselves to each other. Joy, anxiety, and suffering can all be communicated in silence – indeed it provides them with a particularly powerful mode of expression. Silence, then, gives rise to even more active communication, requiring sensitivity and a capacity to listen that often makes manifest the true measure and nature of the relationships involved. When messages and information are plentiful, silence becomes essential if we are to distinguish what is important from what is insignificant or secondary."
This message of the Holy Father can inspire us to examine the role of silence in our own lives. Silence is the frame around the portrait of our lives. It allows the message of what is seen and heard to leap off the canvas, and fill our minds and hearts with meaning.
Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Father Noah
