The Importance of Silence

One of the problems we have in our society today is that we don’t value silence. It’s not just an American thing; it’s a global phenomenon. Our lives now tend to be so busy that we have become accustomed to a constant barrage of tasks, inputs, and general noise. How often do we come home only to turn on the T.V. just so we can have something going on in the background?

Silence often makes us feel uncomfortable in our personal relationships. We always believe we should be saying something so as to avoid that “awkward moment of silence.” Sometimes we talk constantly because forcing conversation means we won’t be required to confront other issues in our relationships.

When did we begin to believe that moments of silence in our lives are a bad thing? When did we begin to believe that silence was good for monks, but not applicable to the lives of everyday folks? Well, I don’t really know the answer to those questions, but I do know they express facts and I believe we need to address them because they are of particular importance for us Christians and our spirituality. What we are uncomfortable with in our daily lives spills into our spiritual lives and now we often find ourselves uncomfortable with silence at times when we should actually celebrate our ability and need to be silent.

Silence is probably the most important aspect of our spiritual lives. St. John of the Cross called silence the first language of God. Thomas Merton suggests that silence is our admission that we have broken communication with God and are now willing to listen. In our prayer life we’re often so busy asking God for things, thanking Him for things, or praising Him, we forget that He wants to say something to us, too. We think that prayer means we must say something, but a prayer relationship with God is a two-way street. We talk to Him, but we need to listen, too. I often say that we frequently are so busy talking to God that sometimes we should just be quiet and let Him do the talking.

The purity of silence before God is profound. It is the most difficult and rewarding form of prayer. It’s difficult because it’s very hard for us to do since we don’t say anything, or try to think of anything. It’s much easier to read prayers, or to try and pray extemporaneously. It’s hard for us to just sit there and be quiet. As I mentioned above, the ability to be silent is almost trained out of us by today’s society. However, as more and more Christians seek to deepen their spiritual lives, they begin to understand that to do so most effectively, they must turn to silence. I’m going to talk about silence in two areas. First, I’m going to briefly discuss silent prayer as part of one’s prayer life. Second, I’m going to discuss it in relationship to one’s liturgical life.

Silence has a significant part to play in the spirituality of both the Western and Eastern Christian Churches. In fact, the Eastern Churches built an entire system of contemplative prayer around it. It is called hesychasm. Hesychasm comes from the Greek word hesychia which means stillness or silence. It is also known as the Prayer of the Heart. Perhaps first recorded by the early Church Fathers in the 4th and 5th centuries it developed into its own system of spirituality from the 10th to the 14th centuries with the support of such theologians and mystics as St. Gregory Palamas and St. Symeon the New Theologian. It was St. Symeon, a poet, who was the first to describe spirituality in very personal terms rather than as part of a larger system of spirituality. In the West, of course, we see the Benedictines, the Carthusians, the Cistercians, and the Camaldolese, among others. Personally, I’m rather partial to the Carthusians. Founded in 1084, they take a vow of silence just like the Cistercians. However, each monk lives in a separate hermitage and only joins the other monks for work or worship. This order has produced numerous mystics. St. Hugh is the most widely known of the English Carthusians. What mystics from both the Western and Eastern traditions agree upon is that coming humbly silent before God will change your relationship with Him dramatically.

Silent prayer or contemplative prayer must be taught. It’s not something we ordinarily would naturally do. It must also be practiced. Like any other relationship, silence with God takes some work and time. We can’t expect to just sit or kneel and be quiet for a little bit and all of a sudden have amazing moments of insight and a quick connection with God. It takes learning some personal control and techniques that will facilitate the experience. A person who practices silent prayer should also have a Spiritual Father who will help guide them in the practice and assist them when challenges arise. This person could be a secular clergyman or a monastic, but it should be someone who you know has practiced silent prayer for quite some time. Praying with the guidance of a Spiritual Father will make your path much easier and the sharing you will experience will be something you will always treasure.

Silent prayer also takes commitment. It’s not something that you can do one day and then pick up a few days later. You must work at it daily for it to be effective in your prayer life. It’s best to set aside a specific period in the day when you will choose to pray in silence and stick to that if possible. Focus on the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Say it over and over until you find that you’re praying it without saying it. Saying the Jesus Prayer doesn’t disturb your inner silence, but rather it sustains and nourishes it.

Silence is not only a question for our personal prayer lives, but also for our liturgical experiences as well. I don’t’ think we often consider the importance of silence in the liturgy, but it’s a very key consideration. Since the word “liturgy” comes from a Greek word “leitourgia” which means “public work” and has also been translated as “people’s work,” it seems logical that liturgy should be busy, full of people working; and it is. The congregation has their part, the priest has his part, and it builds from the beginning with something constantly happening. You may ask how anyone can experience any silence at all with all that’s going on. That’s one of the beautiful parts about the liturgy. Even though there is usually something happening all the time, there are moments where we can all experience a bit of silence. Now I never said that silence needs to be long, I just said it needed to exist. Silent prayer in one’s private prayer life and silence in the liturgy can be, and often are, two different things. They should be appreciated and experienced as such.

As one participates in the Eucharistic liturgy one experiences a profound peace; a true silence in the soul. In his book, “The Feast of Faith,” Pope Benedict XIV discusses silence in the liturgy.

“In silence, together, we journey inward, becoming aware of word and sign, leaving behind the roles which conceal our real selves. In silence man ‘bides’ and abides’; he becomes aware of ‘abiding’ reality…There is scope for silence at the preparation of the gifts, as well as before and after the communion…What is exciting about Christian liturgy is that it lifts us up out of our narrow sphere and lets us share in the truth.”

Indeed, the Eucharistic liturgy does lift us out of our narrow world and allows a participation in that greater world that is God’s Kingdom. And what do you do when you come before a king? You become silent.

The first experience of silence in the liturgy is in the moments before the processional when you have entered the church and are performing your prayers. Now is a great time to be quiet and pray silently without words. One of the most profound moments of silence is during the consecration when the priest elevates the consecrated host and then the chalice. This is a wonderful time to silently contemplate the miracle and mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. It’s also time to contemplate the miracle of his real presence in the bread and wine which have become his Body and Blood.

Before and after you receive the Body and Blood of Christ are perfect times to experience the beauty of quiet in his miraculous presence. Relish those moments after reception when you are on your knees and can be still and quiet in his presence. At some point in time you will be able to “tune out” anything else that is going on and feel as though it’s just you alone with Christ in this Holy Mystery. However, you choose to experience silence in the liturgy, it provides a profound spiritual connection with Christ that will grow in you.

Silence is the perfect statement of faith. It is the perfect prayer. Silence allows a connection to God beyond what words can express. It is a special gift to us if we’ll only cultivate it and use it. Silence allows us to allow God to reach out to us and hold us in His arms. Silence is that perfect path to peace in Him.