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February 7

Silence

Jesus both spoke and acted and was silent. He healed people in the public square and went to desert places to pray alone. He made himself known and he asked people to be silent about him.

Living the Christian life is not simply an outpouring of love and service to others. It also has to do with the growth of an inner life. And it is from these interior resources of prayer and reflection that a life of service can come and be sustained. Interiority is not a withdrawal but a spring from which flowing waters can come.

St. Ignatius once made the seemingly enigmatic remark: “He [or she] who has really grasped what Jesus said can appreciate his silence.”38 This can mean many things, but it does make an important connection between one’s interiority and one’s externalization. Put differently, behind the words or deeds of a person lies an inner reality that also needs to be understood and appreciated and needs to be nurtured. In fact, it is only when the latter is understood that the former can be appreciated.

In the case of Jesus, his words and deeds invite us to an intimacy of the Spirit. And being drawn to the inner person of Jesus—and into his silence—is an invitation into the very presence of a love that knows no bounds, is willing to suffer and to give its all.

The invitation for the Christian is not only to imitate the deeds of Christ, but to become like him in our inner being and in prayer and

silence. From such an inner life good fruit can come.

Thought

Entering into the silence of Christ opens a new world. This silence needs to become our own silence for which all goodness springs.