The Beauty Of Silence

[Because I love Him]

Hey Everybody! So the other night I was hanging at the church after having gone to confession and I realized how silent it was, there wasn't any noise at all, not even cars passing by (wich is rare it is on a very busy street) and I was able to be absorbed in prayer. I felt such peace and was able to give my full attention to Jesus and because I gave that time to JEsus He showed me yet again how He wants me to become a Nun. So I guess what I'm getting at here is that in those times of silence Jesus can show you alot, silence can start now outside the convent and that can probably be the key to knowing whether you are supposed to be a religious or not. Silence is amazing and a beautiful thing, it can be found eveywhere if you look hard enough and is important for eveyone to experience.

[Lil'Monster]

sweet

[Lisa]

He can only speak in the silence, when we are quiet long enough to hear His voice.

[quote]
[size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]There he came to a cave, where he took shelter. But the word of the LORD came to him: Why are you here, Elijah? [/font][/size]He answered: “I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts, but the Israelites have forsaken your covenant. They have destroyed your altars and murdered your prophets by the sword. I alone remain, and they seek to take my life.” Then the LORD said: Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD;[url="http://www.usccb.org/bible/1kings/19#11019011-1"][sup]*[/sup][/url] the LORD will pass by. There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the LORD was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, Why are you here, Elijah?

-I Kings 19

[indent=1][/quote][/indent]

Thanks for sharing your experience! We all need a reminder to listen to Him in the beauty of silence!

Edited December 22, 2011 by Lisa

[EmilyAnn]

I used to hate silence. It made me nervous. Now I do really appreciate it. It's one of the things I love about going to Adoration, there being so many people joined together in worship but all in total silence. I too want to be a religious and I see now the beauty of silence and the calm and focus it brings. I often go to church to just pray by myself. It's a wonderful refuge from the distractions of the world.

[Feankie]

Silence is a really interesting topic. Most people don't do very well with it. The TV, the radio, the IPod is always on for "background" noise. In the car it's the radio. Try going without all the noise and turn inward. It's a very difficult thing to do at first. I often let my directees sit in silence - at first they fidget, look around the room, anything but being interiorly silent. But after time, they learn that it's something they can't do without in their everyday life.
I love going into an empty, quiet church to pray. There is something very holy about the quiet in front of the tabernacle. Yes, it takes practice to do away with the extraneous noise - but try it, you'll like it!

[BarbTherese]

I found that monastic Silence, living alone and the silence of the Australian bush are all different. Each had their own depth and profoundness alive with Presence. I experience to date the most Profound Silence - living Presence - alone in the Australian bush and have come to prefer living alone with Silence to any other way of life with escapades to the Aussie bush alone now and then. For me personally, monastic Silence was also filled with the presence of others and I do prefer living alone. But I was reading today that we are all absolutely unique and God treats us speaking Uniquely to that uniqueness - and He has us all "carved into the Palm of His Hand" (Scripture: "How can I forget you, why I have carved you into the Palm of My Hand")

I did know a time of great loneliness and the silence was overwhelmingly haunting and totally empty - so much so that once I literally cried tears (I dont cry easily at all) and said to myself "No one should be this lonely and alone". Nowadays I often wonder and feel an empathy for those who do experience life with such emptiness of being alone and very lonely. I heard statistics the other day and by 2015 30% of Australians will be in their mature years and most living alone - it has affected me sufficiently to keep them in mind and God Willing I will be in their number and hope that my love of Silence will continue into my final years until I am called away from this earth. May God so bless all living alone.

_________________
Joy to all at Christmas and in this season of Joy - and His Peace and Joy in 2012 and always!

Edited December 24, 2011 by BarbaraTherese

[AccountDeleted]

I grew up in a large family that seemed very noisy and chaotic and always wanted a room of my own (never got it as a child) and some peace and quiet. Silence is like a balm to my soul and I would much prefer to be alone than any other state, but I found after living in a religious community, that life alone was lacking one thing, prayer in common. When I was with the Hermits of Bethlem, I missed so much praying the Office with a community.

I have been out of Carmel for a year now. I spent eight months alone in the bush as a hermit, and now live in a small town (alone) and am so looking forward to praying the Office with nuns again when I go for my visit in less than four weeks! Living together in community is different than living in a large and noisy family, as the sisters are all aware of trying not to intrude on each other's silence. Living alone has great beauty but living in community (for me) is preferable if God let's it happen.

[BarbTherese]

[quote]that life alone was lacking one thing, prayer in common[/quote]

I really missed prayer in common too having left monastic life and returned to life alone. I really did actively miss it for a few years. For a long time I would chant the Office trying to recapture something of the experience in monastic life. Reading your post, nunsense, it has occured to me that I no longer miss prayer in common as I once did. But it remains a beautiful experience. When God Calls, He Provides - just as your own love of prayer in common remains as something of a pull back to monastic contemplative living. With me, though I loved prayer in common, God Added and Provided the knowledge that I could not go back to the life.
___________________
Much Joy at Christmas all - and His Peace and Joy on into and beyond 2012
Christmas Day here in South Australia

Edited December 24, 2011 by BarbaraTherese

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='BarbaraTherese' timestamp='1324768443' post='2357119']
I really missed prayer in common too having left monastic life and returned to life alone. I really did actively miss it for a few years. For a long time I would chant the Office trying to recapture something of the experience in monastic life. Reading your post, nunsense, it has occured to me that I no longer miss prayer in common as I once did. But it remains a beautiful experience. When God Calls, He Provides - just as your own love of prayer in common remains as something of a pull back to monastic contemplative living. With me, though I loved prayer in common, God Added and Provided the knowledge that I could not go back to the life.
___________________
Much Joy at Christmas all - and His Peace and Joy on into and beyond 2012
Christmas Day here in South Australia
[/quote]

That was how I knew I wasn't really cut out to be a hermit, because of the lack of common prayer. Some of the other hermits at the laura had been in religious communities before, one had been a PCC, two of them had been in active communities, and during our recreations I asked them if they missed praying the Office with a community, and they all said no. Of course, there were probably times when they did, but on the whole, they were happy to do it alone. A lot of active communities do this a lot of the time anyway since their apostolates make common prayer difficult all the time.

But in my heart, I knew I needed to be with a community to share this. I do recite the Office on my own and it is lovely, but for me, it lacks something. And even in community, they don't all do it the same, and I found that difficult too because my initial formation was done in a community that chanted the Office but some of the other communities I entered recited it only. It was still beautiful but then I missed the chanting!

The community I am discerning with chant the Office so I am very happy about this. I have no idea whether this community and I will be a fit, and if it is where God wants me, but I hope this visit will make it clearer for me. Although there are no 'deal breakers' as far as I am concerned, it is nice that this one thing that I love is present there and that the Benedictines consider the Office a major part of their Ora et Labora. It is Opus Dei (the work of God) for them.

[BarbTherese]

[quote]That was how I knew I wasn't really cut out to be a hermit, because of the lack of common prayer. Some of the other hermits at the laura had been in religious communities before, one had been a PCC, two of them had been in active communities, and during our recreations I asked them if they missed praying the Office with a community, and they all said no. Of course, there were probably times when they did, but on the whole, they were happy to do it alone. A lot of active communities do this a lot of the time anyway since their apostolates make common prayer difficult all the time[/quote]

This is what I mean by God Provides when He Calls. I must admit that nowadays I really dont miss prayer in common, but then I have had years for it to fade to memory - a happy memory until I put it into the context of the whole picture and way of life and I know I could not go back to it. I truly no longer miss common prayer in choirc. Why I am attracted and so content in this way of life I live, I dont know (other than Gift of God and following His Call) - I simply am happy and fulfilled and when God Calls and we follow, whatever we have sacrificed returns indeed "one hundredfold'. I have no sense at all of any sacrifices now but initially I surely did. And I think I did need to find something that would fit me precisely - in that I suffer Bipolar (now and then it needs focus to avoid an episode) and I am a mother of two adult as yet unmarried sons (and may never marry possibly). Our lives were torn apart by the onset of Bipolar and now in my stable years (God is Gracious to His least) I make up for what we lost. I know I overcompensate, but it is a luxury I give to myself and to them.

St Therese of Lisieux was spot on! - when we love everything, embrace everything - suffering vanishes.

Last visit my director confirmed that I am following God's Call to me and in a life lived alone in a lifestyle I call "Bethany" and very often a quite contemplative life and she affirmed this. I did look into the hermit life some time ago, but it doesn't really fit to me at least as it seems to me hermits seem to be living it. As it is in this relatively new suburb and residence and outreach of "Bethany" life most often is very very quiet. But then I am prepared for it to become hectic and busy and everything change and turn topsy turvy if necessary and that would be a response to whatever circumstances (Divine Providence) God indicates I respond to. Bethany is always "prepared to". Years ago under our previous Archbishop (we exchanged letters regularly) I sent him my concept of Bethany, even a drawing of a ground plan for living quarters of a community committed to the Bethany way of life. We would have a chapel opening onto the streets. He subsequently opened a chapel in the city opening onto a city street of Adelaide "Our Lady of The Way" - but due to the very small numbers, at times none, who attended Mass and our shortage of priests, he had to close it. Perhpas that told us both something. My dream back then was for a community of Daughters of Our Lady of The Way of Bethany, committed to that lifestyle I call "Bethany". I was resigned that if God wanted it, He would provide others who wanted to join me. Never happened although I never actively sought them as back them life was very often hectic indeed in another suburb. And so, I let go of the dream - as difficult as it was back then. I was very stubborn then - and it too has faded into a memory of an imaginary image many years ago. All that was many years now and we have a new Archbishop.


[quote]But in my heart, I knew I needed to be with a community to share this. I do recite the Office on my own and it is lovely, but for me, it lacks something. And even in community, they don't all do it the same, and I found that difficult too because my initial formation was done in a community that chanted the Office but some of the other communities I entered recited it only. It was still beautiful but then I missed the chanting!

[/quote] It seems to me that chanting The Divine Office in choir is deeply in your heart and your attraction and what God is Providing indicating the path for you at this time.

[quote]The community I am discerning with chant the Office so I am very happy about this. I have no idea whether this community and I will be a fit, and if it is where God wants me, but I hope this visit will make it clearer for me. Although there are no 'deal breakers' as far as I am concerned, it is nice that this one thing that I love is present there and that the Benedictines consider the Office a major part of their Ora et Labora. It is Opus Dei (the work of God) for them.
[/quote]God is Providing for His Call to you. By keeping you attracted to prayer in common as you are, He is indicating His path to you, who is The Way, The Truth and The Life. It may be it is into and out of Benedictine life and I know you understand this. And you remain in my prayers for your visit to the Benedictines in Jan/Feb 2012. May The Lord fulfill you and very soon - and in every way.

Nowadays I love the complete silence and solitude of praying the Offices alone - but it has been a journey to this point not an overnight event. Love of common prayer in choir could not draw me back into the monastic setting because I just knew that the lifestyle was not my call. And for a long time, I did not know what was. Even now, I have an inner preparedness to move on somewhere, anywhere, if God should call, indicate and thus provide (Divine Providence) and this is at the heart and core of Bethany as a way of life following He who "had nowhere to lay His Head".
A Carmelite prioress I know said that monastic life would have less problems with my Bipolar as with my inner freedom. I found that strange but let it go - if one cannot be free in an interior sense in monastic life, then where? "I have come that you should know The Truth and Truth will set you free".

God bless and ever hold you close as it is obvious He does and may His Will for you become very clear and very soon.........Joy and Peace at Christmas and on into 2012 and beyond...........Barb

[AccountDeleted]

Barb - God does take care of each of us individually, that's for sure!

[BarbTherese]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1324777604' post='2357155']
Barb - God does take care of each of us individually, that's for sure!


[/quote]

Amen to that!

[AccountDeleted]

[MarysLittleFlower]

beautiful I watched the movie "Into Great Silence" a while ago, it's a documentary about contemplative monks, it's great and they mostly live in silence I think silence definitely helps us to hear God's voice more.

[Katiebobatie94]

[quote name='EmilyAnn' timestamp='1324591074' post='2356021']
I used to hate silence. It made me nervous. Now I do really appreciate it. It's one of the things I love about going to Adoration, there being so many people joined together in worship but all in total silence. I too want to be a religious and I see now the beauty of silence and the calm and focus it brings. I often go to church to just pray by myself. It's a wonderful refuge from the distractions of the world.
[/quote]

me too, and i used to hate being the only one in the room but then my youth group took an hour a week in the perpetual adoration chapel and now i love it!! i mean i still love being loud and crazy but i love that silence that i get a few times a month for an hour on saturday!! just thought i'd share