When was the last time you experienced silence? And I’m not just talking about ‘those darn phones’ (we talk often enough about the addiction to media we all have). But even our non-tech lives are filled with noise! This past weekend, I was with my family. Being both Italian and Irish, not to mention there are eight of us, we are a loud family. Growing up, I had to compete with three sisters just to be heard and today it seems not much has changed. Even in my daily interactions, I find myself trying to fill the ‘lull in conversation.’ In the end, I think we all have a little bit of ‘fear of silence,’ the same way we have an innate ‘fear of the dark.’ Either way, we don’t know what’s there in the emptiness. But really, the constant noise can be both distracting and exhausting.
 
When we hear about silence in Scripture and theology, it’s not merely an escape from noise. Perhaps the better word would be ‘peace.’ A state of being unburdened by the weight of noise. Here, we are in the presence only of our own mind, and as scary as that might seem, it is a wonderful time to ‘clean house’ and organize our thoughts. The best place for this is in Eucharistic Adoration, where we are in the Real Presence of our Lord, who speaks at a volume only the peaceful mind can hear. Especially as Lent quickly approaches, let us all make sure to find a regular time for peaceful silence.