Noise and Activity

“Of this we are witnesses.” As the words fell out of the lector’s mouth this morning, I paused to wonder why such words jolted me. It’s usual for me to approach the Liturgy of the Word with such curiosity, as I find Lectio Divina to be such an instrumental part of my prayer life. And these were the specific words He wanted me to hear today: “of this we are witnesses.” I sat with these words a bit and have tossed them around today. Lord, what is it that I have witnessed, and how can that witness help someone else? Simply, what have I seen, Father, and what does someone else desire to see through what I have seen? During the homily, Father, referring to our culture and all the sounds around us, stated, “We want the noise to be softened; that’s what Christ offers us.” Ahh! And there it is, the answer to my question: I have witnessed the role silence plays once I removed all the “noise”. What are the noises of our lives? Not just the sounds…but also the activity? And why do we fill our lives with such distractions? (hint: what are we distracting ourselves from?) My friend and I joke about my quasi-monastic lifestyle. If I didn’t know better, I would be solidly convinced that I was called to live in a monastery. Yet, I'm not, so I lean into the beauty of the contemplative life within the confines of this beautiful world as much as I can. Years ago, a friend who was very instrumental in my faith life encouraged me to sit with the struggles I was undergoing. At first, I was appalled by the idea of forcing myself to be uncomfortable. Who in their right mind would endure such torment?! Yet, my friend was on to something, and, five years later, I often allow myself to repeat this process. Silence represents one of those challenging discomforts. When we are lonely, we find others to spend time with; when we are bored, we turn on the television; when we are anxious, we distract ourselves; when we are lost, we search for answers. Indeed, we surround ourselves with activity (“noise”) to distract ourselves from our own inner world; ironically, THE place where He exists. “What is it then that this desire and this inability proclaim to us, but that there was once in man a true happiness of which there now remain to him only the mark and empty trace, which he in vain tries to fill from all his surroundings, seeking from things absent the help he does not obtain in things present? But these are all inadequate, because the infinite abyss can only be filled by an infinite and immutable object, that is to say, only by God Himself.” (Blaise Pascal) Over the years, I have learned to question my motives for activity and noise. As a result, my life has become quieter and more enriched. There are sounds we must not avoid, innocent noise that pierces are hearts with true joy, like the sound of a child’s laughter, the voice of a dear friend, the I love you from Mom. Yet, within our souls, a Voice beckons us to listen; the Call of our Beloved who waits patiently for us to quiet the noises that ultimately keep us from hearing His most precious Sound.