Reflections from the Heart – July 28, 2024

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.” What does silence sound like? Do you know? Contemplate it. What does it sound like to you? How would you describe silence to another person? What words come to mind? Which words escape you? We know what noise sounds like. We can easily describe it to another person. It is simply too loud, noticeable, noisy, and most of the time unpleasant, not welcomed. Noise is a distraction, an attention seeker. Silence on the other hand, is more difficult to describe and explain to someone else. We do not know what silence sounds like because we rarely hear it or never experience it. We tend to be drawn to and want to listen to noise. Actively seeking out lots of sounds, lots of noise and noisy conversations. When it comes to silence on the other hand, we tend to avoid and ignore it, filling up its void, or drowning it out. We know how to make noise, lots of noise but silence we do not know how to make. Silence is something we need to listen for and want to hear. Something we must enter into. Something meant for us to enjoy for even Jesus actively sought out silence. Sometimes he entered into silence alone and on his own. Other times Jesus entered into silence with his closest friends seeking places that were detached, remote, removed, far away from the noise. Whether it is up the mountaintop, or far away to a distant desert or even in the intimate interior quiet of the mind and heart, silence is a loving invitation from our Heavenly Father. An invitation into Holy Communion and peace. Silence is a place of refuge, not merely an escape. It is not a burden or difficult but a gift. In the sound of silence, one can hear their heartbeat, their thoughts cease, their breath breathes, their spirit rising. In the silence, one can be still and be silent. We can listen for God’s voice and perhaps even listen for God’s footsteps as he walks through the corridors of his holy temple, his sacred dwelling, his awesome sweet home in your heart. In silence, we are known, listened to, heard, loved, healed. Silence is quiet yet how profound we can hear it and listen to it. God asked Elijah to listen and wait for it. Mother Mary pondered it. Joseph lived it. Jesus remained passionately silent during all the noise surrounding his Passion and Crucifixion. Silence is truly golden. Just listen.