The Saintly Sound of Silence

It is a gorgeous cold sunny November day here in Maryland.

Bookclub

Well, hello there!

"Moo", I am learning to speak in Cow while in quarantine. "Moo. Moo. Moo." It's the vowels that are the hardest to pronounce right!

As I sit near downtown DC, I have been thinking and singing the song by Simon and Garfunkle the last few days, "The Sounds of Silence." It is about people who cannot see or listen to each other, and the silence in that mutual rejection grows into an deathly illness. Huh, well that sounds strangely familiar!

A few little lyrics for this beautiful cold November day:

"And in the naked light I saw

Ten thousand people, maybe more

People talking without speaking

People hearing without listening

People writing songs that voices never share

And no one dared 

Disturb the sound of silence."

 There is a dreary tense ambiance in the air as beautiful shops board up their doors in preparation for what looks like a hurricane. Yet, I see no ocean though I do see waves.

Preparing for possible peaceful protests where protestors might not be peaceful after all. 

Putting a lid on the lattes.

Woodley Park outside of the National Zoo boarded up.

 The air is chilly, and we are out of hurricane season. However we are not far from the waves of consequences and unbridled emotions. The hurricane approaching seems to be a political wave, or tsunami, you pick. If we could only click our red shoes, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and return to a calm environment with the usual aches and pains. Alas, we find ourselves at the front of a great door which will open things that are not unknown: people who don't agree and get very upset very quickly for very long. There is no need to fear any of this though. 

There was a man in the Bible named Timothy, around 50 AD, and he was shy, and timid especially to talk about his faith. In his days people were not liked for being Christian. In fact, most of them were even killed. 

Yikes. 

No wonder Timothy was timid. And though he loved Christ, he was afraid to speak. He perhaps hummed the Sound of Silence as he walked in Macedonia. And he found his voice to speak of the love of Christ and His truth. He gave up his house and left his family and hit the road as a zealous missionary. Timothy often had stomach aches and was advised by St. Paul to drink a little wine to help him digest. After speaking to so many people who heard without listening, St. Timothy was stoned, dragged and killed at the beautiful age of 80. However, before he came out of his shell and was shy, St. Paul who encouraged him, and encourages you today, where you are in this moment:

2 Timothey 1:7 " For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began."

I have been pondering on the meaning of Saints and what they had in common. What does that have anything to do with life right now?! I know, I know, it sounds disjointed but it is totally in communion with life in this moment, and life without this moment as if it had stayed in its normal course. The point is, we are called to be holy and saints. Every last one of us is called to be a saint. Saint Jennifer, Saint Johnny, Saint Haley, Saint Megan, Saint Mikaela, Saint Dorma, etc. Imagine if we all really did become saints!

We are all supposed to strive to live as saints. If we did, and gave as Jesus did, our inner lives would bloom, and bloom into the lives of those we share existence with and then the world would become one big blooming flower if we were all living in a fight to be a saint. I don't think any saint just plopped the halo on their head and was overwhelmed with sanctity allowing them to nod patiently to the impatient driver flipping them off. Each encounter with people and with God was an opportunity to love Christ and live in His divine will. 

Even these bright leaves live in the will of God, their creator. They just have it easier since they don't have to think about it too much!

The coincidence is that many if not most saints have loved the Rosary. I realized, with my list of Rosary FAQ blogs that I didn't put the actual prayers to the Rosary. Though they are quite easy to find online (you can download and print here), I thought today would be a great day to post them on my blog. 

You see, there will be a tsunami wave of some sort, we will feel the instinct of fear, and who knows what host of emotions. But the Rosary is our doorbell to heaven. Hold onto it these next few days like nothing else.

My neighbors cat tiptoed next to me while I prayed. She knows the Rosary is good stuff.

 Because when we hold onto Mary the wind in the storm goes around us like if we were in a lighthouse safely covered by the meditations of Christ's life. When we step out of the lighthouse the wind can knock us off our feet.

 What would a saint do today? Perhaps they would actually spend more time in true silence, not escaping from annoying family members to look "busy" in their corner, but actual inner silence, phone silence (scrolling silence included) and quieting their heart.

 Some ideas for my ideal saint would be that they would keep going with peaceful Christlike fortitude: frequenting a good confession, Eucharist, reflective Rosary, time with Jesus, maybe turn their phone off, and commit to more Jesus, less news, bake something for a friend (or buy a baked good if baking isn't their forte), spend time looking at a crucifix and thinking of the next life, make a list of people who are hurting to reach out to this week, etc. 

Go for it, hug and love a Cruicifix. It is the best way to hug a tree. The tree that gives life.

Walk with someone in their journey. Take it at their pace. You might see something beautiful you might have otherwise missed out on. 

What would your ideal saint do? Do it. You got it. You are called to be that saint! Make your saintly grocery list:

Dairy: a latte of prayer this week

Bread: receive daily bread in the Eucharist

Fruit: pray for the fruits of the spirit. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Self control. Yes, you are meant to have peace and self control! Me too! I know, craziness but possible with God in prayer.

Meat: spend time with Jesus alone in Adoration. His Sacred Heart is there. Meat for the journey.

Cleaning products: clean your soul with some Windex in confession! Be generous. Even an unused room gets dusty after a week, as St. Padre Pio said in regards to frequent confession.

Pasta: fill up on spiritual carbs to power you up by calling on the Holy Spirit to give you the right words, thoughts and actions.

Chocolate: I know, but... it is always on my grocery list! Share some of your spiritual goodies with a friend or spouse by talking about what works for you. It's the equivalent of sharing some spiritual chocolate!

Go for it, stock your spiritual pantry!

Our prayers from the most holy Rosary:

The Sign of the Cross In the name of the Father, And of the Son, And of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father) Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. 

Hail Mary Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

The Glory Be (The Doxology) Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Fatima Invocation O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy. 

Hail, Holy Queen (Salve Regina) Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy. Hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary