Today is the feast of St. Bruno, founder of the Carthusians. Did you see the film, Into Great Silence? If not, today would be a great day to watch it and to read about the life of St. Bruno. Our world of chaotic, diabolical disorientation needs silence. I will be watching this movie throughout my day as I take breaks from my household duties. I love the winter scenes particularly. They remind me of the silence that descends on the world with the snow. All is blanketed in silence.
How important is it to enter into silence?
Consider Screwtape's letter to Wormwood in chapter 22 of the Screwtape Letters. The text on noise is below the video, but I highly recommend listening to the reading by John Cleese. You can hear the venom of Satan who prowls the world seeking whom he can devour.
Music and silence - how I detest them both! How thankful we should be that ever since our Father entered Hell - though longer ago than humans, reckoning in light years, could express - no square inch of infernal space and no moment of infernal time has been surrendered to either of those abominable forces, but all has been occupied by Noise - Noise, the grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless, and virile - Noise which alone defends us from silly qualms, despairing scruples, and impossible desires. We will make the whole universe a noise in the end. We have already made great strides in this direction as regards the Earth. The melodies and silences of Heaven will be shouted down in the end. But I admit we are not yet loud enough, or anything like it. Research is in progress. Meanwhile you, disgusting little -
[Here the MS. breaks off and is resumed in a different hand.]
In the heat of composition I find that I have inadvertently allowed myself to assume the form of a large centipede. I am accordingly dictating the rest to my secretary. Now that the transformation is complete I recognise it as a periodical phenomenon. Some rumour of it has reached the humans and a distorted account of it appears in the poet Milton, with the ridiculous addition that such changes of shape are a "punishment" imposed on us by the Enemy. A more modern writer - someone with a name like Pshaw - has, however, grasped the truth. Transformation proceeds from within and is a glorious manifestation of that Life Force which Our Father would worship if he worshipped anything but himself. In my present form I feel even more anxious to see you, to unite you to myself in an indissoluble embrace,
(Signed) TOADPIPE
For his Abysmal Sublimity Under Secretary
Screwtape, T.E . . . B.S . . . etc.
How much we need to enter into silence to find the Lord who reveals Himself in a "still small voice." Will you join me in embracing silence during your day today? It will be a good preparation for the Feast of the Holy Rosary tomorrow. Our Lady often "pondered things in her heart" in spiritual silence. How much we can grow if we imitate her holy example.
I'm a quiet person by nature and value silence. Many years ago at another parish that had perpetual adoration in a seperate chapel, would pipe in "religous" music from chants to contemporary Christian. At one time, it was possible to turn off the volume. When a new pastor joined, the volume was left on permanently. He also piped in music before mass/confession. When I complained, he said it was for the old folks with hard of hearing. haah. novus ordo claptrap, The TLM values and makes place for silence, NO demands noise!, action! participation!
ReplyDeleteI'm also at a new job for the past 10 mos. I've never worked with so many young women before. They all clatter about with raised voices. I call them "the louds".
I love the TL low Mass for exactly that reason -- the silence. It is a blessed respite from the never-ending noise of our culture. I hardly ever turn the radio on in the car and I never use the TV as background noise. Occasionally I turn on classical music or country, but mostly I just love the blessed silence -- except for the clucking of my chickens. That makes me laugh.
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