A Silent Mold

Well hello...It has been a long while since I have written and posted on here. I couldn't believe it has been since late March, just 2 weeks in the shelter in place. So much has happened, and changed but not really.

I recently decided to write on here again after my sister told me I haven't written a blog post since March! I couldn't help but think of the coincidence and relevance of how this relates to what I came up with for writing on this Fig Tree blog today. I have been reveling and enjoying reading a book about silence, and titled 'The Power of Silence' by Robert Cardinal Sarah.

There have been so many beautiful, meaningful, and powerful points the author makes about silence, and how it truly reveals God's ways, design and love. God works the best in silence and most of the time we don't hear his voice since he speaks ever so softly in our hearts, and in our souls where he reigns.

I love delving into the Cardinal's points of this deep mystery of solitude and silence. And as I read through to come to know and understand how much our world and even ourselves at times dislikes and repulses the 'sound' of silence. I am also coming to understand the difference between absence of noise or sound and the meaning of solitude. Not to just quiet the noise and busyness around us, but also our minds, interior thoughts, our hearts. Cardinal Sarah declares, "The silence of our heart is the most mysterious thing...We have less control over our heart.' And 'Silence of the heart is silence of the passions."

And interestingly enough, this blog, this Fig Tree hasn't produced any fruit these past few months, however, I believe it has produced fruits of silence, and solitude.

I feel there is a parallel between what the world is experiencing and how we are dealing with a less fast paced, intensity of pursuit of entertainment and extra clutter of noise and stimulation outside of ourselves and rather the transforming beauty and power of silence. "Our world no longer hears God because it is constantly speaking, mat a devastating volume, in order to say nothing" (The Power of Silence).

Cardinal Sarah reveals, "In silence, not in the turmoil and noise, God enters into the innermost depths of our being." He says,"Silence is not an absence. On the contrary, it is the manifestation of a presence, the most intense of all presences." And he further states, "The real questions of life are posed in silence. Our blood flows through our veins without making any noise, and we can hear our heartbeats only in silence."

Though silence as I am learning from experiencing reading this book is a wonderful, necessary and beautiful thing it isn't always easy to attain, and manifest in our lives. There have been plenty of days and moments when I was craving extra stimulation, some noise and activities to attend to. These times we are in are just so different and obscure that even little things can make a difference if they are present or if they are lacking.

But what I have learned is that constantly and frequently searching for and pursuing things outside of ourselves can be a danger. I find there to be a balance and a happy medium with this since I'm the kind of introvert who thrives off inspiration, projects, ideas and goals to help me stay afloat in the creative and free spirit department. However, Cardinal Sarah states, "Man likes to travel, create, make great discoveries. But he remains outside of himself, far from God who is silently in his soul."

There's a peace that comes with sitting still and letting God in with the silence, solitude and serenity that our minds, hearts and souls crave, seek and find joy with. He adds further, "Silence is friendship and love, interior harmony and peace. Silence and peace have one and the same heartbeat...Man can find rest only in silence. The most beautiful things in life take place in silence."

I think silence not only brings about virtues such as  peace and joy but also humility. It's easy to get caught up in words, feelings and passions but when we listen or are silent, there's a calmness, a sense of humility that can come through. There have been encounters with priests who I can tell are holy, humble, prayerful and spiritual fathers. Either I have witnessed them praying devoutly and quietly or just by their actions, demeanor, choice of words or none they have shown something deep, and something greater that continues to be in all of us, and for us to strive towards. "God hears nothing else but this silent, humble, meek love" (The Power of Silence).

I'm trying to listen to my own heart and how God speaks, in ways I don't always know, imagine or hear at times. I can't always see it now, but there are still many blessings, graces and gifts that God is continually giving throughout this time. It can be easy to be envious of past days or years when things seemed 'easier', more pleasant, interesting or better.

But the challenge is for me to embrace this time with hopes, trust, courage, joy and even silence to allow God to reign, speak and lead where I feel like I have given up, became discouraged or got lost along the way. To end with this quote from Cardinal Sarah from the book The Power of Silence, "The more man advances in the mystery of God, the more he loses speech."