The sound of silence interrupting our words....

Preaching later today on the Lenten theme in our local church which is about listening to the sounds around us. My theme is "The Sound of Silence", which I chose from the menu of other options. Preparing for this particular sermon has taken on for me the sense of a minor epiphany. Early on I decided not to explore the contrast of noise and silence - I'm actually doing a bit on that at another occasion later this week. Likewise the cultivation of a contemplative disposition I have long practised, but for just as long I've recognised how hard such centering and attentiveness is to practise well. So not a sermon on contemplative prayer. And yes there is the Elijah story about earthquake, wind and fire and God being elsewhere, namely in the whispered quietness. But I'm not thinking of silence as the context for my own spiritual reflection and theological struggle.

In one of those co-incidences of thought, memory, familiar text, life circumstance, emotional climate, human longing, and imagination, I decided to do something else. Because I instinctively yet intentionally refer questions of theological and pastoral significance to the defining centre of my Christian life, I asked,"What does the theme "The Sound of Silence" evoke when considered in the lived actions and spoken words of Jesus of Nazareth?" What are we to make of the sound of silence, the role of silence, in the stories of Jesus' encounters and conversations with those many people whose lives he touched, healed and loved back to wholeness? Those of us who revere and live by Jesus' words, what are we to make of the sound of Jesus' silences? And that's when (for me) epiphany happened.

Comments

[Ruth Gouldbourne]

Jim, I love the picture - what is it?

[Jim Gordon]

Sorry Ruth, can't help. I found it floating on a blog after doing a Google search on "Jesus and Mary". The blog was dismissive of it as "stereotypical", which I kind of harrumphed at! I guess when it comes to art, portrayals of Jesus, particularly Jesus' ways of treating women, I expect interpretation to show some imagination, an attentiveness to human form, some understanding of the symbolic and aesthetic impact of the sheer scandal that Jesus let women near him. Stereotypical!. Sometimes those who are anti-stereotype are stereotypically critical and standoffish!!
Like you I think the picture is a glorious take on one of the most problematic incidents in the Gospels. Much better than most of the commentaries:)

[Craig Gardiner]

Just finished Sara Maitaland's book on Silence ... have you read it? ... loved it and hated it all at the same time but so very glad to have read it.