By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Yes, yes … I made up the word in the title. But it seems applicable these days, no? We are constantly awash with noise these days. Always there is constant stimulation, whether it be streaming music or television, videos or surfing the web. If you live in a larger city, there’s always the sirens, traffic noise punctuated by the not infrequent roar of loud motorcycles and muscle cars—a type of modern chest-beating by younger (and some not so young) guys. We rarely, if ever, take time just to think … to be still, someplace quiet. So rarely resting in our waking moments.

Some say our modern obsession with “noise” is caused at least partially by dopamine—that “feel good” hormone—we get by constant stimulation. A type of addiction, really. So even when we determinedly try to force ourselves into quiet time, it feels like sensory deprivation, and in a few moments we can hardly bear to NOT look at our phones, at the net, listen to music, etc. One wonders, then, how many books go unread, relationships go uncultivated, ideas be lost, simply because we cannot let our minds rest.

Thus, the Catholic Mass scriptures this weekend (Aug. 13) seemed quite applicable to this modern dilemma—one of our own creation. We read the well-known story (1 Kings 19) of the prophet Elijah as he flees the murderous wrath of Jezebel to Mt. Horeb (aka “Mt. Sinai”) in the desert of the Sinai Peninsula—the “mountain of God” where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Elijah feels that all is lost, as if he is the last Israelite faithful to God: “… the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

But while sheltering in his cave, Elijah hears a voice: “‘Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire—but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.” Not in noise and activity did Elijah hear, but in silence.

An analogical experience happens to a great many Christians. It’s not frequent that they have their greatest inspirations while listening to preachers or teachers or even Christian music, but rather when sitting quietly in thoughtful prayer in a church, on a mountain, or simply in their own residences. Jesus gave example when he often went off alone to pray, separating Himself from worldly distraction for quality time alone with the Father. For as Elijah did not hear God in the noise of heavy wind, crashing rocks, earthquake or fire but rather in a quiet and tiny whispering sound, so does God and mind and conscience tend to speak to us—not in the thunder and smoke of the world, but rather in the silence and the contemplation of our hearts.

This is one of the reasons Jesus tells us: “…when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is unseen…”  (Matthew 6:6), because we have to block out the noise of the world to hear the whispering of God. Great minds have sought solitude throughout history, as the greatest of the Old Testament prophets—Elijah—sought solitude for meditation. John the Baptist lived a life of prayer in the desert before his mission. Jesus went up mountains alone to pray. Monks and nuns from earliest times to today seek the quiet of their rooms to listen to God. The desert—quiet emptiness—has always been a place to seek God, relieving the seeker of distractions and non-essentials.

Does this mean that Christians need not meet together? By no means. Both private AND communal prayer and thanksgiving are necessary, and are desired by God. His commandment mandated weekly community prayer in the Sabbath observance in the Old Testament—for all Israelites to cease work not only to rest, but to focus upon thanksgiving and worship and teaching their children. And the New Testament author instructs: “… let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)—something to consider, O Christian, on Sunday mornings when the alarm goes off just a little too early … or the golf course is calling you. Is not scripture inspired by God Himself?

But non-Christians also can easily recognize that silent solitude can be of great benefit—giving time for the untangling of (and relief from!) the many thoughts and stimuli to which we are constantly bombarded. How can one find time to simply think if the noise of the world is intruding incessantly? This is why we love quiet libraries, vacations to resorts and beaches, etc. … to “get away from it all”. To let the mind rest and, hopefully, to once again center ourselves in those things which are really essential.

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Be still, and know that I am God. (Ps 46.10)

For God alone my soul waits in silence; (Ps 62:1)

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven … a time to keep silence, and a time to speak… (Eccl 3:1,7)

 …the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Hab 2:20)

Editor’s note: Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.