“Why a Silent Retreat?”
I hear this question often.
Sometimes silence makes me nervous!
If there is silence in a conversation, I quickly speak up.
If my room is silent, I turn on some music or a podcast.
What is silence?
Silence is a lack of sound, but it is more.
Silence is stillness. It is quiet. Silence allows me to hear.
I can hear my heartbeat. I can hear my breath.
I can hear the wind and the birds.
I can hear the Lord speaking to my heart.
The Bible speaks often of silence. “Fools, keeping silent, are
considered wise.” [Proverbs 17:28].
A great little joke! The advice: “Shhh! Keep your mouth shut and
people will think you are smart!”
True silence goes deeper. In Psalm 46, God commands us:
“Be still! Know that I am God!”
I chatter daily, to myself and to others. My mind is filled with little
opinions and observations, to-dos and judgements.
The voice of Jesus calls us to,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place
and rest a while” [Mark 6: 31].
Come to Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House.
Here, in the quiet, you can hear the Lord speaking
to your heart.
“ Come to the Quiet “
Fr. Joe Laramie, SJ