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Sometimes, God speaks in peals of thunder.That's where we get universal laws, like the Ten Commandments. Something so fundamentally true that God shouts them with great force for all the world to hear. -
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But that's not how God speaks to us individually.
At least, not in ordinary circumstances. But that doesn't mean He's not listening, or that He's not there.
In fact, the Lord does talk to each of us. We just don't always hear Him, because the language of God isn't noise, it's silence.
He speaks so personally and intimately into each of our hearts, but how often do we slow down enough to hear Him?
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This Lent is about listening.
And not just listening in forced silence--not only is that not human; it's not possible. We aren't supposed to shut off our minds to hear God. We just need to slow down enough to invite Him into the picture, distractions and all.
As we begin, consider a few reflection questions based on the Ash Wednesday readings. Take them as an examination at the beginning of Lent to help discover
1. In what ways do I need to return to the Lord? What's stopping me?
2. Why am I here? What are my motivations?
3. What noise do I need to withdraw from?
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Cultivate silence to encounter God.
1. Turn off audio during car rides. Even if you aren't ready to pray, accustom yourself to sitting in silence and notice your interior life.
2. Limit your screen time. Seriously-get a friend to set the screen time passcode on your preferred doomscrolling app.
3. Work out in silence. No earbuds, no TV...just listen to your body and your thoughts, and consider offering up that sacrifice of silence as a penance.
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Reduce background noise to encounter other people.
1. Designate media blackout times at home. No TV, earbuds, or scrolling for a couple hours in the evening. Give your whole attention to the people in front of you!
2. Schedule family/friend time. Everyone's busy, so you might have to actually put this on the schedule to make it happen. Aim for a shared meal, game night, or even house-cleaning party.
3. On a similar note, call someone you've been meaning to catch up with. All relationships are built on shared time, whether with other people or with God, so put real effort into making them happen.
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What's going on at Mass?
You'll notice some changes in the Mass during Lent.
Gregorian chant will be played before Mass and the closing hymn will be omitted. Both changes are designed to help cultivate space for prayer and listening before and after the liturgy.
We encourage you to not only come a few minutes early to prepare for Mass and stay a few minutes after to offer thanksgiving, but to also leave the Church in silence once you are finished. This helps preserve a prayerful atmosphere in the Church and separates this space of worship from our ordinary lives.
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