Depart in silence!

Let's start with an unapologetic trip down memory lane.

I have been thinking recently about the use of and meaning of silence in church and prayer groups. At men's prayer group we have been experimenting with silence in a group setting.

Depart in silence! That's what the instructions say for the Catholic liturgy on Maundy Thursday. At St Gerties, in the 1990s we had a bit of a campaign to try and make that happen. It's not because we were trying to "harsh anyone's buzz" but it's just extremely fitting to have a reverent or even stunned silence after you have determinedly remembered and tried to make yourself present at the last meal Jesus had before his execution. When you consider the enormity of the situation for the disciples. The mixture of the Thanksgiving meal, Jesus talking like he was going to die and Judas betrayal. The instruction should say "depart in stunned silence."  But I forget the number of times we explained to people, if you are being true to the events you don't have a hymn at this point. You should leave the church in total silence or stay praying until midnight. It's one of the times where there should be a sense of grief almost in a church setting. A time where there should be no chitter chatter in the church afterwards. Reverent silence. But does modern man or woman do reverence? Of course some do!

Silence can be surprisingly instructive if we can dare to expose ourself to it. Although watch out! God can speak in the silence, so if you weren't planning for that to happen it can be disconcerting. I have experimented with silence in my prayer times and found that sometimes it can be energising or even powerful. There are different kinds of silence. For me silent prayer usually comes after I have said some psalms and I have set my heart to listen to God. There then follows minutes of what I think of as 'struggling silence.' It is the struggle to not stop and think about something else like the shopping or the dripping tap. Or the cat. If I can get beyond the struggle I can reach a stage of contented silence. Where "God looks at me and I look at him" - like friends, we don't always need to talk to each other. This is content silence. If you are really fortunate you can then go beyond this and God will speak. Not audibly of course. The God speaking silences are more frequent the more you practice the praying with silence. Today in the silence God asked one question "did you refuse to prophecy in my name?" His questions can be disturbing. Sometimes he can tell you that he loves you. It's not all challenge. He is after all a tender hearted God.

Sometimes I pray in tongues in the prayer time. This can help. It can lead to one of those loaded silences where God is present in all of his glory.

I don't normally talk about this stuff. But I think sometimes there is a time to share what's going through your head. Prayer is like an acorn. Hard to tap into. But once the right conditions are reached. Growth happens. The picture is of one we found in the back garden.

Dear God, let me go deeper. Help me to hunger for the peace of Christ. Send your Holy Spirit to renew my life. Let me welcome you! Amen

James 1:21-25 NIV
...... humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.   Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.