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Wednesday of 2nd Advent
St. Luke Institute
December 19, 2012
SILENCE
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Today’s Advent readings make me wonder if that
first Christmas could have happened the way we recall that it did without
silent waiting?
PEOPLE IN SCRIPTURE +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Without the silent yearning of the centuries of
hopeful anticipation of the people of Israel
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Zechariah, when it is announced to
him by the archangel that Elizabeth is going to have a baby, is struck down
into silence by losing his power of speech
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Elizabeth herself speaks only a few
words that seem to be chosen carefully, to praise God and salute her blessed cousin,
Mary
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Joseph says absolutely nothing
that’s recorded in the Gospel, talk about silence!
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And Mary’s divine maternity is
contingent upon what? Her quiet, docile, humble discipleship
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It’s almost as though speech is completely
useless in the face of the marvelous ways and manifestations of God
CAPTURING THE WONDER +++++++++++++++++++++++
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A stillness, a stillness captured so well by
medieval and Renaissance artists, Bellini, DaVinci, Fra Angelico, as they
portray the dramatic solitude in the silence at the moment of the Annunciation
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All of these great personalities of Advent teach
us the wonder of silence
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They teach us of the necessity of stillness at
the most pivotal moments of God’s breaking into our world
CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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We need to make to time to be still, to be
silent, and to listen to the birthing in our midst of the Son of God
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