Weekly HOMILY for February 4, 2007: The Three Silences of the Eucharist

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C
Our Lady of Grace
February 4, 2007

The Three Silences of the Eucharist
(Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


Too Much Speaking

There is a story about a reunion of retired business executives.

Each of them was invited to give a brief – no more than two-minute – talk after dinner on what their experience in retirement was. The toastmaster was instructed to rap his gavel when each speaker’s two minutes were up.

Well, the first speaker was still going strong at the end of the two minutes. The toastmaster was a kindly old man and just could not bring himself to rap the gavel.

On and on the speaker droned – four, six, eight minutes. The other guests began looking at there watches, some murmured and a few began signaling the toastmaster to rap the gavel. Finally, the elderly toastmaster gave in.

He wound up and brought the gavel down full force, accidentally hitting the head of the man next to him. As that man was sinking down under the table, he was heard to say, “Hit me again, I can still hear him.”


Speaking and Silence

My little story helps us to appreciate one of the core lessons in today’s readings.

Speaking on and on really has its limits. In fact, the contrary is true: the absence of speaking or silence has an important place in our lives.

Each of the three main persons in today’s Scripture readings illustrates this need for silence very well. Isaiah, Paul, and Peter all have an experience of God.

Isaiah alone in the temple; Paul knocked off his horse on the road to Damascus; and Peter in the great catch of fish! Each of them encounters and is drawn close to God, not so much in words, but in an experience that has few words or no words at all.

And these experiences silence changed them as persons. In these moments they are transformed.


Silence in the Liturgy

For us, the liturgy, the celebration of the Mass each week or even each day is meant to transform us.

In the Mass, we sing the words of the hymns. We speak the words of the prayers.

We listen to the words of the readings and the homily. All of this is good and important.

But in the liturgy, there are also three major moments or places for silence. These are also important and essential parts of the transforming experience that the liturgy.


The Three Silences

The first of these silences is at the very beginning of Mass. The priest invites this by calling us to be aware of God’s presence or to be mindful of ourselves, or our sinfulness, or something to that effect.


Here we are invited to stop and reflect, if only for a moment. We are invited to be in touch with: “Who we are and where we are in our lives today and at that moment?”

Am I tired or upset, worried or hopeful, happy or sad? How am I feeling today about myself and my life and my relationship with God?

What spiritual gift do I need today to live a more fruitful day?

So, this silence at the beginning of Mass gives us a chance to situate or position ourselves as a member of the assembly.


The second major silence follows the readings and the homily. The issue now is not “Where we’re at?” but more, “What am I thinking or feeling at this moment?”

What did I hear or how did the Word of God touch me today? Was I comforted? Or challenged? Or encouraged? Or just bored?

What do I see myself doing with this message and my feelings and thoughts and about it?

So, this silence after the homily gives us a chance to situate ourselves again after the first way that God comes to us in the liturgy.


Finally, the third major silence comes after communion. In Communion Jesus is becoming part of me and I am becoming part of Jesus.

Here we thank God for the Eucharist and for all of our blessings. After all, the word “Eucharist” means “to give thanks.” And here we also ask; where am I going now with this nourishment?

What change or transformation needs to take place now in me or my relationships? How does the Eucharist empower me to hang in there or to grow as a person?

So, this silence after Communion gives us a chance to situate ourselves for the coming day or coming week.


Conclusion

So, these three major silences in the Mass are important. They are part of the transforming power of the liturgy.

As celebrants of the Eucharist, we priests need to be careful to make room for this silence and all of us need to use these opportunities to allow God to work with us.