Sounds of silence

Simon and Garfunkel used to sing a song entitled, "The Sounds of Silence."

In the midst of computers, the Internet, Ipods, C.D.'s, radio and television, the roar of traffic - the midst of our frantic lives - listening to the sounds of silence has become a lost art in our world.

David writes in Psalms 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God."

Be still.

Be quiet.

Wait in silence.

"In solitude," Henri Nouwen wrote, "I get rid of my scaffolding."

Scaffolding is all the stuff we use to keep ourselves going, propped up, to convince ourselves that we are important or okay.

In solitude we have no friends to talk with, no phone calls or meetings, no television sets, no music or books or newspapers to occupy and distract the mind.

I was reading today of a church in England that recorded "the sounds of silence" on to a CD.  The CD has become a surprise hit with its congregation.

The members of St. Peter's church in Sussex, England recorded "a little bit of the silence" of the building's atmosphere.  The recording features the surrounding sound of footsteps, voices, background traffic noise - but mostly just silence.

The church technician at St. Peter's, Robin Yarnton, said, "It does what it says on the cover.  Silence is all you get.  Mostly people have said it's nice and they like it, and that it is quiet and peaceful."

The full CD features a 30 minutes track, with a spoken introduction, closing words, and 28 minutes of silence.  According to the church, customers from around the world have been buying the recording.

So, what to you do when you practice solitude and silence?  The answer is, "nothing."

At least once a day, I encourage you to be silent.  It could be anything from sitting in your front room without the T.V. on - and pausing to soak up the quiet - to not turning on the radio as you are driving in your car.

Silence is not only a building block of your relationship with Christ - it is a great tool of solid mental health as well.

Be still.  Be quiet.  Let God speak to you.  Let your brain be at rest.  Process your day, letting the voice of the Father permeate the silence with an infusion of reality.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.