When silence is emptiness

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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II
Friday, Memorial of St. Martin de Porres, Religious, 03 November 2023
Romans 9:1-5   ><))))*>  +  <*((((><   Luke 14:1-6

Silence is your language,
God our loving Father;
hence, silence is fullness,
not emptiness;
silence is when we listen 
to every sound to discern
and follow your voice within
because silence is within
not without.

How sad that people these days
are afraid of silence,
afraid of listening to your voice
that speaks what is true, good,
and beautiful;
that is why we muffle our ears
with pods and plugs and phones
not to hear your voice coming
from the silent screams and cries
of the sick and suffering;
forgive us, Father, when
we become silent for the wrong reason
of being empty and non-committed,
when we prefer not to speak nor
make a stand in moments we have to
respond to your voice,
remaining silent to ignore
you and those in pain.

Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and the Pharisees in reply, asking, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?” But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him.

Luke 14:3-4

Lord Jesus Christ,
so many people especially
children and women are dying
these days while the world remains
silent of the atrocities and killings going on;
like St. Paul in the first reading,
"we have great sorrow and constant
anguish in our hearts" (Romans 9:2);
disturb our empty silence with your
voice and plans to alleviate
the sufferings of those caught 
in firefights and hostilities;
do not let our silence be empty
but be filled with you
and your courage and strength
to stand for the value of every life
like St. Martin de Porres who worked
in silence, lived in silence as he silently
listened and obeyed your voice
O Lord.
Amen.