The Divine “Silence”

This past Tuesday, our Mary’s Garden prayer group gathered as usual in Saint Mary’s church at 7:30 pm. If you have never attended this meeting, I invite you to join us to enjoy this wonderful moment of praying together, sharing the Word of God and our friendship as well. The reading of the night was Matthew 7:7-11. It is written: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.”

God who gave us the Holy Spirit continues to provide good thinks for us. However, God seems to be silent sometimes. We shared about this divine “silence” in our meeting. Maybe it has already happened to you. You pray and ask but it seems that God is not even listening. The suffering of the innocents, the suffering and death of a child, the innocent victims of war and violence challenge our everyday prayers for health, peace and healing in the world. Where are You, Lord? Are You not seeing the suffering of your innocent people? Why should we continue asking of a “deaf” God?

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Never give up dear friend. “Does the one who shaped the ear not hear? The one who formed the eye not see?” Does the one who guides nations not rebuke? The one who teaches man not have knowledge? The LORD knows the plans of man; they are like a fleeting breath (Ps 94:9-11). Let us keep asking, even though God is not necessarily responding according to our will. Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, asked the Father before His crucifixion but the Father did not respond according to Jesus’ will. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” (Lk 22:42). Here we learn from Jesus that whatever we ask of God, it is not first our will but let the will of God be done. We start doubting and loosing hope because the time and will of God are usually beyond our understanding.

In our deepest despair and doubt, Matthew reminds us of the words of Jesus: “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). To those who mourn the death of the beloved one for whom they were praying for healing John reminds the words of Jesus to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (Jn 11: 25-26). Of course Lord, we do believe, help our unbelief! (Mc 9: 24). Many challenges of life shake our belief. Jesus knew it when he said: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mt 26: 41). Thank you, Jesus for asking us to stay alert, to watch and pray that we may not undergo the test.

Our prayers remind us again and again that You, our Lord, are so close to us. You are still present in our midst even when you seem to be “absent”. Your absence-presence or Your presence-absence reveals your visible and invisible being beyond our understanding. We thank You, Lord for coming to our rescue when we walk in the valley of doubt and miss your presence. Even Your Son experienced your presence-absence on the cross. He cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk 15: 34). On the third day, you raised Him from the dead in accordance with the Scriptures. You taught us that challenges can happen in our lives. It can take three days or more, but you, God, never abandoned us. In your absence-presence or your presence-absence you still talk to us by keeping “silent”. Your “silence” is so eloquent that it warms our faith and trust in you alone. We know that you never fail to take care of us in this world and in the world to come. We are not afraid at all because nothing is impossible for you, our God.

May our Mother Mary, our Lady of Perpetual Help, always intercede for us and may the Holy Spirit strengthen our faith and trust in You, our Father. Keep us safe as we sing with the Psalmist “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God”. (Ps 42: 11).