One of the goals I made for the year 2020 was to read more. When I made that goal in December right before the new year began, little did I know that in a few months a pandemic would strike us and change our reality. Within that goal to read more, I wanted to read more books in Spanish, which I have been doing this year. I try to read at least one book in Spanish each month. I also want to read the entire canon of novels written by the English Catholic author Graham Greene. So far, I have read five of his novels. Many of the books I am reading this year are in the realm of spirituality and theology, which you would probably expect for a priest.
One of the books I am reading was recommended to me by one of the Presbyterian pastors in Tupelo who was a part of our ministerial association. This book was written by Presbyterian minister, Zach Eswine and it is entitled: The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus. He tackles a lot of topics that can be challenges for those of us who are priests or pastors. In one chapter, he addressed the need for us to listen, which can be a challenge for us pastors, since we are always writing homilies and reflections and communicating with people. You cannot imagine what daily schedule is as Vicar General. As I am writing this, I look at my schedule for the next day and I have eight different meetings scheduled. I would have several more, but I could not fit them in! You can imagine that is a challenge to find silence in the midst of my busy schedule.
Two quotes stand out to me in Eswine’s discussion about the importance of silence. One quote is from German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Silence means nothing other than waiting for God’s word.” The second quote comes from author Richard Foster: “Simply to refrain from talking, without a heart listening to God, is not silence.”
I strive to listen to God in the silence. That is why I love to hike. As I hike, I listen to God in the silence and I listen to God in nature. Our modern lives are so packed with noise and talking. Do we make time in our lives to listen to God? That other thing that I want to continue to do is to read good books and to learn from the authors, to reflect on the words and to see God in what I read.
I want to encourage all of you to read good books and to make room for silence in your lives in order to listen to God. Blessings to all of you - have a blessed week.
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