Silence in Church

A Reflection on the Second Reading for May 1st, 2022:
Third Sunday of Easter

---

​Revelation
5.11-14

I, John, looked, and I heard the voice of many Angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshipped.
​

“I heard the voice of many angels … and the living creatures and the elders [every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them]; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb!’”


But there were a few people, still sitting in the pews of their local parish who, upon hearing this full-voice singing, lowered their brows and cut their eyes sideways at the angels. One said to them, “Reverence to the Lord can only be shown by silence.” Another concurred, “With reverence comes silence, so we can come to be spiritually in prayer with Jesus in His sacrifice for us.” A third churchgoer, completely overtaken by temper, shouted at the angels with full voice, “Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP!”


These are real comments written by Catholic parishioners in response to their pastor’s plea for a more tolerant approach to the topic of silence before, during and after Mass.


What do you think about the role of silence in worship? Is silence the same as reverence? If not, can we have reverence without silence?


There was a time when church buildings were places of silence. We walked through the door, blessed ourselves with holy water, found a pew, genuflected and seated ourselves without uttering a syllable. The only words we directed toward our fellow congregants during the Mass were “Peace be with you.” The parish church of my childhood was such a church. It was not a joy-filled place, but I loved it for other reasons. 


The parish church I now attend is different. For one thing, we have hospitality ministers whose privilege it is to welcome people as they enter the building for Mass and other kinds of community worship. At the Easter Vigil this year, we celebrated the baptism of a man who made our parish his spiritual home because of the welcome he received there. Sad to say, but we stood out among six other parishes he’d visited, simply because we made him welcome.


Can we have reverence without silence? Of course we can. Hospitality is seldom silent, but it is always reverent when it invites us to look upon others with a profound respect for the desire that God has placed within them (and us) to share community — with all creatures in heaven and on earth — and to sing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb!”


Let us pray.

Lord, make us always eager to practise hospitality (Roman 12:13). Teach us discernment, that we may never waste an opportunity to demonstrate to others Your abundant love and endless mercy. Amen. AMEN!




Donna Davis
​

---