Yule demands incessant busyness; Christmas demands waiting
in silence. How to combine the two? Perhaps we can learn from the Carthusians.
A novice-master tells a young monk the complexities of “silence”: to shut
oneself up in cell for incessant prayer is not silence as the order’s Statues
understand it. Opposed to “noise”, “silence” demands that we identify the
source of the noise first, and when we do so we find that much of the clamour
comes from one’s own heart. Outward silence does not still this, on the
contrary: it invites it. True silence consists first of all of listening: you
begin by listening to the others around you – not just what they say, but what
they are not saying. You listen to what you can gather of their deep needs,
feelings and concerns. Meanwhile, you go about your business –
business-business or Yule business – but listening quietly to all you meet.
Once you learn to listen to others (for a Carthusian, “your
brothers”, for the rest of us, our families, loved ones, and anyone else who
comes our way), you have a much better chance of being able to listen to God. Why?
Because your own self, your own ego, your own desires, wishes, prejudices,
feelings, thoughts, temper, and what you will, have learnt to shut up. And
this, says the old novice-master, is true Silence. Silence happens when your
own self has learnt to be quiet. In true Silence, only God speaks. Sometimes in His
own voice, in the ears of your heart; sometimes in the voice of your brothers,
your sisters, and your neighbour.
And when that happens, you can go about your Yuletide
busyness – buying presents, ordering the turkey, decorating the house, adorning
the Christmas tree, sending cards, planning convivial meals and stocking up on
whisky – in a perfect silence of waiting, of expectation, and of hope. The
silence of Advent.
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