From Silence, Words

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

We want to live in peace, but “they” are monsters. That’s the excuse for war. But a true Christian, I think, lives in peace because “they” are neighbors.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

My life flows on, amid the constant wonders: natural beauty, growth, opportunity, creativity, knowledge and love. They fill me with joy and gratitude.
How can I keep from singing?

My life flows on, amid the persistent horrors: violence, greed, cruelty, contamination, weapons of mass destruction. They discourage and frighten me.
How can I keep from praying?

My life flows on, amid the amazing developments: in science, technology, art, cooperation, learning and discovery. They make me want to hang around.
How can I keep from hoping?
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Next, I stick pins into the Herod doll – here and here. Sore neck and ulcer coming up.”

[No, this was not part of His approach.]

D. Blog: Words out of Silence

“One thing Quakers are best known for is the silence at the center of our worship. Quakers keep silence for at least two reasons-- out of a holy skepticism, and, a holy awe of the power of words.

Quakers, rooted in the silence between words, know most words are unnecessary! Worship is a time away from words, to seek what is beneath words, beyond words-- more real than words.

To speak out of the silence, then, is an awesome responsibility; to write out of that silence is, too.

Marianne Moore said of poetry, ‘Anything is allowable, so long as it improves on the blank page.’ When words are an improvement over the wonderful silence, you'd better say them. Otherwise, you'd better not.

Friends who have sat in silence together have seen one another, and themselves, scandalously without their words on. We don't need words to fill up the space between us, or to make sure that God is there. But, we find that into that space, and before our God, words come.

Many Quakers know the story of John Woolman's trip into the back country to visit some native Americans with whom he did not share a language. During his visit, they took time to pray together, and Woolman asked the translators not to bother translating. Though they could not speak to one another, there was a sense of divine love among all the people gathered,
according to Woolman, and he heard later from one translator the comment from one man there: ‘I love to feel where words come from.’

When we gather from our different places, let us ground ourselves first in the silence together. Before we begin to share our love of words, let us share God in a deeper place-- the place from where words come.”

Elizabeth Lyzenga