Puerto Annigoni. Italian.1910-1998
As the noise of Christmas celebration - which started in October and continues to escalate (!) - I find myself longing for the deep silence of Advent.
Last month I had the opportunity to hear Paul Pearson of the Merton Center speak about Merton's understanding of the relationship between the breakdown in communication and its relationship to communion - that is, authentic relationship with each other. Pearson writes, "For Merton, it is our loss of silence that has led to the breakdown of communication, and consequently to the loss of communion, which is the grave danger we face, and the reason why we must work to restore authentic communication with one another: “To live in communion, in genuine dialogue with others is absolutely necessary if [we are] to remain human.” New Seeds of Contemplation, p.55.
This Advent, may we find times and places for silence so that we can learn how to listen deeply, how to communicate and to enter into genuine communion with each other.
