Silence

Just some thoughts to maintain in the stillness of this silent day, when all of creation is in quiet. Particularly poignant for our year of St. Joseph: “When embrace was done, Old Joseph said, “How is your Mother, How is your Mother, Son?”

“Something strange is happening: There is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and Hades trembles with fear.”

(St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, On the Lord’s Descent into Hades on Great and Holy Saturday)

 Limbo

The ancient greyness shifted

Suddenly and thinned

Like mist upon the moors

Before a wind.

An old, old prophet lifted

A shining face and said:

“He will be coming soon.

The Son of God is dead;

He died this afternoon.”

A murmurous excitement stirred all souls.

they wondered if they dreamed-

Save one old man who seemed

Not even to have heard.

And Moses standing,

Hushed them all to ask

If any had a welcome song prepared.

If not, would David take the task?

And if they cared

Could not the three young children sing

The Benedicite, the canticle of praise

They made when God kept them from perishing

In the fiery blaze?

A breath of spring surprised them,

Stilling Moses’ words.

No one could speak, remembering

The first fresh flowers,

The little singing birds.

Still others thought of fields new ploughed

Or apple trees

All blossom-boughed.

Or some, the way a dried bed fills

With water

Laughing down green hills.

The fisherfolk dreamed of the foam

On bright blue seas.

The one old man who had not stirred

Remembered home.

And there He was

Splendid as the morning sun and fair

As only God is fair.

And they, confused with joy,

Knelt to adore

Seeing that He wore

Five crimson stars

He never had before.

No canticle at all was sung.

None toned a psalm, or raising a greeting song,

A silent man alone

Of all that throng

Found tongue-

Not any other.

Close to His heart

When embrace was done,

Old Joseph said,

“How is your Mother,

How is your Mother, Son?”

(Sister Mary Ada, C.S.J)

(From the Benedictine Monks of Perpetual Adoration in County Meath, Ireland http://vultus.stblogs.org/index.php/2012/03/and-there-he-was/ )

May Jesus have you in His keeping this glorious Easter 😊