Peace and Quiet?

Being still in Holland, caring for my Mum, Doug and I find that we often have to shout to make our voices heard by her. It is reflected in the fact that she listens to the television at Rock Festival volume. At least we can get through. Mostly.

Sometimes we forget ourselves. Just now Doug came in from talking with Mum and suddenly realised that he was shouting at me. But I have the same issue, it is so hard to adjust the volume and style.

Perhaps my biggest concern over the shouting is that it could come over even to the auricularly-challenged person that you are shouting, and they might think that – whatever you say, whatever you mean – you are angry with them.

There are many voices shouting out in the world today, some calling for justice, others screaming out about their personal opinions. We all deserve to be able to speak freely, and share, but we need to listen to others too. People shouting out hatred and prejudice don’t need to moderate, it goes with the style, but there is something about peace and love, about harmony and forgiveness which sits awkwardly with shouting and aggressive actions. Martin Luther King showed that, as referred to here on Monday.

The Church, however we meet, is a place, a sanctuary, of adjustment. We come to God from the pains of the world, the frustrations and intolerance, bearing the burden of our experiences and perceptions, to the Lord who came to bring peace. We come to be changed, to empty ourselves of the world’s ungodly influences, to admit our own failures which we may find hard to hear and acknowledge, and to seek forgiveness and newness.

When this epidemic is over – or at least under control – we will be able to offer once again Peace to our brothers and sisters and hold out our hands to receive the sacrament of self-giving, of the Lord who did not shout out in violent response to his persecutors, who willingly accepted the cross, sacrificing himself to make peace between people and God, for all humanity.