When we are silent only God is present

 

Most Reverend Michael Mulvey is
bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

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On the afternoon of Aug. 25, around five o’clock, the power went out, the lights went out and everything became silent. The only noise was the elements of God’s creation: the wind, the rain and the rustling trees. The storm had begun. Hurricane Harvey was on his way.

In the silence of those hours, many things filled our minds; worries, future plans, projects in the making, memories of the past, fears about economic stability and, above all, concerns for family and friends.

In the light of those dark moments a person of faith realizes that only God is present in the silence. Even though we may be surrounded with friends and family, inside our hearts and minds turn to one reality and that is God.

One question in our society today is “does silence have any value?” Already with our efforts to rebuild, to encourage one another and to allow our faith and hope to be strengthened, there is also an opportunity for us to look at and appreciate the value of silence in our life.

We will rebound, we will help one another, we will rebuild, we will comfort the anxieties and fears of one another, but I would encourage all of us not to lose this opportunity to evaluate the gift of silence in our lives. When we are silent God’s presence is almost tangible. When we are silent all of our activities, hopes, desires and relationships are put into perspective.

The hours and the days that we lived together during Hurricane Harvey bring all of this to light, if even for a brief moment. The Book of Ecclesiastes reminded us “vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! (ECCL 1:1-2).” Only God remains. Only God is eternal. For me, this again was the lesson of the days of Harvey.

As I travel around the diocese and meet people that one thought continues to echo in my mind. We need to help one another. We need to gather together to support one another. Pray together. Have faith together. Remembering, however, that in the end only God is eternal.

My dear brothers and sisters in the Diocese Corpus Christi let us work together to rebuild our lives and the lives of our neighbors and friends. Let us work to rebuild our communities and neighborhoods and our parishes, and let us be courageous to rebuild what is inside, what is eternal. May our love for God abound. We are reminded in Psalm 62 that God’s exclusive presence is in the silence of each person’s life.

God bless you as we journey the future together to rebuild both what is exterior and what is interior: God’s love for us and our love for God. I am praying for you and your families. Please know that you are constantly in my prayers and thoughts.