Silence

by Lester Yee

“And then Christ speaks to the priest, ‘Trample! Trample! It was to be trampled on by men that I was born into this world. It was to share man’s pain that I carried my cross.’”
- Silence by Shusaku Endo

Sometimes, with all the injustice in the Philippines, I could wish that the heavens would be torn open and a voice would come from the Heavens to tell the Filipinos to change our ways. Yet, when I join farmers fighting and marching for their land, or rallies for truth and accountability, all I can hear is a rumbling silence. It sometimes makes me question the power of God as creator of everything seen and unseen. The questions of why evil exists, why the poor continue to suffer or why injustice continues to flourish hound my mind. Sometimes, this makes me ask if God really does exist, with all this injustice in the world.

Still, many people are continuing the fight. Many people are still able to love to the point of giving up their own life. In sending Jesus Christ as the fullness of revelation, God enters human history to show us how powerful our love and freedom are. And in God’s love, he asks us to make disciples of all nations, to tell the world of God’s love. Thus, in following Jesus’ example, God allows us to share in His new creation of a perfect world of love in the fullness of time. But still, God is silent.

But, in stark contrast to this Gospel, Jesus experienced such a deafening silence in His greatest trial, the crucifixion. This silence even made Christ feel forsaken by God. All throughout Jesus’ passion, not a voice in the Heavens whispered. Yet Jesus went on, Jesus continued to follow the way of love. Now, we all testify that God has spoken through Jesus.

In the same way, in the same broken world, in the same silence, God allows us to let our life speak of God’s love.

Share a reflection. Share how God works wonders in your life.

Gospel
11 January 2009
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Mk 1:7-11

This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens,
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”