Saturday, December 21, 2019

Quiet Time - Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A


St. Joseph Religious Pictures, St Joseph, Catholic Art, Catholic Saints, Roman Catholic, Religious Art, Madonna, Joseph Dreams, Jesus E Maria            Did you know that Paul McCartney composed the entire melody of Yesterday in a dream?  Or that Albert Einstein had a dream about sledding down a mountain at the speed of light that led to the development of his theory of relativity?  How about this?  Thomas Edison, one of the most successful and prolific inventors of all time, considered his near complete deafness to be his happiest, most productive place.  It seems like extraordinary accomplishments begin with a little quiet time. Today’s readings agree.

            Our first reading and our Gospel present opposing examples of our human relationship with God.  In our reading from Isaiah, Ahaz, the King of Judah, ignored God’s warnings and his sign of loving fidelity.  He joined with the kingdom of Assyria and plunged himself and his people “into the cauldron of Assyrian rapaciousness and brutality.”[1]  Ahaz refused God’s Word, and now he’s remembered, if at all, as a weak, vacillating king who represents Judah’s lack of faith.

            By contrast, in our Gospel we meet Joseph who had just learned that Mary, his betrothed, is pregnant with a child that’s not his.  He was pretty upset, no doubt, but “Matthew tells us that Joseph was a just man, a person of impeccable faith and integrity . . . .  So, rather than unleash all his justifiable emotions, he tried to discern God’s will.”[2]  He initially decided to divorce Mary privately, but God had another plan.  In the quiet solitude of sleep, Joseph learned in a dream that the child is of the Holy Spirit, that he should take Mary as his wife and adopt the child as his own.  Joseph welcomed God’s Word, and now he’s remembered as the righteous, faithful stepfather of our Lord—and as they guy who’ll sell your house if you bury his statue upside down in your yard!

            What’s the difference between Ahaz and Joseph?  There are many, but my early Christmas gift to you is that I’ll only address one in this homily—quiet time.  Ahaz is so consumed by fear and confusion that he ignores the divine sign sent to bolster his faith and rushes to a hasty, fateful decision.  Joseph, on the other hand, seeks and finds God’s will in the quiet of his heart and in peaceful slumber.

            We all need quiet time.  Quiet time offers us tremendous physical and spiritual benefits beyond just a little rest.  It helps develop new brain cells in the area of brain responsible for learning, remembering, and emotions, and it decreases stress by lowering cortisol and adrenaline levels in the bloodstream.[3]  Most importantly, quiet time helps us develop our relationship with God.  Just think about how many times we find God leading people to extraordinary accomplishments in quiet time.  Moses was out in the wilderness tending sheep when he noticed the burning bush and received God’s command to “Bring my people out of Egypt” (Ex. 3:10).  Elijah was hiding alone in a cave when God’s still, small voice emboldened him to continue his prophetic mission (1 Kings 19:12).  Saint Joseph, who apparently slept a lot, received God’s instructions on how to protect Mary and Jesus four times in dreams (Matt. 1:20; 2:13, 19, 22), and we know from the Gospels that Jesus frequently would “withdraw to deserted places to pray” (Luke 5:16).

Do you get the picture?  We all need quiet time with God.  God is speaking to us in every moment of our lives.  We need to slow down and listen up.  Scripture makes clear that hearing God’s Word, trusting his divine Wisdom, and following his commands lie at the heart of our relationship with God.  “First, people must discern the voice of God amid the cacophony of human noise.  Then [we] must obey that voice, [and] enact it in time and history.”[4]  Divine inspiration, comfort, and peace wait for us in quiet time, just like it did for Moses, Elijah, Joseph, Jesus, Paul McCartney, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison.

I know what you’re thinking.  How am I supposed to find quiet time?  I have presents to wrap, projects to complete, a wedding to plan, the kids need a bath, I have to take my parents grocery shopping, and Season 3 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was just released.  You can’t say that Deacon Mike doesn’t have his finger on the pulse of the people!  I’m the father of two teenage daughters.  I know how hard it is to find quiet time.  So I can tell you that the only way to find quiet time is to make it.  We have to commit ourselves to setting aside a part of each day to spend a little quiet time with God.  Go for a walk; watch the sun rise (or set if you’re a late riser); stop in Church when you’re driving by and sit before the Blessed Sacrament for 5 minutes; lay on the couch, and place yourself in God’s presence, whatever works.  There’s always time to do the things we really want to do, and I assure you that wrapping presents, finishing projects, planning a wedding, bathing the kids, and taking your parents grocery shopping will be all-the-more do-able and enjoyable after a little quiet time with God.  I’m not so sure about watching Mrs. Maisel.  Why are they more do-able and enjoyable?  Because after a little quiet time with God, everything you do will be infused with God’s love and inspiration. 

I can tell you from my own experience that I’ve heard God’s voice speaking just to me on long walks in the woods, while swimming laps, and yes, even after a cat nap or a few hours of sleep.  In that quiet time God has eased my fears, guided me through sticky situations, and helped me find the right words for my homilies when writer’s block sets in.  At this point, you may be thinking that I could’ve used a little more quiet time before writing this homily.  Nevertheless, make the time for a little quiet time, and you’ll find God waiting there for you, too, offering you guidance, inspiration, and peace.  Spend a little quiet time with God!  You won’t regret it.      

            There’s a reason why Jesus was born when the whole world was at peace, on that silent, holy night when all was calm: so people might notice his presence among us and make room for him in our inns.  The Advent Season is all about making room for Jesus.  It’s a time to welcome God’s Word, like Saint Joseph did.  It’s a time to pay attention to God’s movements in our lives, to hear his voice, to receive his inspiration, and follow his lead.  Advent reminds us that extraordinary things are coming.  It’s no surprise, then, that Advent ends, and Christmas begins, with a little quiet time.



[1] Walter Brueggemann, Isaiah 1-39 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998), 71-72.
[2] Mary M. McGlone, “Joseph’s Dilemma,” National Catholic Reporter, vol. 56, no. 5 (December 13-26, 2019), 19.
[3] Gustavo Razzetti, “Why Silence is the Think Tank of the Soul,” Liberationist, https://liberationist.org/why-silence-is-the-think-tank-of-the-soul/.
[4] John Shea, The Spiritual Wisdom of the Gospels for Christian Preachers and Teachers: On Earth as It is in Heaven, Matthew, Year A (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2004), 46.

No comments:

Post a Comment

God is listening . . . comment accordingly.