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.
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