God comes in silence, Pope reminds congregation at morning Mass
December 20, 2013
The mystery of God’s presence among us is wrapped in silence, Pope Francis told a congregation at morning Mass on December 20, and Christians should seek “the grace to love the silence.”
Citing the day’s Gospel, with the announcement that the Holy Spirit would “overshadow” the Virgin Mary, the Pope remarked that this shadow “has almost the same quality” as the cloud that protected the people of Israel on their flight from Egypt.
“The Lord always took care of the mystery and hid the mystery,” the Pope said. “He did not publicize the mystery. A mystery that publicizes itself is not Christian; it is not the mystery of God: it is a fake mystery!”
“Each of us knows how mysteriously the Lord works in our hearts, in our souls,” the Pope continued. “Silence is that which guards the mystery.”
The Holy Father pointed to the silence of Mary, awaiting the birth of the Christ Child, and later in the shadow of the Cross. Through her silence, he said, “she allowed the mystery to grow and flourish.”
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Further information:
- Pope: silence guards one's relationship with God (Vatican Radio)
- Mystery doesn't seek publicity (L'Osservatore Romano)
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