The Pope addresses communication, silently

Last Sunday the Church celebrated the 46th World Communications Day. Pope Benedict XVI’s message for the occasion, which was released on the feast of St. Francis de Sales (the patron saint of writers), reminded those immersed in the world of communications that words must come with silence:

…silence and word: two aspects of communication which need to be kept in balance, to alternate and to be integrated with one another if authentic dialogue and deep closeness between people are to be achieved.

Silence allows us to listen, Pope Benedict said, and it allows us to better understand ourselves. It leads to “deeper human relationships,” giving us the space to discern what is meaningful and what is sincere. Quiet reflection also allows us to discover links and justly evaluate topics, which gives way to more thoughtful opinions, rooted in wisdom.

Pope Benedict pointed out that silence can help us find the truth amongst search engines and social networks, where most people go for answers in the modern world. Communication today is often fueled by questions, he said, and:

Ultimately, this constant flow of questions demonstrates the restlessness of human beings, ceaselessly searching for truths, of greater or lesser import, that can offer meaning and hope to their lives. Men and women cannot rest content with a superficial and unquestioning exchange of skeptical opinions and experiences of life – all of us are in search of truth and we share this profound yearning today more than ever…

We must obey God rather than men

Peter and the Apostles stood before the Sanhedrin. They again faced the jealous high priest who had thrown them into prison the night before. 

“We gave you strict orders did we not, to stop teaching in that name,” the high priest said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

The Apostles were not afraid. They replied: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5: 17-29).

We encounter these words in the first reading today, and they hold profound meaning for each and every one of us—we must obey God rather than men.

In this “world of men”—this culture—the option to obey God rather than men is often hidden behind a wall of distractions.

Just picture it: A young woman wakes up in the morning and immediately turns on the news to fill her mind as she drinks her coffee and prepares for the day. She puts her headphones in after locking the door, blasting music throughout the entire commute. She gets to work and immerses herself in it, filling up any breaks with texting and YouTube videos. At the end of the day she walks home to the same soundtrack, planning to spend the evening with her favorite shows.