Listening to the silence

LISTENING

A Meditation by Anthony de Mello, SJ

"Every word, every image 

used for God is a distortion

more than a description."

"Then how does one speak of God?"

"Through Silence."

"Why, then, do you speak in words?"

At that, the Master

laughed uproariously.

He said, "When I speak, you

mustn't listen to the words, my dear.

Listen to the Silence." 

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I love the wisdom of Anthony deMello's quote. Yes, the silence of a spiritual master's or a dear friend's words contains the message of love and compassion, which transcends the words themselves. Indeed, words are like a finger pointing to the moon, and the moon - love and compassion (which embodies God) - is a beauty to behold in silent awe and rapture.

Seek and save the lost, the excluded and the forsaken

"Christianity at its very most fundamental is not a project of building an official Establishment that would properly represent itself, but to seek out those excluded and thus forsaken, by those Establishment that already are". 

Drew Sumrall. 

Yes, come to think of it, when Jesus said the Son of Man has come to seek and save the lost, he actually was referring to seeking out those who are oppressed and marginalised by the societal system. Indeed, the lost sheep and the lost coin would represent those who are excluded and forsaken by the establishment, which Drew mentioned. 

Hence, in the parable of the lost sheep, we see the good shepherd leaving behind the 99 sheep which could be a picture of the empire that is based on rivalry, status and self-righteousness, to seek out the lost sheep which could be a picture of the ones who have been excluded by the empire, and the shepherd would rejoice in rescuing and restoring the lost sheep to its proper place in his kingdom of love and grace and acceptance.