"Live moments of silence..."

Ave Maria! On the occasion of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, sent a message to the media of Latin America, stressing the need for silence in our lives as we prepare for Christmas. The following excerpt is a challenging and welcome invitation to make deep interior silence a priority in our lives, not only during this holy Advent season but also every day of our lives.

I invite you to live moments of silence during these days of Advent, to hear Jesus' voice who speaks to our heart. Holding Mary's hand, let us meet with him without haste, as he always awaits us! Lets put a dike to the flood of concerns and noises that so often drag us endlessly. Silence is like a blank screen on which we can project the film of our daily life to see it clearly. If we project it on a wall full of pictures, books and objects, with a background of noise, we will understand little. Only in silence do we assume in a more conscious way our options; in silence we hear the voice of God. In this way we will be able to be genuine bearers of his Word -- as Mary who, "kept all these things in her heart" (Luke 2:19) -- and do whatever he tells us (cf. John
2:5).

Perhaps it is difficult advice to follow at this moment of news bombardment, pastoral needs, bustle in families, in our media and in parishes, not to mention purchases, gifts, parties and celebrations. However, if we dedicate time to choose the ingredients and to prepare the dinners and meals we will share over the holidays, must we not also prepare, and even more so, what we will communicate through radios, newspapers, television programs and Web sites? What can we give that is substantial, if our life is filled only with repeated words, with little depth and contents? Let us dedicate time to the Lord whom we are awaiting this Advent.

May Mary ... grant us from God the gift of interior silence, precisely to be able to renew our life of discipleship, so that he will make fruitful our words, texts, images and musical notes, and make them bearers of the Good News.

Dear Mary, Virgin of Advent, let me enter into your silence as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of Jesus, the fruit of your womb and the Father's Incarnate Word. Amen.