Silence is the language of God
Canon Gerard Bradley reflects on the importance of silence in Eucharistic adoration
In an interview on Eucharistic adoration, Canon Gerard Bradley – the Episcopal Vicar for South West London Area – said “silence is really important because silence is the language of God”. God “speaks to us in silence and we learn to listen to him and respond in a silent way”, he said.
Many people struggle with silence, especially with the incessant distractions we encounter each and every day. But that is why, Canon Gerard explains, “you have to learn to be in silence” and this means choosing silence, especially before the Blessed Sacrament, and allowing “all the extraneous things from outside to disappear”.
To help you pray in silence, Canon Gerard said it’s helpful to repeat certain prayers or words, such as “Jesus, I love you”, or “Jesus I trust in you”, or by praying the Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a Sinner.
But being honest with the Lord that you find silence difficult is also a great help, so do not be afraid to say to the Lord Jesus “here I am and I don’t know what to say and I’m quite afraid of this silence, but help me to be here”, he said.
This is all helpful to train you to be in silence before the Lord, because Canon Gerard said “the mouth might need something to say while the heart is still behind it”. But gradually, as you repeat these beautiful prayers over and over again, “the heart will still, and eventually the words will disappear too”, he said.
Canon Gerard said Eucharistic adoration can be transformative for children and young people as they prepare for Holy Communion and Confirmation. “What’s really important” he said, “is that they begin to develop prayer life. They begin to develop a life in relationship to Jesus”.
It’s not enough to just teach them what happens at Mass, he said, we also “need to teach them how to pray the Mass, how to engage with the crucified and Risen Lord who is there”. And adoration, Canon Gerard said, is “a very good way in to help them build up that one to one relationship” with the Lord Jesus.
You can watch the full interview on our YouTube channel.
