Friday, September 30, 2011

Silence: Context To Hear The Word


 "Silence and Word: path of evangelization."



"The extraordinarily varied nature of the contribution of modern communications to society highlights the need for a value which, on first consideration, might seem to stand in contra-distinction to it," the Vatican communiqué noted. "In the thought of Pope Benedict XVI, silence is not presented simply as an antidote to the constant and unstoppable flow of information that characterizes society today but rather as a factor that is necessary for its integration.

"Silence, precisely because it favors habits of discernment and reflection, can in fact be seen primarily as a means of welcoming the word."

The Vatican message discouraged a "dualism" in considering the elements of silence and communication, instead highlighting their complementary nature -- "two elements which when they are held in balance serve to enrich the value of communication and which make it a key factor that can serve the new evangelization."

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