Contemplative Haven

Oct 23 2007

Understanding His Words

Published by gabrielle at 8:00 am under Contemplation, Merton

I’ve been reflecting on language recently, since posting last week about the language of Divine Love. We strive to imitate Christ, Who was the Word, the Word made flesh. We strive to live the gospel, the Word of God, and we know the Scriptures are alive. If we are expressions of God’s love, are we not then His language? As we try to discern His Will in our lives, are we not trying to understand His language? The more we understand His language and act upon it, perhaps the more we become not only His hands and feet, but his living language.
“What am I?
I am myself a word spoken by God.
Can God speak a word that does not have any meaning?”

[The quote is from: Contemplative Prayer (Thomas Merton)
Originally published as The Climate of Monastic Prayer]

11 responses so far

11 Responses to “Understanding His Words”

# Wordystormson 23 Oct 2007 at 1:04 pm

We are a word, but like being a unique, individual cell of His Body–in which if we don’t work together, then at best we lose collagen or pigment (salt), and at worst, we fail to thrive and slough off to make landscape for the strong-new–it’s only note by ascending note (dialogue of love in word/action) that He is fleshed out, firmed up, from East to West, unto crescendo of living language.. “Together” is the only Aramaic word I can understand/speak.

(I suppose one could’ve just said, “Amen, Gabrielle,” but where’s the fun in that?? Besides, it seems it’s in comments that I best hear what I long to say into the world, too. I never even come close to it with just my own thoughts, but rather, only when others kindly run their blood through my soul’s veins do I see it fleshing out and firming up..)
# Annon 23 Oct 2007 at 5:11 pm

I’ve heard it said that we are God’s works of art. Now this, Gabrielle, this language that is God expressed in us and us in God is something slightly diferent but yet not that different. If we are the language of God then our actions should speak as clearly of Him as our words? Is silence sometimes an abuse of that language or a heightened extension of it? I’m just thinking out loud here, Gabrielle. I’ll come back later and see how the discussion is going…What about those who have never known God? Is He expressed in them, through their beauty, gifts etc;
And are they unknowingly speaking His language? Have I asked too many questions?
# Gabrielleon 23 Oct 2007 at 6:19 pm

Isn’t it funny; right after I posted this and was on the bus going to work, I remembered that Sr. Faustina had said that God’s language is silence, and I remembered feeling, when I first read that, how “right” that felt. Hmmm. I will be mulling over your thoughtful comments tonight. You really shouldn’t pay attention to any of my ponderings, you know.
# aeternuson 24 Oct 2007 at 10:22 am

Gabrielle,

Gosh, I am such a lurker and I think this is why…

I enjoy looking and listening but prefer the silence. Too many words can become noise and then we can not hear. I am with Faustina and try my best to filter out the noise to bathe myself in the silence. (wish I was better at this though!) But if each “word” (person) could be centered in this silence, well then I think something beautiful like world peace could take us over!
# ukokon 24 Oct 2007 at 10:45 am

I found this to be very insightful, Gabrielle. And in turn, I will reflect further on it myself. Thank you
# gabrielleon 24 Oct 2007 at 12:03 pm

I understand completely, Aeternus, and agree fully with your final thought.

Ukok, thank you, and I hope you are feeling better health-wise today.

I will be entering the silence for a little while on this blog re new posts, but not on all of yours and my other dear online friends re reading and commenting.
# Annon 24 Oct 2007 at 5:15 pm

I agree with Aeternus too. I like the idea of each of us as a ‘word’ , coming together, joining forces, then through prayer entering into a silence we we made for, a language lost in love perhaps or at least given over/ taken over by Someone greater than ourselves?
# Annon 27 Oct 2007 at 7:33 am

God is love, therefore He speaks the language of love. We are made in His image and likeness and so we present ourselves as facets of His love. When we act in love and through love and with love we then become fluent speakers, always unworthy, but ever hopeful of God’s mercy and grace, pouring into our hearts, and the more we engage in language/ prayer the more others will be attracted to our language. Is this more or less what you’re thinking, Gabrielle? I’m just biding time here until you return from your retreat….I’m guessing you’ll have something special for us, some fruits?
# Gabrielleon 30 Oct 2007 at 1:57 am

I love so many of the images and thoughts you all have expressed: Wordystorms’ image of cells working together or we will fail to thrive, and the dialogue of love in word/action; Aeternus’ thoughts on each of us being a word, centred in silence and prayer, bringing peace to ourselves and to the world; and Ann, I think you’ve caught the essence of what was going ’round in my mind – that we are his living language, that our actions must speak as loudly as our words, but I don’t think this has to cancel out the silence, does it. There is something about “being the silence” that is deep within us, isn’t there, but this silence includes language. Oh, I’m hopeless.
# JustMeon 30 Oct 2007 at 12:16 pm

Speaking of words.. see that little message in the top right about how some (Google) ads there may not be Catholic-friendly and to report them? I did that yesterday while visiting Abbey-Roads2, for the ad was for a site or a blog entitled, “Mychal Judge – Gay Priest.” Lee Anderson wrote back within the hour saying the ad would be gone within 4 hrs. Kudos to Lee, and I just want you folks to know you’re in good hands–you don’t have to put up with such foolishness.
# Gabrielleon 31 Oct 2007 at 1:16 am

Yes, Lee always responded quickly and graciously to anything I asked him when I first came to St. Blog’s and was trying to figure things out. Hopefully not too much of an inappropriate nature will get through; I don’t envy Lee in having to monitor all that, though.