{"id":19560,"date":"2012-07-16T07:41:10","date_gmt":"2012-07-16T12:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.austincnm.com\/?p=19560"},"modified":"2012-07-16T07:41:10","modified_gmt":"2012-07-16T12:41:10","slug":"a-roaring-silence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/07\/a-roaring-silence\/","title":{"rendered":"A Roaring Silence"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It’s 10:42 p.m. Sunday night. I’m reporting to work at a summer camp at 8:30 a.m. Monday morning. I’m tired from staffing weekend long retreat and my deadline is another to-do on my list before I get some much needed rest.<\/p>\n

So here it goes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Go to the website.
\nLogin.
\nCreate new post.
\nFeel lost.
\nQueue up some inspirational Christian music.
\nForget that the jeans I need are dirty.
\nRun the washer.
\nReturn to computer.
\nCheck Facebook & Twitter.
\nStare at the ceiling.
\nType the opening sentence over and over.
\nRead it over.
\nDelete.
\nTry again.
\nMove clothes to the dryer.
\nSkip to the concluding sentence.
\nRevisit the topic sentence.
\nClose eyes and breathe in and out.<\/p>\n

It’s now 10:57 p.m. and I’m stuck with seemingly the same thing – nothing.<\/p>\n

I open my journal trying to search for something, some tidbit of knowledge from the weekend at a retreat when the pages seem to fall open a few pages earlier. It’s page from a book of daily Catholic devotions dated Monday, July 9. The paper carefully taped into the lined pages, the edges neatly cut with scissors. It mattered, I saved it for a reason.<\/p>\n

Then, my eyes fall to the title: Leaving Room For God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yep, it was one of those moments. That moment when you realize the homily is personally directed towards you, the readings offer you a piece of advice to fix that nagging problem and the minute the second verse of the preparation hymn is just to unexplainable beautiful. (I have personally taken the time to call this the “lightning bolt of clarity” but in reality, it’s the work of the Holy Spirit – just so we’re on the same page).<\/p>\n

“In our busy cities, in the midst of our jobs, God is there. His love comes to any one of us, quietly but deeply, in the silence we make for him. It is as simple as opening one’s heart to the warm mysteries of life. We need to slow down and leave room for God to speak, and for us to listen.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

-Father James Stephen Behrens, O.C.S.O.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Silence can find us in the most diverse places. I signed up to staff a retreat – Aggie Awakening 95 (Whoop!) – this weekend and found myself a part of a short Eucharistic procession with the priest, seminarians and others from another building back to the church where Perpetual Adoration would take place.<\/p>\n

It was dark. The footsteps on the gravel ground was the only sound besides the bells ringing announcing the presence of Jesus. The candle light illuminated the pathway back to the church and the incense rose through the air. It hit me – It was me and Jesus.<\/p>\n

Under a twinkling blanket of stars I found a sort of silence that only God can provide.<\/p>\n

So, my lightning bolt moment of clarity? – Don’t procrastinate, no, but seriously – in the most unexpected ways can silence reveal to you the presence of God. He never stops speaking to us, caring for us or enfolding us in his loving arms. We only need to look past the noise, the clutter and the busy nature of our lives to find him.<\/p>\n

And in the silence you’ll never know what you’ll receive. It may just be the inspiration for your deadline.<\/p>\n

Hit publish.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  It’s 10:42 p.m. Sunday night. I’m reporting to work at a summer camp at 8:30 a.m. Monday morning. I’m tired from staffing weekend long retreat and my deadline is another to-do on my list before I get some much needed rest. So here it goes: Go to the website. Login. Create new post. Feel… [Read More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-19560","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-blog","7":"entry","8":"has-post-thumbnail"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8466,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2011\/12\/all-sins-must-go\/","url_meta":{"origin":19560,"position":0},"title":"All Sins Must Go!","author":"Brandon Kraft","date":"December 21, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I hope these final days of Advent are giving you a chance to slow down and make your final preparation\u2014physically and spiritually\u2014for Christmas. While receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not technically required during Advent (ref. Canon 988), it is a very laudable practice and a tangible way to prepare\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":43670,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2014\/02\/pastoral-plan-listening-sessions\/","url_meta":{"origin":19560,"position":1},"title":"Pastoral Plan Listening Sessions","author":"Crist\u00f3bal Almanza Herrera","date":"February 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Bishop Joe V\u00e1squez is leading the way for a new Pastoral Plan for the diocese. Our diocese is in planning stages of forming a new pastoral plan, and they want to hear from all of us. This is a good opportunity to share some ideas and bring light to some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "World and News"","block_context":{"text":"World and News","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"DiocseAustin","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/DiocseAustin.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5614,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2011\/10\/two-guys-a-girl-and-a-catholic-podcast-special-vitae-clinic-interview\/","url_meta":{"origin":19560,"position":2},"title":"Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast: Special Vitae Clinic Interview","author":"2GGCP","date":"October 7, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"[powerpress] Vitae Clinic Open House: WHEN: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. WHERE:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Vitae Clinic, Jefferson Building, 1600 W. 38th Street, Suite 115 WHAT: Vitae Clinic's Open House. Meet Jeremy Kalamarides, D.O., and his staff. Tours given every 30 minutes WHY:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Celebrate the Vitae Clinic one-year anniversary\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast"","block_context":{"text":"Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/podcast\/2guysagirl\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":119864,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/06\/review-change-of-heart\/","url_meta":{"origin":19560,"position":3},"title":"Love Seeking Justice and Mercy (Review: “Change of Heart”)","author":"Lindsay Wilcox","date":"June 9, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I do not support the death penalty. I don't think any Catholic ought to, although I respect the option Catholics have within our tradition to do so. The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that, in the modern world, sufficient means exist to contain dangerous criminals indefinitely without ending their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"acnmchangeofheart","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/acnmchangeofheart-550x367.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/acnmchangeofheart-550x367.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/acnmchangeofheart-550x367.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1486,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2011\/05\/microevangelization\/","url_meta":{"origin":19560,"position":4},"title":"Microevangelization","author":"Laura Gonzalez","date":"May 4, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I was ordering checkbooks last night when a little blank text box got me thinking. When I first thought about it, I thought I had a \"chicken or the egg\" paradox on my hands. I was thinking, what came first? My love for Christ, or my thirst for a relationship\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10745,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/02\/two-guys-a-girl-and-a-catholic-podcast-episode-42-toilet-texting-and-pink-slime-hamburgers\/","url_meta":{"origin":19560,"position":5},"title":"Two Guys a Girl and a Catholic Podcast Episode 42 – Toilet Texting and Pink Slime Hamburgers","author":"2GGCP","date":"February 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Episode 42 [powerpress] Feedback: Feedback from Phil Current Events: Texas Rally for Life coverage and reports from Catholic Bishops and the HHS Mandate http:\/\/www.kvue.com\/news\/Obama-administration-draws-Catholic-ire-over-health-care-rule-change-138364554.html Letter from Bishop Vasquez: http:\/\/www.austindiocese.org\/resources\/general\/4793.pdf For more information and to contact your U.S. Reps: www.usccb.org\/conscience Here\u2019s a link to a white house petition page to rescind\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast"","block_context":{"text":"Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/podcast\/2guysagirl\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/2GGCP-LOGO2-300x231.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19560"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19560\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}