I was at a concert not too long ago, and the organizers made several announcements about silencing cell phones. Notices were included in the program, and signs were also posted upon entry into the church. Thus it was particularly humorous that when the concert began, someone's cell phone rang with decibel raising volume. People gasped, and people frowned. Hands were clutching chests and hearts as people rolled their eyes in disgust. Didn't they see the signs and hear the notices? So many people acted shocked at the brazen disrespect of the rules! Meanwhile, a sweet elderly woman struggled to find her phone in her purse.
The whole thing amused me for another reason, because I imagined how many of the people who were upset could be the same people who chatter obliviously before worship on a Sunday during the prelude, or even worse, flap their gums during the distribution of communion. We often joke at St. Mark’s about choosing the silence of Jesus over the chatter of Satan. For the most part, Saint Markers refrain from unnecessary talk in the church, saving conversations for the aloha hours. If you are following our Shape of Lent booklet, we are fasting from careless talk and profanity this week.
It is a blessing that St. Mark’s is not afraid of silence during worship. Silence permeates our Low Masses, and during Lent at our High Masses, the organist improvises less. When the music at the offertory or communion finishes, and the ritual continues, we observe silence. This is different from other churches in which the musicians cover every single space, fearing that silence might happen. When I was a church musician decades ago, there was a guest harpist at a mass who decided to execute flourishes every time silence occurred. After this happened a few times, I descended from the organ bench and coached her. A parishioner later thanked me, while laughing, because the undulations were making her “seasick.” Yes, this column is failing this week’s Lenten fast miserably.
When Passion-tide and Holy Week arrive, we will have additional opportunities for intentional silence. Note that on Wednesday, April 9, after the 6:00 pm mass there will be a silent supper in the monastic tradition. Dinner will be served in silence while religious texts are read. When the Triduum begins on Maundy Thursday, silence will be observed in the church until the end of the Great Vigil of Easter. Musicians may be practicing, and the worship guilds may be working quietly, but it will happen without chatter or small talk.
Finally, there will be a few times in which we will experience the Anglo-Catholic tradition of a silent Eucharistic Canon. On such occasions the Eucharistic Prayer is prayed silently by the Celebrant as the Choir sings the Sanctus and Benedictus. Whether in the world or in our churches, we are frequently bombarded with too many words. Anglican liturgy can be especially “wordy” due to the Prayer Book tradition. I will refrain from explaining a silent Canon too extensively, for it is best that you experience it firsthand. It will not become our regular practice, but nevertheless it is valuable to experience, for it is another practice of silence that has a venerable tradition in the wider Church.
Father Paul Lillie +
