Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church:God’s First Language Is Silence

In the still moments of life, we experience the voice of love that calls each of us to be quiet, to breath, to let go, and to listen. This voice of love is God’s voice inviting each of us into silence and embracing us in the most intimate relationship we will ever have.

I often hear people say that they cannot hear the voice of God. I think that’s because we spend so much time listening to all the other voices inside us that there is no chance for the voice of God to enter into our personal sanctuary. We spend way too much time listening to voices that hurt us rather than God’s voice that loves us with no condition.

Recently, I stood on a mountaintop that overlooked the 405 San Diego Freeway and I witnessed traffic at a standstill for miles in both directions. I reflected in that moment how so much of our life is like that traffic and that a freeway in many ways is not “free” at all.

God’s first language is silence. If we want to meet the voice of God, we must embrace this silence in the sacrament of the present moment. With God there is no past or future. God is only with us now in this moment. It is amazing that everyone on the planet has the potential to speak the language of “silence” but how often do we exercise silence to help bring more peace into our lives and peace into the world. In the silence God is new each moment.

At Our Lady of Peace in North Hills, we have begun a “Center for Contemplative Living.” However, this center is not a place nor is it an organization. Rather, it is a movement of the Holy Spirit calling us into silence, and hence, into union with God who is perfect love.

The Young Adult Ministry of Our Lady of Peace invites young adults and anyone who wishes to join us for adoration, meditation and fellowship the second Tuesday of each month.

Adoration with the Blessed Sacrament begins in silence at 7 p.m. for one hour, followed by light refreshments in the hospitality area. Instrumental music, candlelight and incense accompany us in this experience of God’s love.

Our Lady of Peace Parish is at 15444 Nordhoff St. in North Hills.

Anyone wishing a personal contact for more information is welcome to call Jesus Rosas (Spanish/English) at 926-0378; Alpha Nguyen (Vietnamese/English) 571-2443; and Ramon Tuazon (Tagalog/English) 428-7826.

The Rev. Alexander Lewis is associate pastor of Saint Finbar Catholic Church in Burbank.