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But let us look at the other side of this "silence before God" in order to arrive at a third definition, intimately tied to the traditional one. "Remaining in silence before God" does not mean that there are no thoughts, reflections, or words. But rather than speaking to God and telling God our needs, this third way of prayer puts more emphasis on "listening to God." "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening," says Samuel (1 Sam 3:9). In order to "converse with God," as in the traditional definition, it is necessary to avoid one-sided chatter. Without knowing how to "listen" we will not be able to conduct a dialogue.
The verb "to listen" is one of the most important words in Scripture. It appears a thousand or more times in the Old Testament and 425 times in the New Testament, which is relatively infrequent when compared with the Old Testament. These are only statistics, one might say. Yet in the revealed religion of Christianity that is, the religion of Christ founded on God's call to us the word "listen" is a key word.
"Hear, O Israel" (Shema, Israel) is the constantly repeated preamble to the divine call in the Old Testament. "Let anyone with ears listen" was Christ's constant message (Mt 11:15). In this context "to hear" means "to listen with attention," not distractedly. Actually, the word "listen" is also sometimes used in Scripture in the latter sense: "And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand" (Mt 7:26). Or again: "But the message they heard did not benefit them" (Heb 4:2). "For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like" (Jas 1:23 24). In this latter sense it is to listen so distractedly that whatever comes in one ear immediately goes out the other. To "listen to God," then, is not merely to hear God. It also requires that we pay attention to God's words and "treasure all these things and ponder them in our heart" (cf. Lk 2:19, 51). Moreover, God's call does not always come to us in words; indeed, this would be the exception, rather than the rule. God speaks to us especially through events. Luke describes Mary "pondering all these things in her heart" in connection with the visit of the shepherds to the infant in the crib, and then finding Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem at the age of twelve. We thus discover in Mary's attitude a model of silent prayer.
"To listen" also means "to discern." "My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me" (Jn 10:27). The Japanese verb "to understand," wakaru, is derived from the same Chinese character as wakeru (to divide). Kiki-wakeru (to understand) means to discern whose voice one hears, to recognize someone's voice, to know who is speaking to me. "The sheep follow him because they know his voice" (Jn 10:4). "I am the good shepherd, I know my own and my own know me'and I lay down my life for the sheep" (Jn 10:14, 17). John shows us here that "to listen" also means "to know deeply." Too many voices resound within us; because of our passions, pride, critical attitudes, and prejudices we are unable to ponder and assimilate God's words contained within the daily events of our lives. Instead, we tend to smear them with mud, poisoning them, and rendering them completely unpalatable. In the bargain, the sounds of our own "good" excuses intercept God's words like a strong shield, unknowingly making us deaf to God's message.
We must learn to let ourselves be "pruned" by the word of Christ, and this at times means becoming the victim of others' criticisms and misunderstandings; of jealousies, ambitions, or misfortunes in which God's love is difficult to recognize. All this is the sword of suffering: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid" (Jn 14:27). This promised peace will be given to us at the cost of suffering. Without the cross there is no resurrection. This joy that no one can take from us (Jn 16:22) is a treasure bought by the blood of our God who died on the cross.
This peace of my heart
is a treasure bought at the price of blood,
bought though you do not understand
at the price of my own blood.
This peace is my life.
This peace is my God.
Kotaro Takamura(18)
The most perfect prayer breathes in a heart that remains silent before God and knows how to listen to God.