"Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).
On Christmas Eve we love to sing "Silent Night." What many don't realize is that Holy Week gives us a Silent Day. And that day is Wednesday.
The Gospel has plenty to say about the first Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. It even mentions Holy Saturday, the Sabbath, on which our Lord rested in the tomb. But about Wednesday the Gospel says nothing - not a word. This is surely intentional on the part of the Holy Spirit, and full of meaning.
The fourth day, the middle day, of Holy Week is a day of silence. The lesson? The words and works of Jesus are essential, and so is a period of silence in which to reflect upon them deeply. But often this silence and stillness is missing from our lives.
Richard Wurmbrand wrote: "We are victims of a plot against silence, without which no spiritual life is possible. We are subjected daily to the noise of cars, trains, planes, radio, TV, vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, fans, etc. I have known Christians who have spent years in solitary confinement in complete silence. When they once again heard humans speak, they wondered that so much of their speech lacked content. If you wish to reach God, create some silence around you. Switch off the many intruders on silence. Enter your closet, or teach your loved ones to be quiet at certain hours."
Turns out that Holy Week comes complete with a day for being quiet - for being still, and knowing that Jesus is God in the flesh, and blood, for our salvation.
Wednesday, Holy Week's silent day. Amen.
