Again Pilate questioned Him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of.” Jesus gave no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. (Mark 15:4-5)
A large part of wisdom consists of knowing when to do something, and when not to do something. When our children are small, they don’t know the difference. It’s normal for small children to believe that the world revolves around them and their timeframe. In fulfilling our duty to “train the young in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6), we teach them that this is not the case, and thus is the beginning of wisdom.
The Emptiness of the Noise
Today there is a great deal of noise—very “untrained” noise. There is screaming, shooting, breaking, burning, tearing down, and ripping up. But mostly there is shouting, in person and virtually. Yet, for all of the effort and energy put into this shouting, nothing good or useful is coming from it. Unlike shouting to call someone away from danger, or shouting to call someone home, or even shouting to cheer on a team member in a game, this shouting is not intended to benefit anyone. The shouting itself is rather amorphous and often intelligible. Rather, the current shouting is only meant to say (in a very loud voice): I am a shouter! Look at me!
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus, but they continued their shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (Luke 23:20-21)
These shouters do not want our responses. Nor do they want us to listen, because that would require them to listen to our responses in return. They just want to be known as shouters. They want to signal to those who will watch, videotape, or react, that they are amazing shouters. Their identity as shouters somehow makes them feel powerful, righteous, and full of virtue.
Who Were the Shouters?
Pilate addressed them a third time, “What evil has this man done? I found him guilty of no capital crime. Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.” With loud shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his crucifixion, and their voices prevailed. (Luke 23:22-23)
We do not know who was in the crowd that shouted for Christ’s crucifixion. Were they groups of people who were paid by the Jewish authorities? Were they the authorities themselves? What is clear is that they certainly wanted to be seen as shouters, doing so in public in front of the Roman and Jewish authorities, and were in no mood to have a reasonable discussion.
How many in the crowd had seen Jesus perform miracles? How many had perhaps been the beneficiary of one? How many had listened to Him preach or even perhaps had Him into their homes? How many knew that Jesus was not guilty of any crime? None of this mattered at that point. What mattered was to be seen as a shouter.
And yet Jesus remained silent. Did He look out and recognize people He had spoken to or dined with just weeks ago? Did He spot someone whom He had healed? It didn’t matter. They did not want to be reminded of His goodness. They did not want to talk with Him or defend Him. He remained silent because He knew that ultimately neither Pilate, nor the Jewish leaders, nor the shouters themselves had any power over Him.
Follow His Example
So Pilate said to him, “Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have not power over me if it had not been given to you from above.” (John 19:10-11)
Jesus won, as we know. He defeated death and is alive long after the Roman Empire, the Jewish Sanhedrin, and the shouters in the crowd have long turned to dust. He did not have angels strike them down, nor did He even try to outshout them. He did not need to give signs of his virtue.
The silence of Jesus was more powerful than any noisy threats or angry shouts or sneering insults. His strength rested in His power to continue on His Way, quietly, resolutely, kindly, and without fear.
We would do well to follow His example today.
Ignore the noise.
Walk away from the shouts.
Don’t react to the insults.
Know that no one has power over you unless you allow it.
And walk in the Way of our Lord, where you shall never be defeated.
All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, “I am the Way.” (St. Catherine of Siena)
5 thoughts on “The Power of Silence Against the Shouters”
Cindy,
Do you think Mark and Patricia McCloskey should have come out with rosaries (if they are Catholic) instead of guns 6/28/20 when they and their home in St. Louis was attacked?
Please know, I am not out to attack you, I am just trying to understand your Catholic point of view.
If someone is threatening the life of a family member, I will protect that family member with my life. I will also call the police. We have the advantage here of planning our reactions ahead of time.
My hope is that with each encounter I may have with others, I seek first to communicate with them as a fellow child of God. Often one on one conversation will calm down a situation.
But there are times when we need to call police (God bless them!) and my fellow citizens have the right to bear arms.
Cindy, if the shouters come to your house, spray paint your front door like they have done to so many churches, then what are you gonna do? Say spray my back door too?
Look forward to your response,
tired of being a silent Catholic,
Theresa
1. If I weren’t home and found my door spray painted, etc, I would clean it up and repaint it and pray for them.
2. If I were home, I would walk outside and stand In front of them and pray the rosary. If they want to throw paint at me, the. It’s on them. I wouldn’t say a word.
I have been involved with sidewalk prayer—on public property, of course— at abortion clinics. Many of the clinic escorts are quite rude and vile and will get right In your face and shout and gesture the most heinous things. They have their phones out and they want a reaction. I have found that if i keep quietly praying my rosary and stand my ground, they look like the fools and they stop.
Mother Teresa had a good story. She took a hungry baby into a baker’s shop and asked for some bread for the children. The baker spit at her. She calmly replied thank you, but what will you give the child. She got her bread. Her actions pricked the man’s conscience.
We are not being weak when we quietly stand our ground and pray. Rather we are calling upon the strength of God to sustain us.
Amen! Amen! Amen!