Wednesday of Lent 1
Silence
As an Act of Repentance
In the Ash Wednesday Gospel (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21), Jesus told us that we
should do certain good works—certain acts of repentance—secretly. There is
hardly anything more secret—hardly anything more unknowable for your
neighbor—than the words you choose NOT to say. Control of your tongue is a
secret good work you can do while standing in the middle of a crowd.
In tonight’s reading, St. James wants you to know: “If anyone thinks he is
religious and does not bridle his tongue… this person’s religion is worthless.”
This comes after James said, “Let every person be quick to hear and slow to
speak.” Later, James will go on say that your talking easily becomes an act of
judgment against your neighbor (4:11-13), for whom Christ died, and James will
also say that your tongue is more dangerous than a burning match in a dry
forest (3:5-6). Silence is an act of repentance.
There are, of course, plenty of times when you must speak. Like silence,
speaking is also a good work produced by Jesus’ gift of faith. If you know that
harm will soon come to your neighbor, and you do not speak, you are guilty of
the fifth commandment. Jesus also says, “If your brother sins against you, go
and tell him his fault, between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15). Your office
and vocation likewise require you to speak. For example, it is especially given
to the prophets that they must speak. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Woe to
me if I do not speak!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)
But you know the old proverb—and if you are a parent you might already love the
old proverb—that says, “Silence is golden.” Experience has already taught you
that some things are better left unsaid. Tonight, James wants you to know that
silence—bridling your tongue—is an act of repentance.
There are plenty of ways you benefit your neighbor by not speaking. When you
refrain from gossip, you preserve your neighbor’s reputation. When you decide
to keep your mouth shut about what you saw him do, you cover and hide his sin
in the same way Jesus has covered and hidden your sin. When you do not rise to
your neighbor’s challenge; when you make no response to his rudeness; when you
choose not to add irrelevant comments to your arguments with him: these are the
sorts of things that preserve your neighbor’s peace and make his life a little
more bearable.
But Jesus repeatedly said in the Ash Wednesday Gospel that, when you perform
your secret good works—your silent acts of repentance—“your Father who sees in
secret will reward YOU” (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18). We already know that God does not
reward your good works with forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
• Forgiveness of sins is already yours. The forgiveness of your sins was
fully present in the blood that Jesus shed upon the cross.
• Eternal life is likewise yours on account of Christ. Eternal life in
bodily form was guaranteed to you when Jesus rose from the dead.
So how is it possible that your silence—your unspoken act of repentance—will
bring you a reward? The Father’s reward for your good works consists of the
benefits you gain to your faith. Here are some examples:
• Sometimes, when you run your mouth, it is because you feel as though
you are about to suffer some shortfall, some inequity, or some injustice. In
the same way that fasting (Matthew 6:16-18) helps you to remember your hunger
and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6), repentant silence will likewise
help you to remember that absolutely everything about you is fully known to
your Father who is in heaven. Your God even knows the stuff you do not talk
about. God promises you that every injustice you suffer shall at last be ironed
out. After all, every injustice has already been dumped upon Jesus. When you
refuse to protest, you end up with no other choice than to trust your Lord’s
mercy and grace over the long haul, even as far as the Last Day.
• Repentant silence will also help me to realize that my neighbor and I
are in exactly the same boat. Both of us need Jesus more than we each can
possibly comprehend. When I do not make an issue of my neighbor’s sins, I can
get a clearer picture of my own. Didn’t Jesus say something the speck in the
other guy’s eye and the log in mine? (Matthew 7:3) When I choose silence; when
I stop talking about my neighbor’s sin and focus more acutely upon my own, the
good news of forgiveness promises to ring more clearly in my ears. Hearing the
good news of Jesus’ forgiveness of sins might have been on James’ mind when he
said in tonight’s reading, “Let every person be quick to hear and slow to
speak.”
• James also says tonight, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not
bridle his tongue… this person’s religion is worthless.” With these Words,
James wants us to know that our silence might even demonstrate the worth of our
religion. Neither your neighbor nor mine will not get to see the demonstration
and the worth of our religion, since we are not talking about it, but we will
see it. Repentant silence will help each of us to learn that our religion does
not consist of focusing everyone’s attention upon us. Our religion consists
ONLY of Jesus—and Jesus entered the silence before you and before me. Jesus
entered the silence for you and for me. This is what God has written concerning
Jesus:
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth (Isaiah 53:7-9).
_______________________________________________
Sermons mailing list
[email protected]
http://cat41.org/mailman/listinfo/sermons
