The importance of silence

The next performer in the concert entered the hall, bowed, arranged his sheet music on the stand and prepared to play, getting physically situated and bringing his trombone to his lips. However, after just a couple seconds, he lowered the trombone into a resting position and simply stood, looking at his music. He moved a few more times during his performance, adjusting his trombone in his hands and shifting his weight; but he never played. He seemed relaxed and calm, and after a few minutes, he bowed; the audience applauded, and he left the stage.

Many are familiar with this piece, but if you are not, it is entitled 4’33”, written (or not written) in 1952 by John Cage. The performer is instructed to enter the stage with his or her instrument — but not play — for four minutes and thirty-three seconds, the duration and entirety of the work. 4’33” came up in our dinner conversation a few weeks ago (as happens when two musicians are married), and my husband said, “I bet most people are uncomfortable with that much silence. I wonder how many end up getting out their phones during the piece.”

I think it’s a legitimate question in today’s world. Although there are always exceptions, it seems that in general, our culture does not like silence. We don’t like stopping or slowing down. I could go into why Cage wrote this piece (he valued silence in music as much as sound, was appalled at the widespread use of Muzak and wanted to block off a piece of time in order to encourage people to simply listen), the myriad opinions, both positive and negative, of audience members and critics, and the many musical and philosophical inquiries throughout the years, but the simple premise of a set period of time for silence prompted me to ponder the need and lack of silence in the Christian life.

I think this relates to our prayer lives as well as the small pockets of time we find ourselves with during the day. Needless to say, a prayer dialogue and an ideal relationship with the Lord requires silence in order for us to listen. As a priest once told me, prayer is as important as eating. There are 1,440 minutes in a day. Surely we can find 4’33” – or better yet, seven minutes; or 10, 20 or 30 – to be silent and converse with God, the source of our entire lives. In addition, when I have a minute waiting in line at the grocery store, or a few extra minutes while dinner finishes cooking or any other situation in which I’m gifted with a few minutes, I have to evaluate myself: do I always reach for my phone, or look at my to-do list? Silence, at any time, can be a beautiful act of lifting heart and mind and becoming aware of the presence of God. He is always present, but it can take active awareness to recognize it.