THE SOUND OF SILENCE
‘ The Sound of Silence’ might be beneficial, from a positive side it could serve as a therapy; stillness, peace, awareness of sounds you don’t usually notice, even coming to terms with oneself.
But, it could have a negative effect, sort of ‘when the cat is away the mice come out to play’. When the guiding light stops showing us the way, we end up groping in the dark.
And just that happened when the last prophet, Malachy, died, till the arrival of John the Baptist, there was the ‘complete silence‘ of four hundred years. People got used the sound of silence, with no Prophet to show them the way. Until the time came for the arrival of John the Baptist.
The Gospel speaks about the success of John, by mentioning that the whole of Judea went up to him to repent and be baptized. Yet in next Sunday (Third in Advent) Gospel we meet another difficulty. How is it that the Evangelist seems to underline every time he mentions the Baptist as if he is playing second fiddle.
Recall: “He is NOT the Light, he came to give witness to the Light.” (1:8) The Evangelist puts on the Baptist’s lips the declaration: ‘One mightier than I will come.” Again : “I am not the Messiah, not even the Prophet promised by Moses.”(1:20)
Yes, John the Evangelist knew what he was doing and for historical reasons. The Baptist, notwithstanding his being a Jew, caused a tsunami amongst his fellowmen, Jews like him. Let’s not forget that every Jew believed that he was promised Heaven by right, being a son of Abraham. And now comes along this other Jew like them and asks them to repent and be baptised to be saved.
There was a strong ‘movement’ to declare the Baptist as their Messiah, because that is what they believed. But he certainly knew what his position and duty was. And so did the Evangelist. That is why John insisted so much in his Gospel version in such declarations made by the Baptist, and for no other reason.
We have to recall that the Baptist came after that long fast of four hundred years, years of spiritual decadence. We all remember the death of Socrates in those days, he drank poison to end his life, and Socrates knew what he was doing. And Socrates represented the majority of the people. To that extents was the effect of the ‘silence’.
But the Baptist, though he was murdered, succeeded in influencing and convincing the people that he was only a messenger. There was mightier than he who had to take over. The people themselves declared and admitted that the Baptist could never do what the Christ was doing. That’s a clean and clear certificate to the Baptist’s success.
‘ The Sound of Silence’ might be beneficial, from a positive side it could serve as a therapy; stillness, peace, awareness of sounds you don’t usually notice, even coming to terms with oneself.
But, it could have a negative effect, sort of ‘when the cat is away the mice come out to play’. When the guiding light stops showing us the way, we end up groping in the dark.
And just that happened when the last prophet, Malachy, died, till the arrival of John the Baptist, there was the ‘complete silence‘ of four hundred years. People got used the sound of silence, with no Prophet to show them the way. Until the time came for the arrival of John the Baptist.
The Gospel speaks about the success of John, by mentioning that the whole of Judea went up to him to repent and be baptized. Yet in next Sunday (Third in Advent) Gospel we meet another difficulty. How is it that the Evangelist seems to underline every time he mentions the Baptist as if he is playing second fiddle.
Recall: “He is NOT the Light, he came to give witness to the Light.” (1:8) The Evangelist puts on the Baptist’s lips the declaration: ‘One mightier than I will come.” Again : “I am not the Messiah, not even the Prophet promised by Moses.”(1:20)
Yes, John the Evangelist knew what he was doing and for historical reasons. The Baptist, notwithstanding his being a Jew, caused a tsunami amongst his fellowmen, Jews like him. Let’s not forget that every Jew believed that he was promised Heaven by right, being a son of Abraham. And now comes along this other Jew like them and asks them to repent and be baptised to be saved.
There was a strong ‘movement’ to declare the Baptist as their Messiah, because that is what they believed. But he certainly knew what his position and duty was. And so did the Evangelist. That is why John insisted so much in his Gospel version in such declarations made by the Baptist, and for no other reason.
We have to recall that the Baptist came after that long fast of four hundred years, years of spiritual decadence. We all remember the death of Socrates in those days, he drank poison to end his life, and Socrates knew what he was doing. And Socrates represented the majority of the people. To that extents was the effect of the ‘silence’.
But the Baptist, though he was murdered, succeeded in influencing and convincing the people that he was only a messenger. There was mightier than he who had to take over. The people themselves declared and admitted that the Baptist could never do what the Christ was doing. That’s a clean and clear certificate to the Baptist’s success.
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