Midweek Lenten Devotion
Week 5 - Forgive 

Then Jesus said,

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” 

And they cast lots to divide his clothing.

Luke 23:34

Sounds of Silence – Paul Simon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fWyzwo1xg0

Hello darkness, my old friend

I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence 

And in the naked light, I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence 

"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets

are written on the subway walls

And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sound of silence

Source: Musixmatch

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ. Amen

This Lenten series we are exploring the human condition through the lyrics of Paul Simon and addressing the malady suggested by the song with the Gospel.

Released in 1964 “Sounds of Silence” is still relevant today.  It describes the human malady, our malady: the inability to communicate with each other.  More so than ever before we do not listen or hear one another, much less discuss the problems of today.

We remain in our sound silos seeking only that which confirms our positions.  While other voices confuse and lie and we no longer share common facts or realities.  Thus the cancer of division multiplies like a global pandemic.  We cannot even agree on what is the common good:

 Universal healthcare or market based healthcare?

 Greater access to voting or legislation that inhibits the right to vote?

 Conspiracy theories are taking the place of facts.

Yet, the unheeded “words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls.” 

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

The cancer of silence comes to a halt on a dark afternoon at the hill of Golgotha.  Our silence is broken by a clear message:  Divine Love, Sacrifical Love – love that continues to break the oppressive silence of the injustices of empires.  Love that challenges each of us today to heed the words of the prophets and break out of our silos and speak out and act out of God’s love and forgiveness in Christ.

“Love divine, all loves excelling

Joy of Heaven to Earth come down
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling
All Thy faithful mercies crown
Jesus, Thou art all compassion
Pure, unbounded love Thou art
Visit us with Thy salvation
Enter every trembling heart.”                  

                        Charles Wesley

                        Hymn #631 - Evangelical Lutheran Worship

Amen