Music, supposed to soothe the soul , unfortunately, is often distorted into a noisy and manipulative marketing tool. Without deprecating music's aesthetic and spiritual values, we must concede that people sometimes use music to avoid hearing and heeding the Lord. Deep soul cries can be drowned out by wretched music, and by good music. Even chorus singing can be seductive. Aesthetically pleased but spiritually bereft, we can feel religious while our ears remain closed to what God wants us to be and to do.
Persons inexperienced at solitude are vulnerable to such seduction, especially youth.
Sometimes only silence can bring us to our mount of transfiguration, there to be alone with Jesus, there to discern the true meaning of things and events. Silence clears the mind of confusion. Silence lets us face God without pretense. In silence our bumbling is exposed and corrected. In silence we prepare to meet life's hard demands, to bear the cross of Christ, if necessary, to the death.