Nouwen On: Silence and Entertainment

Being silent seems like doing nothing, but it is precisely in silence that we confront our true selves. The sorrows of our lives often overwhelm us to such a degree that we will do everything not to face them. Radio, television, newspapers, books, films, but also hard work and a busy social life all can be ways to run away from ourselves and turn life into a long entertainment.

The word entertainment is important here. It means literally “to keep (tain from the Latin tenere) someone in between (enter).” Entertainment is everything that gets and keeps our mind away from things that are hard to face. Entertainment keeps us distracted, excited, or in suspense. Entertainment is often good for us. It gives us an evening or a day off from our worries and fears. But when we start living life as entertainment, we lose touch with our souls and become little more than spectators in a lifelong show. Even very useful and relevant work can become a way of forgetting who we really are. It is no surprise that for many people retirement is a fearful prospect. Who are we when there is nothing to keep us busy?

- Henri Nouwen, Can You Drink the Cup?, p. 94

News You May Have Missed: Retired Priests and Nuns Try a New Type of Spiritual Warfare

An Australian retirement home for retired Catholic clergy has started offering fencing lessons to its residents. Apparently, it's turning out to be a big hit, though some have expressed reservations:

"It's very unusual at our age," said 93-year-old Sister Delores Kirby, a retired nun of the Faithful Companions of Jesus order. "It's a challenge. I'm always a bit afraid I might fall over."

Read the article and see more pictures here.