The Two Great Commandments Require Silence in Church

David Martin | The Daily Knight

In the Apocalypse of St. John, Christ tells the Church of Laodicea: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.” (Apoc. 3:15,16)

The “lukewarm” would certainly include those Catholics today who socialize in the Church before and after Mass. Like drunkards, they break out into applause and laughter immediately after the final hymn, and they stand there is the pews yapping about their new pool or their upcoming trip to Vegas, or their daughter’s new hairdo or boyfriend. This dishonors the Church and its Founder. Both God and neighbor are ignored and insulted, the worst of it being that this irreverence is carried on in the name of God.

First Greatest Commandment

The Two Great Commandments command that Catholics practice silence in the Church, both before and after Mass. The First and Greatest commandment is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.” (Matt. 22:37) This requires silence in the Church because the Majesty of Christ is physically and supernaturally present on the altar. Talking in Church violates this Sacred Presence.

Could we imagine Moses chit-chatting in a jestful manner before the burning bush? God forbid! We do worse today in the Church, thanks to the priests, bishops, and cardinals who no longer counsel the faithful on how to behave in Church. The burning bush was only a manifestation of God’s presence, not an actual Physical Presence, whereas the sanctuary of the Catholic Church is the dwelling place of the Creator himself, Jesus Christ, who dwells there around the clock in full Body and Spirit. Where do people find the room to talk in Church? St. Teresa said that talking in Church is a “sacrilege,” and for good reason.

The Miracle of the Eucharist

During the Consecration of the Mass when the priest pronounces the words of consecration over the bread and wine, a change takes place that surpasses all the laws of nature. The entire substance of bread is changed into the entire substance of Christ’s Body and the entire substance of wine is changed into the entire substance of Christ’s Blood. And whereas the species or physical properties of bread and wine remain, i.e. touch, taste, smell, it is no longer the substance of bread and wine but the substance of Christ only without being mingled with any other substance. Hence there exists on the altar the full Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ––the very substance of God Himself.

How then should we disport ourselves when we enter the Church? At the very least there should be complete silence, neither should we look around to see who is present, nor should we allow our minds to wander, but our entire focus should be on Christ who is right there before us. Talking or fidgeting violates the Majesty of God in the tabernacle.

Second Greatest Commandment

But there is also the violation of the Second Greatest Commandment given to us by Christ: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Mt. 19:19) There are still Catholics today who believe in the Real Presence of Christ and who quietly offer prayers of thanksgiving after Mass, but who are violated by infidels standing in the aisle right next to them as they rudely carry on with their conversation and giggles. If Christ walked among them today he would fling them from his temple! Not that he isn’t physically present in the Church but through his own arrangement he has chosen to encapsulate himself as a helpless victim in a tiny Host trusting that clergy and laity will honor him and not take advantage of him.

Instead, he is handed over to the dogs as Eucharistic ministers steal off with the Host and share it with their friends, some of whom are satanists. Perhaps these ministers don’t always realize this because they operate out of grace and do not recognize things eternal. It’s all about “me, me, me and my position in the Church,” not about God. They’re forgetting their Christian calling to keep themselves out of the picture. As Christ told St. Teresa, “I am and you are not.”

So much good could be accomplished with so few words, but we don’t hear these words of truth coming forth from the pulpit anymore. If a new bishop was appointed to oversee a diocese and he was a true bishop, he would address clergy and laity with words similar to the following.

“As we proceed to undertake a wholesome reform of the diocese, we now require, among other things, that all talking and socializing be eliminated from the Church, both before, during, and after Holy Mass. The reason being the Church is the House of God, not a meeting hall.  As bishop, I am exhorting all clergy and laity to refrain from talking in Church to help the Church live up to that title.

“If 70% of today’s Catholics no longer believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist it is because of all the talking and sociability in the churches that has destroyed the awareness of that Sacred Presence.

“We ask that all clergy and laity heed the new ruling.”

Some might see this as extreme, but we need to ask ourselves: is gabbing in Church that important to Catholics? If so, it shows just how smug and complacent they are! Simple and wholesome reforms like the above would mightily serve to place the flock back into union with Christ, and with little effort at that. The people would listen if the priests would simply open their mouth and speak the truth.

Unfortunately, the clergy today are too fear-ridden to utter a good word to help their flock in pastoral care. Instead, they talk all day about synodality and they use their time, money, and energy to destroy the flock with modernism, all done under the pretense of pastoral care. There are other clergy who would welcome a return to tradition but who won’t voice their support for it because they are too concerned about being defrocked or excommunicated when their only concern should be the work of God to save souls. Let them consider the words of Christ.

“Everyone therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32,33)