Be Silent

Food for the soul•besilentfoodforthesoul.blogspot.com

Meditations and talks to help you pray and deepen in your prayer life with Jesus Christ. Inspired by insights from St Josemaría Escrivá and the Opus Dei Prelature.

Last refreshed: July 2nd, 2025 at 11:17 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

19. Feast of Corpus Christi

A meditation by Fr James Hurley for the octave between the Feast of Corpus Christi and the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

Jun 23, 2025•31 min•Season 4Ep. 1

Today we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost, the feast of the Solemn Inauguration of the Church. That involved a very special out-pouring of the third person of the Blessed Trinity on the Church, an outpouring, which completely transformed the apostles and through them and with them the whole body of the Church. That work of transformation by the Holy Spirit continues over time. In fact, the Holy Spirit has been transforming, not only ourselves but many, many, people since the beginning of t...

Jun 07, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 18

17. The Ascension

The Ascension is Jesus’ last appearance to the Apostles and the day he sits at the right hand of the Father, bringing our frail human nature to the life of glory.. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

May 30, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 14

16. Blessed Alvaro del Portillo

This is a meditation by Fr Tom Dowd for the Feast day of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, the first successor of St Josemaria. He was a very bright engineer and later on theologian and canon lawyer, courageous, brave, and conscientious person and was a wonderful support to St Josemaría over many years. He had a marked devotion to our Lady and gave great example of unity with and love for the Pope.

May 11, 2025•31 min•Season 4Ep. 16

15. Resurrection of the Lord

With the Resurrection of Jesus we begin the 50 days of Eastertide. These days offer us a time to think about the joy of heaven that Christ has won for us with his Passion, Death and Resurrection. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

Apr 15, 2025•30 min

14. The 5th Sunday of Lent

Our Lord is tested by some Scribes and Pharisees who bring to him a women caught in compromising circumstances (ref John 8:1-11). In his response he acts with great mercy while not forgetting the needs of Justice. His way of acting reminds us how often charity consist more in understanding that in giving. A Meditation for the Fifth Sunday of Lent by Fr Tom Dowd.

Apr 04, 2025•29 min•Season 4Ep. 14

13. Laetare Sunday

Laetare Sunday allows us to glimpse the mystery of our new life at Easter and hasten towards it in hope. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan.

Mar 28, 2025•29 min•Season 4Ep. 13

12. Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord

In the Annunciation we see how the Blessed Virgin delights in the will of God. We can learn this lesson from her. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

Mar 24, 2025•27 min•Season 4Ep. 12

11. St Joseph and matter-of-fact service

The personality of St Joseph is very rich. We can pray here about the fact that he is a 'good and faithful' servant. In this, St Joseph is identified with Christ the Servant and comes to share in the joy of God. This identity and joy is also offered to all of us. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha

Mar 18, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 11

10. Feast of St Patrick

The 17th March is the Feast of St Patrick, Patron of Ireland. A meditation by Fr Andrew Black.

Mar 17, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 10

9. Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a favourable time to join the Lenten ‘campaign’ and to let God into our lives anew, so that in Christ we may become the goodness of God. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

Mar 04, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 9

8. Attending Mass well

When we attend Mass we should remember three things: that we should participate actively in the Mass, we must try to appreciate the mystery of the Mass, and ensure that we do not turn up empty handed . A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings

Feb 25, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 8

7. The Chair of St Peter

The Feast of the Chair of St Peter on Feb 22 celebrates a precious chair kept in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, and which tradition holds to have been used by St Peter himself. That chair is a precious relic of St Peter and as a symbol of Jesus entrusting supremacy in the Church to Peter and his successors. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings.

Feb 21, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 4

6. Rejoicing before God

On 14th February, anniversary of the founding of the women's branch of the Work and of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, we rediscover the beauty of living with Christ in and through the ordinary and we give joyful thanks to God. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

Feb 13, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 6

5. Presentation of our Lord

The feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple and the custom of contemplating the Joys and Sorrows of St Joseph over these seven Sundays leading up to the feast of St Joseph on 19 March. Deepening our knowledge of and love for St Joseph deepens our knowledge of and love for Jesus. A meditation by Fr Tom Dowd.

Feb 01, 2025•31 min•Season 4Ep. 5

4. Unity in the Church and in Opus Dei

The anniversary of the election of Fr Fernando Ocariz and his appointment as Prelate of Opus Dei in 2017 by Pope Francis occurs during the Octave of prayer for Christian Unity. This can lead us to pray about the unity of Opus Dei within the unity of the Church. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

Jan 21, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 4

3. St Josemaria Escriva's birthday anniversary

On the anniversary of the birth of St Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei, Fr Paul O'Callaghan shares some reflections on why we can be grateful for the faithfulness, dedication and love....for being such a good father to us in sharing the spirit of the Work with us. St Josemaria is affectionately known by faithful of Opus Dei as "our Father" , and with good reason. This year we will mark the 50th anniversary of his death in 1975; his message and life has so much to offer us today, as it did ...

Jan 08, 2025•31 min•Season 4Ep. 3

2. Feast of the Epiphany

The Epiphany brings the whole world to the stable and offers a way to bring the spirit of Christmas into our lives during the year to come. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan

Jan 03, 2025•29 min•Season 4Ep. 2

1. Our Lady, Mother of God

Greater than she, none but God. 'The Blessed Virgin from the fact that she is the Mother of God has a certain infinite dignity which comes from the infinite good, which is God.' There is no danger of exaggerating. We can never hope to fathom this inexpressible mystery; nor will we ever be able to give sufficient thanks to our Mother for bringing us into such intimacy with the Blessed Trinity. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings. •⁠ ⁠Text from point 276 of chapter Mother of God and Our Mother of Jo...

Dec 31, 2024•29 min•Season 4Ep. 1

39. Feast of the Holy Family

How wonderful it is that the Lord Christ chose to come among us as part of a family coming into this world in the same way that we all came. That is a clear sign of how much our Lord wishes to unite with us, truly becoming like us in all things but sin. That is a great honour for our human nature and for marriage and family and shows that the joys and sorrows of family life are an important part of the path to holiness. On this feast day the consecration of the families of all who form part of O...

Dec 28, 2024•32 min•Season 3Ep. 39

38. All powerful Humility

The infant Jesus shows us the almighty humility of God. He invites us to approach the mystery of his Nativity with humility so as to receive all the graces he wants to give us. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha for Christmas Day

Dec 23, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 7

37. Feast of the Immaculate Conception

The feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary helps us see God’s love at work in our Mother and open our hearts to his grace. A meditation by Fr Pat Gorevan.

Dec 08, 2024•29 min•Season 3Ep. 33

36. First Sunday of Advent

Advent is a time to stay awake and not allow passing things to hypnotise us. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings.

Dec 01, 2024•29 min•Season 3Ep. 36

35. Solemnity of Christ the King

Jesus Christ reigns by being the Suffering Servant. Let us savour his immense love for us, and let us deepen in our call to share in his kingly service to everyone. Moreover, we discover that we are the first beneficiaries of living a very apostolic life. A meditation by Fr Donncha O hAodha.

Nov 23, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 40

34. Dying is part of living

During the month of November the Church turns our attention towards the Last Things. In this month it is good to contemplate our own death, but not to look at dying as something that happens only at the very end of our life on earth; it is already present in the process of living. A meditation by Fr Gavan Jennings.

Nov 01, 2024•27 min•Season 3Ep. 34

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