"When peaceful silence lay over all, and night had run half of her swift course, your all-powerful word came down from heaven's royal throne". These words from Wisdom sum up the mystery of the Incarnation. The Romans had imposed on the Mediterranean world a political and military peace, so that there was silence over the earth. But there was a much more important silence, the silence of Mary's heart open to God's call to be the mother of God's all-powerful word made flesh. He would bring a far greater peace for his people: peace as a resurrection gift, bestowed from infinite and irrevocable love.

Enlightened by the author of Wisdom, we could well reflect again on the Pope's September prayer intention: That people today, often over-whelmed by noise, may rediscover the value of silence and listen to the voice of God and their brothers and sisters.

We must learn from Mary. She has been described as "a woman wrapped in silence" and justly so. But the silence which wrapped her around came from that "peaceful stillness" deep within her heart and spirit, a silence which allowed no clamour to come between her and God.