Seeking Out Silence (All Year Long)

The peace we experience at Christmas can remain with us year-round. Tina Mayeux suggests a few ways to preserve the silence and tranquility of the season.

Most people wait until the New Year to make resolutions, but this past year I made my commitments a little early. With the beginning of Advent approaching, I promised myself I would spend more time in prayer and resolved to wake up early for a time of Scripture reading and meditation each morning.

Did I fulfill this resolution perfectly? Of course not! However, the days when I was able to rouse myself and don my robe and slippers for a predawn time of prayer were wonderfully fruitful. On those mornings, in the soft glow of the Christmas tree lights and the dancing flame of a holy candle, the focus was on the stillness and simplicity of the nativity scene. Praying before the Holy Family, with the Infant Jesus at the center of it all, I couldn’t help but wonder what tranquility and wonder Mary and Joseph must have felt that holy night in Bethlehem. The theme that seemed to repeatedly arise for me from my Advent reflections was silence.  

I wanted to preserve that awesome silence and tranquility I enjoyed during Advent and Christmas, even as we began to carefully wrap the pieces of our nativity set in tissue and pack them away until next year. As we enter into Ordinary Time, we can continue to feel that peace and maintain that stillness and wonder of the Birth of Jesus.  

Motherhood and tranquility? 

Silence and stillness might not be words regularly associated with motherhood, especially during the early years of raising young children. However, there are ways to find moments of peace and quiet in the middle of the chaos and noise of family life. As a mom of one teenager and two young adults, I have tried to discover creative ways to fit a little bit of tranquility into daily life as our girls grew and matured over the years.

I have found that our duties as mothers might not permit uninterrupted periods of mental prayer or daily visits to the Blessed Sacrament, but even just a few minutes alone with Jesus can help to recharge our spiritual batteries. These moments have looked very different at various seasons in life, depending on the needs of our family.

Three ways to incorporate a little bit of silence and prayer into our daily lives as mothers

Pray the Rosary

The family Rosary is one of the most grace-filled forms of prayer for the family and it can be prayed together at home or even when traveling in the car. There were many nights when I rocked my babies to sleep to the soothing sounds of the Hail Mary coming from a Rosary CD. Today, in the age of YouTube, it is also easy to find videos and recordings of the Rosary to use with our families.  

When our children were very young, some friends and I started a weekly Rosary group. We took turns hosting the simple gathering, where the moms could enjoy some prayer time and a little adult conversation, and the children could play together indoors or out, depending on the weather. It was a wonderful way to get our prayer time in during a busy season when periods of peace and quiet were few and far between. 

Be an early riser 

My Advent resolution to rise early in the morning for prayer is one that I hope to continue. Although early morning prayer time might prove challenging for those who find themselves exhausted from feeding and caring for colicky babies or sick toddlers, as I experienced early on, it usually becomes easier when the children begin to sleep through the night. There is something special about rising early and giving God our first hours of the morning. We start the day off with a prayerful spirit and often things go more smoothly and peacefully.  

Enlist the help of others 

I remember bringing my girls to Mass and Eucharistic Adoration at times, escaping to the cry room when necessary and planning my visits to the chapel when there were very few people there. These occasions were not always easy, but they introduced our children to Jesus in the Eucharist and helped them to become accustomed to being in church. There are also times when we, as moms, need a little break here and there from the often tiring and monotonous work of our vocation. If you have a family member or friend who will help watch the children for a moment, you can sneak away to your local Adoration chapel or church for a few minutes with Jesus.  

For many of us, the material reminders of Christmas are, indeed, stored away until next year, but we do not have to lose that peace that we might have experienced in that holy season. With a little planning and intentionality, the Silent Night can live on in our hearts all year long.  

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Copyright 2025 Tina Mayeux
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