Silence by Shusaku Endo

Silence by Shusaku Endo asks the age old question, "Why does God let us suffer?". Silence follows two young priests Fr. Sebastião Rodrigues and Fr. Francisco Garrpe who journey to Japan in response to the story that their mentor, Fr. Cristovao Ferreira, had apostatized. Their journey takes nearly two years and is inhibited by the fact that Christianity has been outlawed and certain countries such as Portugal were therefore, forbidden to trade with Japan. Once there they depend on a Japanese man named Kichijiro to lead them to the Christians.

The faithful Christian waiting them in Japan our mostly found among the peasants whose desire for the sacraments and leadership of priests is great. The villagers lives are always under threat due to the governments persecution of the Christians and eventually the little village where the priests were working was informed on and from the three hostages that were taken one, Kichijiro apostatized. On the other hand Ichizo and Mokichi two of leaders of the church in that village suffer martyrdom while the priests look on. This event causes the priests to go off in two directions because the villagers are afraid and because they are the only two priests on the island they want to make it harder for the government find both of them. Their journeys eventually lead them to the choice, martyrdom or apostatize? Always before them is the martyrdom of Ichizo and Mokichi and the bravery of other Christian they have met on their journey through Japan. Their answer to this question reveals many truths. Kichijiro also continues to pop up in the book as he goes through a cycle of apostatizing and seeking forgiveness from Fr. Rodrigues. Kichijiro asks the priest, "why would God put a man as weak as him through this persecution when he would have happily been a Christian is whole life if he was never tortured"? Could we undergo such persecution and remain true to our faith? This is a question we will get to answer over the next few years as our consciences our being targeted by the health care bill. The message in the book is clear, God is never silent, we just need to keep listening.

I highly recommend this book as reading during this Lenten season as we seek to grow closer to God.

Have a good read and blessed Lent, Nina