Speaking in silence

WE need to learn this art of speaking in silence. And that’s simply because whether we are in talking or quiet, we need to communicate and to relate ourselves to someone, foremost of whom is God and, in fact, of everybody else.

Communication is indispensable to us. We just cannot be on our own, isolated ad detached, from God and others. As persons, we have been designed for that purpose. We would be undermining our being a person if we fail to communicate and relate ourselves to God and to others. Even when we are alone, and especially because we are alone physically, we need to communicate mentally or with the heart.

And so, silence, which we also need from time to time, should not be an obstacle to our duty to communicate. We have to learn to communicate with God and others in silence. This is always possible and practicable if we also would just exert the effort to learn the appropriate attitude and skills.

We have to avoid the silence of a fool that can sometimes be misinterpreted as wisdom and prudence, as described once in the Book of Proverbs: “Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise. When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.” (17,28)

Our silence should be an occasion to be in full or at least in better engagement with God and with others. That’s why we have to learn how to be recollected even in the frenzy of our activities.

This spirit of recollection means we are constantly aware of his presence, vitally doing things with him and for him. It’s not supposed to keep us always passive, though a certain passivity and receptivity is involved. But it’s what is supposed to give us impulse, energy and direction in our life.

This spirit of recollection can only be lived if we activate the gifts of faith, hope and charity that God constantly, gratuituosly and abundantly gives us. People who are curious to know more things as well as lovers who always want to be with their beloved can offer us the template for developing this spirit of recollection.

We need to seek God, even if we have to deal with great difficulties. Christ himself told us clearly: “Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you.” (Mt 7,7)

We have to learn to discern the omnipresence of God—within us in our mind and heart as well as around us. We have to train our senses and our spiritual faculties of intelligence and will to go beyond the dimensions of the sensible and intelligible world. They have to capture the inputs of faith, hope and charity.

We should go beyond the physical, material and temporal, to enter into the world of the spiritual, eternal and supernatural. We should go beyond the merely practical and convenient, to be able to live the values of morality and piety of being children of God.

We should be able to be in constant intimate relation with God—talking to him, asking him for light, strength, etc.—by taking advantage of everything that happens in us and around us.