We cannot find God in noise or agitation. Nature: trees, flowers, and grass grow in silence. The stars, moon, and the sun move in silence. What is essential is not what we say but what God tells us and what He tells others through us. In silence He listens to us; in silence He speaks to our souls. In silence we are granted the privilege of listening to His voice.
Silence of our eyes.
Silence of our ears.
Silence of our mouths.
...in the silence of the heart
God will speak.
Silence of the heart is necessary so you can hear God everywhere - in the closing of the door, in the person who needs you, in the birds that sing, in the flowers, in the animals.
If we are careful of silence it will be easy to pray. There is so much talk, so much repetition, so much carrying on of tales in words and in writing. Our prayer life suffers so much because our hearts are not silent.
I shall keep the silence of my heart with greater care, so that in the silence of my heart I hear His words of comfort and from the fullness of my heart I comfort Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Keeping the Silence of My Heart with Greater Care
From Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, No Greater Love:
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Thanks so much for this post. Obtaining silence of heart is very difficult in today's world. Sometimes I want to find a cave to crawl into or a stream to sit by in a forest so I only have to hear the sounds of nature and can ponder God. God bless Mother Teresa who went into the noisy streets of Calcutta to bring Jesus to others. I can learn from her.
ReplyDeleteKathryn, I really needed to read this today. I blogged today about a devotional in which God requests that we "entrust our loved ones to Him" and with my son starting a new Catholic School, I haven't done a good job at that.
ReplyDeleteAnd after reading your post, I know "my prayer life has suffered because my heart is not silent." I'm trying to do it on my own again. When will I ever learn!! I thank God that He doesn't give up on me!
Beautiful post on silence and a very powerful reminder...especially when I am just fooling around on the internet...like now :)~Theresa
ReplyDeleteMother Teresa's words are beautiful! I'm with Barb on this one - sitting by a stream in the forest pondering God sounds like heaven. Of course, I'd still have to deal with "inner noise" I suspect :)
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful. Thank you:)
ReplyDeleteAs I read it, I was reminded that one of the greatest gifts God gives us is the perpetual, eternal, always-available, and beautiful silence of OUR SOULS. Therein, resides the "ALL" of heaven: The Most Holy Trinity; Father,Son, and Holy Spirit; present there by virtue of our baptisms...and where The Trinity is, ALL of heaven must be by virtue of the Beatific Vision...It was Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity who taught me this...that we have within us "HEAVEN ON EARTH" and that our life on earth is "eternity in progress and already begun" because of this sacred presence within our souls. When the outside world is loud, noisy, or chaotic...we need only to "go inward" to find the silence wherein God can speak.
This post is so beautiful-
ReplyDeleteMay i have permission to reference your blog
in my next presentation?
Originally i stopped by to thank you for your kindness . . . Now, i must become one of your followers - such beauty - must not be missed.
love & love,
-g-
Thank you everyone for all your comments! I'm sorry I did not know about them until today :)
ReplyDeleteBarb, you make such a good point, about Mother Teresa going into the noisy streets of Calcutta... she lived in a noisy world too, but kept the silence of her heart, thus enabling her to love those she encountered with God's Love.
Noreen, I am also thankful God does not give up on me! These words of Mother Teresa really spoke to me when I read them too. My heart has been far from silent lately, and God is telling me what I need to do to hear Him.
Theresa, I am laughing because that is what I am doing right now too, spending time on the internet when I should probably be praying :) I am so excited to see so many comments, of course I want to respond to all of you :)
Mary, aaah yes, that pesky inner noise. I'm not sure if I've ever been successful at quieting the inner noise, even on a silent retreat! I must need a 30 day retreat or something ;)
ReplyDeleteColleen, Mother Teresa has so much wisdom! Such simple words, yet so powerful.
Judy, yes, it is so amazing to think of the Holy Trinity dwelling within our souls. There have been times where I have truly felt like I was being closed in on by the walls of my insecurities, and then, by God's grace, knowing His eternal presence within me where there are no walls and where He loves me completely. It is hard to explain. Fr. Jean Pierre de Caussade talks about abandonment to Divine Providence and this is the closest thing I have heard describe how I have felt at those moments. Such a mystery!
G of The Note, thank you for your kindness :) Yes, you may reference my blog and I am thankful to have you as a follower!
May God bless all of you. Thanks for the comments and I am so sorry it took so long to respond. Have a wonderful week!