The Saints and Silence:
PEARLS OF WISDOM



In general this is what the Saints and those known to be holy say, and you will note the exceptions, situations when speaking up is required for the good of the salvation souls, when the faith is in danger, for instance:


The heavenly Father has spoken one Word: It was His Son. And He speaks it eternally in an eternal silence. And it is in silence that it can be heard by the soul. [Cf. Wisdom 18:1415.]

Saint John of The Cross, Watchword 217


Preserve spiritual peace by lovingly gazing upon God. If you must speak, do so with the same calm and peace.

Saint John of The Cross, Watchword 198

--THE LANGUAGE GOD PREFERS--

What is most necessary for our advancement is to silence our appetites and our tongue. The language He understands the best is the silence of love.

Saint John of The Cross, Watchword 253

If you keep the the presence of God, the Lord will keep you. But if you do not keep silence, He will not keep your soul.

 If you keep it, you will keep humility, meekness, obedience and patience.

 You must keep silence to hear the enemy when he comes.

Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified


Silence is the guardian of the heart's peace and the soul's purity.

Saint Peter Julian Eymard



The virtues of evangelical childhood develop in the shade of humility. Let us cultivate these virtues; at the Christ Child's manger, let us learn Divine obedience, simplicity, love of silence, the taste for the interior life, indifference regarding our comfort, patience in privation, and self-sacrifice. Then we will love, and we will be loved.

Fr. Theodore Ratisbonne


It is better that scandal should occur than to hide the truth.

Pope Saint Gregory the Great
   

Keep silence like a golden cross destined to preserve the treasure of the other virtues. Whoever keeps his tongue, keeps his soul.

Saint Paul of the Cross


"Her great method was silence. She had learned this from the Blessed Virgin, whose example enchanted her, above all when She preferred to be suspect rather than excuse Herself with saint Joseph by revealing to him the mystery of the Incarnation ... Like Mary, she loved to keep all things in her heart, her joys and sorrows alike. This reserve was her strength and the starting point of her perfection, just as it was the visible character which distinguished her from others by her great composure."


Testimony of Celine [Sr. Genevieve] during the Apostolic Process.




"I warn you that the devil is setting snares for you at all times: therefore,  advise you to keep silent. If you have spoken useless words, as soon as possible seek a suitable place to recite a Hail Mary and humbly beg God's forgiveness.

Our Lord to Saint Bridget




A perfect mortification is to avoid speaking without having to, for that is a great fault in a Christian soul. We must fear, we must avoid useless conversations because of the sins we commit in them and the time we waste in them.

St. Teresa of Avila

E-Mail

HOME--------------------------THE SAINTS

www.catholictradition.org/Tradition/silence6.htm