June 13th
St Chantal on Prayer
A Committed Heart

Anyone who has learned from our Lord how to look within himself, and how to long for His presence in the deepest recesses of his heart -- I can scarcely tell if such a person would not choose for a time to endure the pangs of hell rather than to return to the delights, or better to the vexations, of earth.  The more we empty ourselves of whatever is not of God, the more He will fill us with Himself.  So let us give up all thought of looking after ourselves in order that God may take charge of us.

The soul is carrying on a mystical silence when, refusing to speak to any creature, nor even to God Himself, it listens with a great interior attention.  Such a silence pays a sublime tribute to God.  Silence itself brings immense blessings to us, for it separates us from creatures in order to join us to God who is the sole source of our purity of intention.  It is said in Holy Scripture:  Listen, O Israel, and speak no word!  So let us also try to break off all conversation with creatures and to give heed to our God.  A single word from Him is worth more than ten thousand of our own invention.