For Saint Benedict pictured above, silence was not a punishment, but rather a preparation for the presence of God.Psalm 27:14
"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"
Sometimes it is helpful to come to God in silence and say:"I am here to be changed into whatever you like."
In that silence we learn solitude, we learn to "wait for the Lord."
Likewise, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade said:"the practice of absolute silence is an excellent means of arriving at the constant, active presence of God."
This silence involved silence of the whole person. It means silence of words, of signs, of mind, of emotions, and of the imagination. It is here in the silence that our heart is focused only on God and with nothing but God.
And finally, Blessed Mother Teresa said similarly:"Silence. We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature, trees, flowers, grass grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence . . . We need silence to be able to touch souls."
Silence always require attention. Silence without engaging the mind will put us to sleep. Stay awake!
