Silence in the Life of Carmel

Camélia Augsuta de Castro Cotta, C.D.P.

Carmelite Communications Melbourne, Australia 1999

Table of Contents

1 Introduction...... 13 2 Silence and Human Maturity ...... 15 2.1 Introduction ...... 15 2.2 Meaning ...... 16 2.3 The Importance of silence ...... 18 2.4 The basic types of silence ...... 19 2.4.1 The silence that is a negation of the Word ...... 19 2.4.2 The silence that welcomes the Word ...... 20 2.5 The effects of silence in a person’s life...... 20 2.5.1 Silence reveals one’s identity ...... 20 2.5.2 Silence refines the conscience ...... 21 2.5.3 Silence leads one to intuit the presence of God in oneself...... 21 2.5.4 Silence makes the ‘heart’ grow ...... 21 2.6 Further reading ...... 22 3 Biblical Foundations of Silence ...... 23 3.1 Introduction ...... 23 3.2 The God of Silence ...... 23 3.3 The silence of Jesus and Mary ...... 25 3.3.1 The silence of Jesus ...... 25 3.3.2 The silence of Mary ...... 26 3.4 Other biblical teachings on silence ...... 27 3.5 Further reading ...... 28 4 Silence in Carmelite tradition ...... 29 4.1 Introduction ...... 29 4.2 Carmelite experiences of silence ...... 29 4.3 Carmelite silence and commitment ...... 32 4.4 Practical changes worked by silence-solitude ...... 34 4.4.1 Life from the exterior to one’s interior ...... 35 4.4.2 Disintoxication of the person and genuine satisfaction ...... 35 4.4.3 Going from possessiveness to freedom ...... 36 4.4.4 Open to the universal merciful love ...... 36 4.4.5 Life of discernment ...... 36 4.4.6 Going from the memory of God to living in God’s presence ...... 36 4.5 Further reading ...... 37 5 Learning Silence ...... 39

5.1 Introduction ...... 39 5.2 Silence and being ...... 39 5.3 The school of silence ...... 41 5.3.1 The relationship between silence and word ...... 41 5.3.2 Silence and service ...... 43 5.4 Further reading ...... 46 6 Silence and “vacare Deo” ...... 47 6.1 Introduction ...... 47 6.2 Silence and the search for God ...... 47 6.3 Silence: the purification of images and memories ...... 48 6.4 Purification of the intelligence ...... 49 6.5 A pure heart for God ...... 50 6.6 Further reading ...... 53 7 Conclusion ...... 55 Bibliography ...... 57

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and Mary – are perfect models of a contemplative and open SILENCE. 1 Our mystics experienced the fruits of silence in their lives Introduction In following this road, Carmel- Communication is a wonderful gift, ites have not invented anything new but even more wonderful is the gift of or original. They searched the lives communion. Communication may leave of the people in the Bible, the great room for doubt. Communion gives the moments in their history, the habits certainty of love in its fullness. of their leaders, the manner of being, speaking and acting of Jesus Preserving one’s strength … is himself, and they found that these achieving the unity of one’s whole being persons achieved maturity in in silence, uniting all one’s forces to use SILENCE. They achieved maturity them only in the exercise of love. because they were able to go to the (Elizabeth of the Trinity) roots of human nature and to its deepest needs.

Our Carmelite tradition hands In Carmel, SILENCE is inti- on to us the cult of silence, received mately linked with the experience of from the beginning of the Order, the DESERT and SOLITUDE, ele- when it suggests, as an essential part ments that are interdependent, of our life, that we live in the complementary and indispensable PRESENCE OF GOD, in constant for the rich and wonderful life of touch with HIM: “Bear yourself our spiritual heritage. Of course, in blameless in my presence” (Gen 17: this heritage, DESERT-SOLITUDE- 1). It is the same invitation given to SILENCE are not necessarily de- Abraham and his descendants. From pendent on geographical places. this affirmation we can see that si- They are above all states of mind lence is of crucial importance as a and of heart, which produce in per- means of perfection and maturity for sons an interior refinement, a capa- our human fulfilment. Silence is bility and availability to share one’s therefore indispensable in the life of gift and to share in the mystery of human beings, since all are called to the other. This is the revelation of share in the divine life: “Before the LOVE. Silence, as understood in world was made, he chose us, chose Carmel, leads to direct contact with us in Christ, to be holy and spotless, the truth of our existence and with and to live through LOVE in his the TRUTH which is GOD himself: presence” (Eph 1: 4). “LOVE and LOYALTY now meet, RIGHTEOUSNESS and PEACE now Carmel has heeded well this call embrace” (Ps 85: 11). of God to humankind to “Be perfect” (Mt 5: 48) and in this regard The more one tries to practice has a long experience to hand on to silence the more one realises that it us. The origins of the Order tell us has different levels, and discovers, of a search for a style of life that appreciates and experiences its use- aimed at educating the heart. Its fulness. There are forms and types of many reforms have always stressed silence to suit the needs of each per- love of silence, in loving and con- son’s make up; exterior silence of stant attention to God’s presence, as words and gestures; interior silence an established and sound means of of one’s most personal powers: imag- achieving VACARE DEO. The inspi- ination, intelligence, affection; si- rational models of Carmel – Elijah lence on a “conscious” level and silence to enlighten the depths of the 14 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

“unconscious”, silence to purify, pac- of your house, of your holy Temple” ify and unify. (Ps 65, 4-5). When we are capable of communion, of silent and deep un- But like all things, even silence derstanding, we are in greater soli- may be tainted by ambiguity. It can darity with our brothers and sisters. bring us to the fullness of LOVE and Our peaceful and loving solitude COMMUNION, overcoming the lim- urges us to greater fraternity because itations of communication, or it can it springs from a pure and boundless increase selfishness, leading to a lack love. of openness, seeking comfort, flight, self-centredness and self-interest. Only a deep and personal expe- Thus, then, we have to study rience will enable us to really under- SILENCE. stand all this, because, as someone said: “One half hour of complete Silence brings us face to face SILENCE tells us more about with GOD, giving us that deep expe- SILENCE than many hours replete rience which makes us desire ardent- with words”. ly, “Ah, tear the veil of this our sweet encounter!” (John of the Cross, The The present brief study is an at- Living Flame of Love, Stanza 1). It is tempt to help us on the way towards the voice of GOD that we hear when the maturity of our human life as we live in contemplative silence, lis- Carmel understands and teaches this tening alone and in our deepest self, through its rich spirituality. I ask but hearing its echoes in every you, if possible: brother and sister, and in every crea- “…never say or do anything ture… Life in VACARE DEO, “Hap- except in the name of the py the man you choose, whom you Lord Jesus, giving thanks to invite to live in yourcourts. Fill us God the Father through with the good things him.” (Col 3: 17)

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to love, whose “house” is indwelt by LOVE, who live in a relationship of 2 love. Thus, it is only this RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE that gives meaning to human life, be- Silence and cause only those who are capable of developing and living this relation- Human ship achieve human maturity. To live and to love.

Maturity To love, it is necessary to know and accept one’s human condition, together with the solitude, which is

Our inner self is a congenital to it, in spite of the fact house. It is silent that the present culture tries to deny 2.1 not because it is this. The human heart does not Introduction empty, but because change no matter what are the ex- it throbs with life. ternal influences. It is elusive, in- communicable. Today’s philoso- “Silence is phers, writers and scientists illustrate a science that is learnt, this fact: even though one is incapa- a wisdom that is acquired, ble of living alone, when one seeks an experience that is lived, to communicate, one meets the but above all same problems as when living in soli- a love that gives itself.” tude. One must confront the way of solitude, which leads to oneself, to Human beings are called to the other and to God. peace, deep joy, love and a constant celebration of life. St. Irenaeus “To be alone,” means to accept summarised this well: “The glory of oneself and the other in his/her God is the ‘living person’, that is, the otherness; to accept oneself means person who lives the fullness for also to allow for differences. Soli- which Jesus came; ‘I came that they tude, in this sense, must not be mis- might have life and have it to the taken for isolation, which is the ina- full’ (Jn 10: 10)”. Unfortunately, bility to open oneself to the other, to however, few persons understand “communicate oneself”, to listen to their life fully. Suffice it to look the other in his/her unique individ- around us, even at a superficial level, uality. or also within ourselves, to be aware how unhappy people or we ourselves Only those who have come to are. true solitude are capable of a true relationship of love. In fact, love The human person is not a sim- demands an understanding dia- ple being, but is made up of various logue, a sharing of life and commu- elements, which, put simply, may be nication. Indeed, we can say that to summarised as body, mind and spir- love is to share, and to share is to it. The degree of integration of these communicate. Dialogue – transpar- elements in themselves and among ent, purified and true speech – is the them will determine the fullness and giving of oneself or the receiving of joy of life or the disgust and frustra- the other in one’s life. “No man is tion with it. The road to such inte- island” means to live and live to- gration is very complex. However, gether. experience tells us with certainty that they are happy who have learnt Silence and solitude, essential forms of the interior life, have a cru- 16 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

cial function in the growth of a per- come to a perfect self-realisation and son, in the field of inter- a true relationship of love. Although relationships. Thus, to achieve per- the modern world, which urges one fect communication, a sharing of to “sound”, to noise, believes that it life, an authentic relationship of is impossible to attain silence, si- love, to achieve this dialogue, which lence remains indispensable to the is a reciprocal giving, hence to the person who wishes to come to the maturity of love in complete open- fullness of his/her humanity. It ness, to achieve all this, we need to seems contradictory and paradoxi- learn several things. Among the cal, but it is true. Without silence – things to be learnt, SILENCE and and experience shows this – people SOLITUDE occupy a pre-eminent are ever more dehumanised. People position in life, a fact unfortunately who like silence come to an interior manipulated by propaganda, con- peace that allows them to speak and sumerism, so-called conquests of work more efficiently; in fact, silence “modernity” and by false promises of is also the climate of creativity. Only happiness. silence endows words – instruments of dialogue and of communication – Therefore, silence is a crucial with their deepest dimension and factor in the growth of the person, true meaning. Without silence all whatever the situation, condition or would be cacophony and confusion. vocation. Only through silence can “The world and life are extremely one learn to search one’s interior sick. If I were a doctor and should life, to understand one’s mystery, to give it a prescription, I would say: define oneself, to know oneself, to Create SILENCE.” find real truth, to grow in perfection, as well as to know the other Generally, dictionar- and to enter into true relationships. ies present only 2.2 the physical aspect Without silence our dialogue Meaning of silence: “State becomes superficial, with no possi- of one who abstains bility of understanding the mystery from speaking, inter- of the other or to listen carefully. ruption of noise…secret…dignified Silence activates our ability for soli- demeanour”. These do not give the darity. To seek silence, one need not full definition and meaning of si- go into an airtight room to be rid of lence which is not only the absence others. That is not being silent but of words or noise, or the emptiness anti-social. Silence and solitude have which takes place when activities no meaning in themselves. They are cease. Today, the science of lan- bound to human growth, precisely guage teaches us that to explain the because they are indispensable ele- values of a term it is necessary to ments. To be silent is to create in look at its opposite terms. The “op- oneself the conditions to “be more”. posite” of silence is the word, com- Experience of solitude is a guarantee munication, seen, generally, from of love and is the trial that the the most elementary aspect of their spouse, the friend, the mystic, the meaning. However, silence is much religious, the priest must endure, in more and has its own substance. It is various degrees, if one wishes to be the special climate where the interi- authentic. or life of a person blooms and grows. It is rare, if not impossible, Silence promotes human ma- for a hardened chatterbox to be turity without which one would re- someone of worth, someone to be main in sterile emptiness, in confu- trusted, mature. Much talk has al- sion, and at a superficial level. ways been considered a sign of Without silence one would never weakness and of flightiness. St. Am- Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 17 brose says, “He who speaks much is communion of love with GOD. Si- like a flawed vessel which cannot lence, then, is the indispensable keep the secrets of the King” (PL 15, “substance” which accompanies a 1246). A person is built from the in- person along the way to growth and side outwards. One may say that, in maturity until the person truly be- the process of internalisation, si- comes formed according to the will lence is an indispensable condition of GOD. The heart of every person, to gather and purify the images, im- no matter his/her state, needs to pressions, feelings that gradually practice SILENCE. It is the indispen- form the person to be. Psichari says sable dimension of human life, the well, “Silence is the great teacher of dimension so evidently sought after truth…the teacher of love”. Hence by the hermits of the past, so that its affects the conscious and subcon- Psichari says: scious in a person. In every watchful person the hermit is present. A hermit no longer needs to run It is silence that gives meaning to the exterior desert, because this place of to the word, enriching it, endowing silent peace is in him/her in the most it with truth and authority, making it profound dimension, in his/her most an authentic expression of one’s be- secret inner self, transformed for him/her ing. It is the light of dialogue; and if into a living dwelling place, where noth- such is its power in every person, ing is differentiated in the heart in the much more will it be powerful for unity of these nuptials between silence the one who seeks the ABSOLUTE and the word, between action and con- as partner in dialogue. Silence exists templation. in order to create space for revelation, for communion, for covenant: It is from one’s way of living that “[Yahweh] will give strength to your one can come to the idea- bones, and you shall be like a wa- experience of silence, of this “state” tered garden, like a spring of water where the being is submerged, with whose waters never run the possibility of always going fur- dry…(Yahweh) will lead you trium- ther, without the need for feelings, phant over the heights of the words or gestures. Thus one savours land…” (Isa 58: 11, 14). the fullest communion, completely awake, with an ever growing clarity, In the spiritual life, silence be- discovering the root of one’s being comes an indispensable “attitude” : and, in this light, truly finding oneself. From the discovery of this root, . To listen to and know GOD: “O! from the perception of life in the eternal Word, Word of my God, I centre of oneself, the person will want to spend my life listening to increasingly mature, going from you” (Elisabeth of the Trinity). “light to light”, discovering and liv- . To live in a relationship of inti- ing in “the truth that liberates”. If macy with GOD: “The Father ut- life is not immersed in silence, it is tered only one Word which is his impossible, at least in the normal Son, and he uttered it in eternal course of human development, to silence” and it is in silence that acquire that interior insight which one can communicate with it allows one to live in justice, with the (Cf. St. John of the Cross). necessary just relationship with him/herself, with history, with the Only one who is capable of si- brothers and sisters, with nature and lence goes to his/her own roots and, with GOD. there, is purified, unified, and knows his/herself and reality, with the possibility of penetrating to the centre of life, whence s/he will enter into a 18 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

In the spiritual life, . a meeting with reality (to recog- every means - includ- nise values, their hierarchy and 2.3 ing silence and soli- discernment in their practice); The tude – is relative, that . an experience of the ABSOLUTE Importance is, silence and soli- (discovering the root and sense of silence tude are not ends in of one’s own life). themselves nor do they guarantee the It is impossible to achieve hu- attainment of an end. Even though man fullness without discovering silence is always important and in- these things and without living the dispensable as a means to attain that dimensions they propose: which one seeks, by itself it is no Now let us allow silence to work. guarantee of the spiritual life and of It is a great master of truth. the maturity of the person. Never- To these spaces of silence theless, without silence a person will that cross my soul, find it difficult to attain fullness of I really owe all that is good in me… life. Pity those who have not known silence. Silence, therefore, is relative to Then I rested full of love and the growth of a person at one’s respect, deepest level. It is not the substance Because silence is also of the spiritual life, but it is bound to The master of love (Psichari). it in such a way that it becomes a pre-requisite in order to conquer and live the spiritual life. It reveals to I wish to write for you a hymn on persons the reality of the spirit and silence, of their inner life. Even though watchfulness of God over our there are not sufficient “wells of si- feverishness, lence” for humanity, especially since mantle of God on our human silence must begin within oneself, clamour… yet silence guarantees depth of life, It is good to meet God, who is both so that every one may attain to eternal silence, the fullness of the interior life (inte- silence, haven of ships gration, unity, happiness, holiness), silence in God, haven of every ship. and so that it may give meaning to Love begins where there is no one’s works or expression to one’s expectation of reward. talents (artistic, scientific, intellectu- Love is above all the exercise of al, mystical). prayer, and prayer is the exercise of silence. There are many psychological They and I were no other than experiences that use silence to help prayer which dissolved into the people seek peace and heal diseases. silence of God (Exupery). This is “silence-therapy”. It is a form that may help harmonise psychology Although these reflections were to attain personal integration. How- not written by religious, but by peo- ever, the silence that the spiritual ple who experienced something in person must seek is not born of psy- their interior depths, in reality they chological necessity, but of an intrin- express Jesus’ invitation: “In your sic need of his/her being. Only prayers do not babble as the pagans through SILENCE may one attain: do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves . knowledge of one’s own mystery heard” (Mt 6:7). (the search for one’s own identity); Silence is of capital importance for the spiritual life. It allows for the Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 19 concentration of one’s whole being, us “the place to drink the water” of the intellectual, affective and voli- intimacy with God, the “place” which tional faculties, in a single centre. If allows us to purify our desires, our we have to seek Truth with all our motivations, our means. To purify being, silence is the condition that ones motivations means to penetrate permits this, it helps one to free the depths of one’s heart, that is, the oneself from the dispersion of ener- unconscious. Elijah, our Prophet, gies in order to settle in LOVE, in reveals to us the importance of GOD. Gradually one will learn to SILENCE for this purification and take root in God, using all one’s en- for life in the presence and service ergies to perceive true life. of GOD. His mother stored up all these things in her heart (Lk 2:52). Silence is of great val- Her husband Joseph, being a man of ue for human maturi- honour and wanting to spare her 2.4 ty in all its aspects. publicity, decided to divorce her The basic But, as in all matters informally (Mt 1:19). types of human, even silence, silence contaminated and The fulfilment of life demands polluted by selfish- this keeping of silence which leads ness, may atrophy ra- to maturity of heart and fulfils the ther than mature the person. There person: “So I tell you this, that for is a silence, which is attentive to the every unfounded word people utter Word of God in us, and there is a they will answer on Judgement day” silence that is the negation and clo- (Mt 12:36). sure of the Word in our hearts. One can be silent externally (dumb!), but The ancient Fathers of the without the silence that comes from Church, such as Clement of Alexan- the heart and, therefore, purified. dria, the pseudo-Dionysius, Basil, We, then, have two types of silence: John Climacus, Ambrose, recom- mend silence as a fundamental ele- . the silence that is a negation of ment of the spiritual life… For ex- the Word ample: . the silence that welcomes the The silence of human reason is nec- Word. essary for the knowledge of God, grace alone enlightens the spirit (Clement of Alexandria). 2.4.1 The silence that is a The silent praise of God is the only thing which is adequate to his infinite negation of the Word being (Gregory of Nazianzen). This kind of silence closes the

person to love, to communication. It The revelations of God re- is inspired by selfishness and takes counted in the Bible have silence as on various forms, according to the background (together with the de- passion from which it takes its sert and solitude). For us Carmelites origin. Let us recall a few: this is an important thought that we . Silence of indifference: as shall take up again later. Suffice it to though the other did not exist. recall here the torrent of Karith . Silence of contempt: as though where Elijah drank the water of con- the other were inferior. templation that enabled him to dis- . Silence of pride: as though the cern the difference between the liv- other were worth nothing. ing and true GOD and the false . Silence of rancour: not accept- gods, idols that he fought vehement- ing or giving forgiveness. ly. The desert, seen as a form of more absolute SILENCE, is also for 20 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

. Silence of weakness: fear of Silence produces commitment, flight. beneficial effects in . Silence of complicity: covering 2.5 the person who up culpable situations. The effects learns to cultivate it . Silence of betrayal: refusing to of silence in genuinely. Even witness to the truth. a person’s from a natural point life of view, if properly understood, silence 2.4.2 The silence that produces admirable fruits: it calms, purifies, comforts, welcomes the Word enlightens, frees, leads to unity, and

strengthens communion. Those who This is the silence that gives live it may say that they are happy, proper space to persons. It provides because “Happy are they who listen one with the opportunity to listen to to the voice of God in their hearts him/herself, to listen to the other, and receive from his mouth words of to listen to God. It harmonises the love, happy the ears that capture di- mind with eternity, leaving room for vine melodies purified from the LOVE. This is the silence that puri- deafening coarse sounds and noises fies, silencing the dissonant voices of that render one ugly”. selfishness that pollute LOVE. This

is the silence that brings the fullness Many are the practical effects of of life. silence: Silence, a school of love and of death 1. Silence reveals one’s identity. where the soul finds life. 2. Silence refines the conscience. Key-silence which opens the immense 3. Silence leads one to intuit the furnace of the heart of God. presence of God in oneself. Word-silence, phrase, discourse of pas- 4. Silence makes the “heart” grow. sionate love which is consumed in the

embrace of God.

Silence, more than union is oneness with the Lord. 2.5.1 Silence reveals one’s (Catherine of Hueq Doherty) identity

The right use of the Word and This is the first effect of silence: of Silence requires attention to the it allows one to know oneself, one’s material aspects (that which one very self. This knowledge of self is must say, that which one must do), indispensable for one’s maturity. In to the manner of speaking or keep- all of us there are fundamental ques- ing quiet (negative silence, welcom- tions that need to be answered: Who ing silence), to opportunities (when am I? From where do I come? Where to silence someone and when to am I going? These are existential keep silence oneself) and to the questions… Then there are essential purpose of silence. questions: How am I? Why am I like Guard against foul talk; let your words this? Why is my personal history this be for the improvement of others (Eph 4: and not another? Only one’s per- 29). sonal experience with the Other, The blessings of Yahweh are on the head made possible through silence (in- of the virtuous one, premature mourning ternalisation), will provide satisfacto- stops the mouths of the wicked. The lips of ry answers. the virtuous drip with kindness, the mouth of the wicked with deceit (Prov Only in the deepest silence is 10: 6. 32). this search possible. An Arabic prov- erb says: “Your best friend is yourself, listen to yourself more than to oth- Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 21 ers; it is your self who will tell you images, thoughts become “dross” the truth”. To listen to one’s heart is which intervenes between God and to seek the truth written there, and ourselves when we try to communi- it is one of the gifts of silence. cate with GOD.

Silence is the most powerful 2.5.2 Silence refines the form of communication and union… a direct form that dispenses conscience with other mediations such as

symbols and signs because Silence brings one to the truest COMMUNION is the most perfect perception of reality making one communication. Those who do not capable of perceiving values, of re- love and understand the beauty of sponding creatively and justly (with silence will find it difficult to under- rectitude) even to the subtlest de- stand matters divine. mands of personal and social reality.

The major effects of such perception are: . purification that frees the soul 2.5.4 Silence makes the from all ties that impede one ‘heart’ grow from loving, . ability to see and love the world Silence gathers the person in all as God sees and loves it, his/her aspects (physical, psycholog- . detachment that implants one ical, and spiritual), it favours the exclusively in LOVE, growth of the “heart” or of the “mys- . discretion that makes one mod- tical mind”. Gradually, or suddenly if erate, God so wishes, we perceive our “re- . peace that gives an interior creation”. We discover new nour- strength born from God, ishment, enjoy a great feeling of . joy that expresses the fullness wellbeing, feel an inexplicable con- achieved. solation. We enter a life that no longer needs any search, any labour to placate our feelings, thoughts, 2.5.3 Silence leads one to words, nor any effort to live in silence. Such persons are like those intuit the presence of God in who have the sensitivity that blind oneself people have in their hands and ears, but still go on using their sight to Carmel is guardian of this expe- the full… They have reached the rience: life in the presence of God! depth of life. They contemplate real- John of St, Samson recommends, ity in its true light. They have at- “Walk in the presence of God, visibly tained the harmony of their being, orderly and composed in true tran- the most stable unity. “It is not I who quillity of spirit and heart”. live, but Christ lives in me.” They live more from the essence than from If this truth must enlighten the the appearance of things… PEACE whole of life, guiding one on one’s and JOY are their permanent “habi- journey, only silence will allow us to tat”. They are ecologically perfect, perceive the presence of God and because there is no pollution in allow us to be guided by it. It is im- their inner self and in their vision. possible to discover God in noise and confusion. The more the heart Only those who recollect them- is tuned-in, the greater the percep- selves in the deepest silence are tion. For a deeper perception, there awake, and only those who are needs to be greater silence. Words, awake live truly and in the full sense 22 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

of the word, because they are aware For self evaluation that God is contemplating them, and live in anticipation of the glory to 1. Where do I stand in relation come. This is the dynamism of si- to silence? How do I define lence, it is the opposite of passivity silence in my experience? and still gives the experience of the 2. Do I think that I can learn to ardent desire so well expressed by be silent? How do I begin my Elisabeth of the Trinity: “To forget education? What are my dif- myself completely in order to gaze ficulties? on You, immobile, peaceful as 3. Am I convinced of the im- though I were already in eternity”. portance, value, and necessity of silence or do I think St. Francis de Sales says that, to that it impoverishes, that it is reform a monastery, it is sufficient to difficult, not necessary? regain seriously the observance of 4. Have I understood the eco- silence. The same may be said of the logical value of silence? heart of each person. Silence, prac- 5. Entrust the spiritual director tised responsibly and fully, educates with my thoughts, feelings, the person in the difficult art of conclusions, and decisions. speaking, making one weigh well one’s words and say only that which is according to God’s will. “In silence…lies your strength” (Isa 30: 15, cf. RA 21).

Biblical texts for 2.6 internalisation: Further reading Ps 48; Qo. 5: 9-15; Prov 15: 1-17; Isa 35: 1-10; Mt 27: 11-14.

Read the text carefully and note: 1. The anthropological reasons for the silence. 2. The connection between human maturity, dialogue and silence. 3. The relationship between silence and the experience of God. 4. Draw a diagram of the text or underline those sayings which seem most important. Discuss them. Amplify them. Research the theme. Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 23

to understand God’s language. The whole of Scripture teaches us this 3 Scripture is a communication concerning the “dynamics” of God who dialogues with biblical persons and Biblical with us, introducing us increasingly into the knowledge of God’s LOVE. Foundations In Scripture, the Carmelite learns to “Vacare Deo” (to wait on of Silence God) and “puritas cordis” (purity of

heart), when s/he commits him/herself to “meditate day and night on the law of the Lord” (RA “In the beginning was 10) and makes it his/her orienta- the Word; the Word tion, his/her goal, his/her life’s des- 3.1 was with God; and tination. In this school s/he also Introduction the Word was God … learns that the Lord shows how to The Word was made listen to him and that the first step is flesh, he lived among silence: “The Lamb then broke open us” (Jn 1: 1, 14). the seventh seal, and there was silence in heaven, for about half an “When peaceful silence lay over all, and hour” (Rev 8: 1). Before the infinite, night had run the half of her swift course, that is God, silence grows into a nat- down from the heavens, from the royal ural attitude of expectation. This is throne, leapt your all-encompassing what Zechariah suggests when he Word…” (Wis 18: 14-15). invites Sion to marvel at the restoring visit of the Lord: “Let all hu- “Where the divine mysteries are present mankind be silent before Yahweh! there must be much silence” (St. John For he is awaking and is coming Chrysostom, PG 49, 372). from his holy dwelling” (Zech 2: 17).

Sacred Scripture, the dynamic tale and revelation of the LOVE of The Bible reveals to God for humankind, is, for this very us that our God is reason, the “place” of the meeting 3.2 the God of Silence: on the journey towards communion The God of “God pronounced with the MYSTERY of GOD. If com- Silence only one Word, that munion between partners of the is his Son, and he same nature demands, among its pronounces this requirements, the need to “speak- Word in eternal silence” (St. John of listen”, to pay concentrated atten- the Cross, Maxims 21). It is probable tion in “deciphering” the message, that this thought echoes the inter- then much more is demanded when nalisation of the Scripture: “When communion is not only between in- peaceful silence lay over all and terlocutors who are not of the same night had run the half of her swift nature, but who are infinitely differ- course, down from the heavens, ent, asymmetrical, a meeting be- from the royal throne, leapt your all- tween the divine (ineffable) and the powerful Word…like a sharp human (contingent). sword…” (Wis 18: 14-15). And starting from “the Word was made flesh” Basically, in order to listen to (Jn 1: 14) in the midst of a humanity God it is essential to learn God’s in need of salvation, victim of evil as terminology, to know God’s “code”, ordinary state of life, became that 24 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

“sign of contradiction” (Lk 2: 34) them “in God’s own image and likeness” which allowed humankind to find so that, by means of the gifts that new ways. such a plan granted to them, they might be beings of silence-word, of We have already seen that si- communication and communion. lence is “the goal” of a greater reali- Hence it is humankind that must ty, namely, communication. Silence “name” all things. To this day, it is without the word has no value. Only up to humankind to manifest, hide silence can generate the word, ac- or destroy the voice of God in nature company it, and make possible its (cf. Gen 1: 26-31; 2: 19). expression and the understanding of its content. Concerning God, whose We find a reflection of this si- nature cannot be defined because it lence in our experience. The history is infinite and ineffable, we can see of humankind has shown that the that silence is an essential part of great works, the masterpieces of any that nature. In fact, God’s attributes, art and in any intellectual field, are in one sense, derive and become always conceived, produced and per- understandable when one interprets fected in silence, and demand si- them in the light of silence. Silence lence to be made known in their in God is God’s simplicity, God’s depth and admired in their perfec- communicating uniqueness that be- tion. comes the Trinity and from God’s depth God descends towards crea- The whole of the Old Testa- tion and incarnation. ment, human parable from sin to the incarnation of the Word, is a Thus our God has a silence that manifestation of this attribute of St. John of the Cross calls “loud si- God, “silence-word”. The exhorta- lence” because, when contemplated, tion “Listen Israel!” (Deut 6: 4) ech- it reveals to us a God who speaks and oes throughout the whole of the his- not a mute God. God’s ineffable na- tory of salvation right to the end: ture is not willful silence, the “self- At various times in the past and in closure” of an absolute being. From various different ways, God spoke to all eternity there is in God the gen- our ancestors through the prophets; eration of the WORD that becomes but in our own time, the last days, the divine communication in the God has spoken to us through his Holy Spirit: a personal and personal- Son, the Son that he has appointed to ising colloquy in the Trinity. inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is (Heb 1: We know of this wonderful si- 1-2). lence of God only thanks to the In Jesus Christ, God has translated WORD, revealed in creation, in the the Word; generated in the Trinitar- Mosaic covenant, and, fully, in Jesus ian eternal silence (cf. Wis18: 14-15), Christ. into the Incarnation and into the earthly birth of the Word in the si- The silence of God in creation lence of the night in Bethlehem (cf. is the revelation of God’s immense Lk 2: 1-4). power, which does not need the least sound in order to establish the Silence, then, is an essential part laws that call being into existence. of the language of God, the revela- God’s word is enough. In the story tion of God’s greatness, of God’s of creation in Genesis (chs. 1 and 2) mystery, unity (simplicity) in the we find that “God said” is enough in Trinity of persons (communion, order for each reality to acquire its communication of life among them existence. And, when thinking of and in creation). Thus, contemplat- humankind, God wished to make ing silence in God, we understand Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 25 that it is in silence that are born the fundamental attitudes of the person, 3.3.1 The silence of Jesus where the purest expressions are born (puritas cordis), where vital expressions bear the fruits of love, jus- The entire history of Jesus is tice, peace, wisdom, fortitude, pov- one deep lesson on silence, indis- erty…in sum bear the perfection pensable to the realisation of his which becomes gratuity and the ex- mission. From the Incarnation to the ercise of the gift of personal free- Cross and Resurrection, the whole dom. All this is realised in the meas- behaviour of Jesus is marked by si- ure that one allows him/herself to lence. be saturated by silence thus acquir- ing a serene self-presence: “I always By his incarnation, Jesus, who have my soul in my hands”. was from the beginning the Word in the Father (Gal 1, 1ff.), proceeds from the inter-Trinitarian dialogue The Bible teaches us in order to raise humankind to this that silence is the dialogue, making all participate in 3.3 way to the centre of his inheritance, co-heirs in the mys- The silence God. It is the way tery of God. As the Word of God of Jesus that teaches us to that must be proclaimed to the and Mary perceive the coming whole world, he knows that silence is of God, to remain indispensable in order for him to be attentive and awake received. That is why, in order to in faith, accepting and desiring the reveal the greatness of God, he greatest mystery that surrounds hu- comes into the world in the midst of mankind. the deepest silence; divests himself of his divine condition and becomes Although the Bible explicitly obedient unto death even death on recommends some aspects and de- the cross (Phil 2: 6-8). He assumes tails of human behaviour regarding this kenosis: he is born in the silence silence, it does not, however, teach of time (midnight); in social silence or value a silence based only on con- (he emigrates to Bethlehem); in his- trol of speech nor does it propose a torical silence (unknown to the philosophical silence as an initiation great of this earth). He grows in si- into “mysteries” or “mysticisms” of lence (hidden in Nazareth); realises human invention. The silence of the his mission in constant silence, in- Bible concerns the realisation of the tent on announcing his Father and human vocation. This allows one, by not himself. Before the noisy and the help of God’s grace, to come euphoric cries that acclaim and exalt close to the mystery of God himself his miracles, his attitude is one of and to be “caught up into paradise discreet silence. In every situation, and hear things which must not and he always turns to the Father, as for cannot be put into human lan- instance, “I knew indeed that you guage” (2 Cor 12: 4). Basically, it is always hear me, but I speak for the the perception of revelation. The sake of all these who stand round Biblical models par excellence of such me, so that they may believe it was silence are Jesus and Mary. you who sent me” (Jn 11: 42). The characteristic of his mission is that of restoring deep silence to those whom he meets on his way, leading them to the Father: “If you only knew what God is offering…” (Jn 4: 10); “Go home… your son will live” 26 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

(Jn 4: 50); “Go away, and don’t sin any more” (Jn 8: 11); “My daugh- 3.3.2 The silence of Mary ter… your faith has restored you to health; go in peace” (Lk 8: 48); “Be careful not to parade your good Another great model of silence deeds before people to attract their in the Bible is the figure of Mary. notice…” (Mt 6: 1); “When you pray, The Evangelists present only four go into your private room and, when episodes where she intervenes: you have shut your door, pray to . Lk 1: 34-38: her dialogue with your Father who is in that secret the angel at the Annunciation. place…In your prayers do not bab- Her word puts the seal on the vi- ble…(Mt 6: 6-7). tal commitment; she accepts the mission he asks of her. We contemplate the summit of . Lk 1: 46-55: on her visit to Elisa- the greatness of Jesus’ silence in his beth, Mary breaks the silence in passion. Even at the height of Jesus’ connection with the great mys- sufferings, silence reigns in adora- tery of God, but only to say, in tion of the Father and in commun- the Magnificat, that God works ion with God’s will. He reveals him- marvels. self as truly the servant of Yahweh . Lk 2: 48: in fulfilling her mission announced by Isaiah: “Harshly dealt as Mother, when she anxiously with, he never opened his mouth; meets her lost Son and chides like a lamb that is led to the slaugh- him: “Son, why have you done so ter-house, like a sheep that is dumb to us?’ before its shearers” (Isa 53: 7). His . Jn 2: 3, 5: “They have no silence during the most painful wine…” and “Do whatever he moments of his passion (before tells you”. Her concerned si- Herod, Pilate and his executioners: lence leads her to an efficacious Mk 14: 61; Lk 23: 9; Mt 27: 14; Jn 19: request and to help the servants 9) is not the silence of cowardice or to carry out Jesus’ command, fear, but the silence that reveals con- even though it seems to be a formity with his messianic calling; senseless one. that is why he breaks the silence when he has to declare that he is the These four passages, where the sent of the Father (Mt 26: 64; Mk 14: Bible reports the words of Mary, are 62; Jn 18: 36-37) and when he turns very significant. These are essential to the Father in filial trust on the words at crucial moments in the life cross (Mt 27: 46; Lk 23: 43, 46). of Jesus, and so, indispensable in the development of the history of salva- The message of the Resurrec- tion. These are words that reveal the tion is also proclaimed in an atmos- co-redemptive mission of Mary. And phere of silence. Suffice it to see the they hold such strength, preciseness, biblical texts that announced the efficacy, because Mary had under- event of the empty tomb (Lk 24: 3), stood them in the mystery of silence. the discreet apparition to the disciples of Emmaus (Lk 24: 13-35) and . Mt 1: 18-23: the divine origin of the meeting with Mary Magdalene the Messiah. So deep is the mys- (Jn 20: 11-18). Jesus does not appear tery of the Incarnation that Mary in the splendour of divinity, but in protects herself before Joseph familiar and simple, even if sublime, under the veil of silence. We can form. imagine her pain, but also how mature she was and how well she was rewarded! Clearly, here we can also contemplate the beauty

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of Joseph’s silence: “Her hus- Yahweh had made his journey band Joseph, being a man of successful or not”. honour and wanting to spare her . 1Sam 3: 1-20: The call of Samuel; publicity, decided to divorce her it is good to contemplate how informally” (1: 19). Samuel listens attentively to the . Lk 2: 19, 51: “Mary treasured all word in prayer at a difficult mo- these things and pondered them ment in the life of the people of in her heart”. God. He goes back to listen to the Word: “Speak Yahweh, your The silence of Mary, learnt in servant is listening” (3: 10). joy and in admiration of the mystery, . 1Kings 17: 2-6: the prophet Eli- but also in the depth of suffering, jah in the silence of Carith lis- was not a passive silence. On the tens to the call to his mission of contrary, the silence led her ever prophet of the true God… deeper into her commitment as . 1Kings 18: 42: on the summit of mother of the Saviour, of co- Mount Carmel, the silent prayer redeemer. Mary was the faithful dis- of the prophet is heard by the ciple of the Lord, attentive and pen- Lord in contrast to that etrating ever deeper into the mystery screamed by the prophets of of God, realising all that concerned Baal. her relationship with the Son of God . 1Kings 19: 9-18: Elijah, during and his works. Hers was a solicitous, his existential crisis and while strong, stimulating presence from fleeing from his responsibility, Bethlehem to Calvary. Faithful wit- reveals a silent heart when he ness of the Lord, her silence at the hears the voice of God in the Resurrection is the greatest proof of murmur of the gentle breeze. her burning and deep faith, and so . Isa 41: 1; Ab 2: 20; Zac 2: 7, etc.: she could stay in the Cenacle (Act. 2: all the prophets invite the whole 14) watching over the newly born of the earth to silence before Church, in a role which could only God. be fulfilled by her who rendered . Pss 37: 6; 46: 11; 65: 2-3, etc.: concrete the ideal of the strong teach us to keep silent before woman, as proposed in the Bible God. (Prov 31: 10-31). This ideal matures . Lk 9: 36: “This is my Son, the in silence, in meditation of the Chosen One. Listen to him”. It is heart. Thus “When she opens her the Father himself who, at the mouth, she does so wisely; on her Transfiguration, asks us to listen tongue is kindly instruction” (Prov to the Son, to his teachings, 31: 26). above all to the dedication to his redemptive mission. The great events in . Lk 10: 38-39: Jesus in Bethania: the Bible contain an Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who 3.4 exceptional lesson in listens attentively and joyfully to Other silence. Let us consid- the Word of the Lord, “seated biblical er the attitudes of herself at the Lord’s feet, and lis- teachings some figures who un- tened to him speaking”. on silence derstood the invitation of God to listen There are many other situations to God’s plan of love and passages which tell us of the and to dedicate themselves to it: beauty and value of silence, explicit- . Gen 24: 12-21: the servant of ly inviting us to cultivate it as an ex- Abraham finds a spouse for cellent means for our personal Isaac: “while the man watched in growth and benefit. silence, wondering whether 28 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

Wisdom literature gives many Evaluation: counsels that remind people of these dispositions, if they wish to lead an 1 Do I always visit the “school upright, holy and fruitful life. We of the Bible” to study si- recall some: lence? . A flood of words is never without 2 Does silence lead me to the fault, the one who has lips controlled discovery of God’s plan, of is a prudent person (Prov 10: 19). what God has willed for me? . If you have been foolish enough to fly Does silence prepare me to into a passion and now have second realise my mission in the his- thoughts, lay your hand on your lips tory of salvation? Do I see si- (Prov 30: 32). lence from this point of . Whoever scoffs at his/her neighbour view? is a fool, the person of discernment 3 “Mary treasured these holds his/her tongue (Prov 11: 12). things, and pondered them . A time for keeping silent, a time for in her heart” (Lk 2: 19). speaking (Ecclesiastes 3: 7) Which word turned me to- . A wise person will keep quiet till the wards the Lord and did I right moment (Sir. 20: 7). welcome it? 4 At critical moments in my There are many other texts and life, what kind of silence do deep lessons on silence, which one I maintain and what is my must learn if one wishes to penetrate word? What do I need to into the mystery of God and to live learn from the silence of Je- God’s covenant. sus?

Biblical texts for 3.5 internalisation: Further reading Many texts have been cited. Select those you prefer.

Attentive reading of the text:

1 Look for other texts dealing with silence in the Bible. 2 Read: Pss 13: 2; 28: 1; 83: 2; 109: 1. How do we interpret that which we call “the silence of God”?

Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 29

each of you, to weigh his words in; keep a tight rein on your mouths, lest you should 4 stumble and fall in speech and your fall be irreparable and prove mortal. Like the Prophet, watch your step lest your tongue Silence in give offence, and employ every care in keeping silent, which is the way to foster Carmelite holiness.”

As revealed in the whole of the tradition provisions of our Rule, silence is to give content to life, authority to the word, sense, content and transpar- ency to dialogue and communica- If you remain united tion, especially in that which con- to the light it will teach cerns the highest level of human life. 4.1 you everything, it will Silence is the means, an indispensa- Introduction reveal whatever needs ble one, recognised as sound from to be learnt, not with the experience of many who in the words, but in another past and in the present have chosen way. to live according to this Rule. It is strange and remarkable what au- Silence without internal words thority this Rule holds, a Rule that is would be nothing, absolute emptiness. so brief and concise, yet woven with “well-chosen words”, born from lived Silence makes up much of the experience rather than from mere Rule of Carmel. In other prescrip- concepts and empty considerations. tions it is succinct and concise, but Seven centuries have already gone when it presents silence in number by, and we are witnesses still to its 21, it does so explicitly with biblical relevance, its vigour in the twentieth references and in detail as to its ob- century, in spite of all modern inno- servance. Let us look at the main vations. The value of silence is em- points of its content: phasised in the Rule not only by the The Apostle would have us keep silence, words in number 21, but by the for in silence he tells us to work. As the whole style of life it puts before us. Prophet also makes known to us: Silence is the way to foster holiness. Elsewhere he says, Your strength will lie in silence and The Carmelite’s hope. style of life is 4.2 marked in a special For this reason I lay down that you Carmelite kind by silence. The are to keep silence from after Compline experiences whole of the Rule until after Prime the next day. of silence At other times, although you need not implies that a life of keep silence so strictly, be careful not to silence is synony- indulge in a great deal of talk, for as mous with a full life, Scripture has it - and experience teaches because it is a life of intimacy with us no less - sin will not be wanting where God, of fraternity, and of service. It there is much talk, and he who is careless is only by learning to dialogue well in speech will come to harm; and else- that a fruitful spiritual life is possi- where: The use of many words brings ble. And, as we have seen that dia- harm to the speaker's soul. And our Lord logue consists in WORD-SILENCE. says in the Gospel: Every rash word ut- The Carmelite must learn reveren- tered will have to be accounted for on tial silence in his/her relationship judgement day. Make a balance then, with God. “The Lamb then broke the seventh seal, and there was si- 30 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

lence in heaven for about half an by the word matured in silence: hour” (Rev 8: 1). prayer in common, the celebration of the Eucharist together, communi- To learn Silence-Word one ty meetings, work, justified commit- needs to go through solitude and ments including preaching, and all the desert. “Silence and solitude are without useless conversations. brother and sister who hold hands and gently help each other” (John of All this leads us to the conclu- St. Samson, Theorems). Fr. Michael of sion that: “Silence is voluntary soli- St. Augustine calls silence “insepara- tude, kept even in the midst of the ble companion of solitude”. From its people. Without silence man is at- earliest origins, Carmelite life is pre- tracted to external things. It is si- sented in a style that may be called lence that makes the desert, without hermitic-communitarian. The first which it is impossible to find holi- Carmelites established themselves ness” (L. Herling, S.J., Ascetic and on Mount Carmel (in the valley of Mystical Theology). the pilgrims and the hermits) and there found caves to live in a solitary When the formula of life was environment. Not only this. As mod- transformed into a religious Rule, ern historians affirm, they served the group gained in stability and was pilgrims on their way to Accon- inserted into the apostolic fraternity Cesarea in a spontaneous apostolate of the Mendicants. The eremitic demanded by the situation and by a demands are kept but adapted to life of charity, fruit of their solitude: the new environment (after their The vineyard of the Lord has flowered migration to Europe) and the com- anew…because from the various parts of munity requirements are increased the world, from every tribe and tongue, (meals in common, the vows, “ap- and from every nation under the sun, propriate places” and not just her- pilgrims hastened to the Holy Land, reli- mitages, the recitation of the Liturgy gious men, attracted by the sacred and of the Hours like clerics, the owner- venerable places…Holy men left the world ship of asses and mules, the use of and, in their zeal to serve the Lord, meat when travelling, etc.). The moved by different feelings and motives, same attention to silence is kept, sought places that corresponded best to and, for practical reasons, further their ideal and devotion…Some lived in establishing the obligation on the imitation of the great Prophet Elijah as community of the observance of si- hermits… They lived in solitude, each on lence from Compline to Prime. “Si- his own, in small cells like beehives, lence creates and preserves the at- where like bees they produced the divine mosphere…of the religious life.” honey of spiritual sweetness (James de Vitry). A great effort is made to pre- serve the eremitic spirit (life in soli- Here we find the first statement tude), deepening the values of the which shows the value of silence in charism, always cultivating silence the life adopted by the Carmelites: before the new challenges: clericali- choice of appropriate places, imita- sation, travelling on the quest, ur- tion of the great Prophet Elijah, banisation, university teaching, etc. hermits in small cells like beehives. A further analysis based on their way This silence was not necessarily of life shows that their experience of identified with the seclusion of the silence was well organised on a person, estrangement from life, al- community basis: election of a prior, ienation from reality. In this study it obedience to him in their work, a is necessary to draw attention to the specific cell, the invitation to remain fact that silence and solitude may in the cell. This was also expressed arise from neurosis, sickness, a de- Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 31 sire to escape from life and reality. an external sign of life that the Car- Silence and solitude may also be the melites sought and still seek, but result of egotism born of the search they really desired and still desire to for self-comfort and, what is worse, achieve the renunciation of all that rationalised and made sacred. This is is attached to the old person in or- not the silence of Carmel. In Car- der to arrive at the experience of the mel, the search for solitude and si- ABSOLUTE of GOD and of the rela- lence is one with the experience of tivity of all else, including people the desert, that is purification, and and oneself. thus involves a very demanding and active silence and solitude, not Let the classic of Carmelite life, sought for personal satisfaction, illu- the book De institutione primorum sion of holiness, or neurotic and monachorum, speak to us: egotistic escape from life and peo- For he (Elijah), in order to achieve divine ple. This wrong use of silence is contemplation and because of his desire worse when those who practise it for a higher perfection, left behind the take on a meek and pseudo mystical cities and, abandoning all that is earthly attitude. and worldly, started, first among men, to live a religious and prophetic-eremitic The desert (the hermitage) life… This life consists in offering a holy which gives form to Carmelite si- heart, pure from all stains of sin… and lence and solitude, is an experience even in this life to experience in the heart that leads the person to a purifica- and in the mind the force of the divine tion of its ambiguities, towards a rad- presence and the sweetness of the heavenly ical Christian commitment, creating glory… the conditions for following Christ, “to serve him pure in heart and stout What the author puts forward as in conscience”. the example of the life in the desert and “exercise” of silence of the This, however, is not a Carmel- prophet Elijah, is quite concrete: he ite discovery. The tradition of the renounces all passing things, he re- desert goes back to the Bible. Abra- nounces his own will and concupis- ham, our father in faith, Moses, the cence, he seeks an undivided heart, people of God, the exodus (going perfect love, he avoids all that may through the desert), Elijah, our weaken charity and embraces pov- “founder” and inspirer, John the erty, chastity and obedience in order Baptist and Jesus himself, all went to grow in love. Finally he puts for- through their experience of the de- ward the most absolute of silences, sert and lived marked by the values namely the death of self in order to that come from this spring. We can- contemplate God who dwells in in- not understand biblical spirituality accessible light. It is in this mould of without this dimension. thinking that many generations of Carmelites were formed. The practice of the desert, which includes silence – absence or Throughout the centuries, the purification from the solicitations Constitutions of the Order and of that prevent love - is the keynote and Carmelite Congregations have al- is part of any serious search for God. ways kept and encouraged this pre- When we examine how our brothers scription. In their directives they al- put this practice into effect, we dis- ways show fidelity to the primitive cover that silence-solitude-desert is ideal of Carmel, insisting on a life of not just a geographical refuge in recollection, flight from anything some hermitage or the practice of that might endanger or threaten it, some psychological exercise. It is a the use of appropriate means to en- way of following Jesus. It is not just sure life in the presence of God. In 32 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

the 1971 revision, applying the di- There are many other texts of rectives of Vatican Council II, the our Carmelite brothers and sisters Constitutions of the Order are faith- that speak of this important charac- ful to the recommendation of these teristic of our life. We can look them means: “The interior man is aware up. To conclude, we cite only two of that times of silence are requisites of our contemporary sisters: Elisabeth divine love. As a rule he needs peri- of the Trinity (†1906) and Edith ods of solitude so that he may hear Stein (†1942) who were great friends God speaking to his heart” (Consti- of silence and who proclaim it with tutions 1971, n. 58). their lives. The following texts are interesting: Blessed John Soreth (†1471), On Mount Carmel, in silence and soli- when, in his Expositio Regulae, speaks tude, in uninterrupted prayer because of the Carmelite ideal and the kept up through the various occupations, means to attain it, emphasises, the Carmelite lives as s/he would in among other things, silence and soli- heaven… Thus the soul yearns for silence tude: in order to penetrate ever more the infinite The cell protects the son of grace… it being… S/he loves silence and prayer, nourishes him, embraces him, leads him because it is the essence of our life. The to the fullness of perfection and makes Virgin’s attitude during the months be- him worthy of conversing with God… tween the Annunciation and Christmas The cell of the servant of the Lord is like is the model of interior souls, of those cho- the holy temple of God. As in the temple sen by God to live an inner life, in the so in the cell, divine matters are dealt depth of the bottomless abyss… And this with, but in the cell, even more frequent- does not prevent them from giving them- ly… You will have an external and an selves outwardly when charity demands. internal cell: the external cell is the room (Elisabeth of the Trinity) of your soul and body; the internal cell is your conscience, where the God of your The visible events that renew the face of interior world must dwell with your spir- the earth are anticipated in the silent dia- it. logue of the souls consecrated to God… Jesus gave himself to solitary prayer in the John of St. Samson (†1636) quiet of the night, atop the mountain, in taught the novices the value of si- the desert, far from people… lence, calling the custom of keeping (Edith Stein) silence “the virtue of silence”, difficult to achieve for those who are To live life fully poor in the gifts of the spirit. This means going to the quotation of his is precious: 4.3 root of one’s being, It is often necessary to go to extremes in Carmelite to discover the truth order to find the just mean. Hence one silence and about oneself, start- must exercise absolute silence. In order to commitment ing with contempla- achieve the necessary attitude of speaking tion and the search well and with precision, silence and soli- for the truth that is tude are two brothers who hold hands to God, in order to realise God’s plan. help each other. Interior silence is more Carmelite spirituality presents noth- perfect than exterior silence. It checks and ing less than nor different than this, controls the movements of all the pas- even though in the light of some sions. We must achieve interior silence by ideologies the contrary may seem to practising exterior silence… Silence is a be true. It offers us a global plan, very important cure for our blindness and complete, efficient, challenging and all other spiritual defects (Spiritual sen- life giving. To accept it, one must tences). understand that silence is achieved by going through the desert. This journey may begin with less than Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 33 perfect psychological and sociologi- have now arrived”. The further we cal motivations, but, as one pro- go into the journey, the more we gresses in one’s search for God, the meet with light and the greater is motivations are purified and the our desire to advance further still. person is led to an increasingly full option for life, emerging in love of Through the silence of the de- solidarity, even to achieving fraternal sert we discover our depth, solitude. communion. We stand alone before God, and this presence is sufficient to fulfil and The desert for us begins precise- give meaning to our life. It is “the ly when we listen to the call and lone one facing the lone ones with open ourselves to live it. Detachment the One alone”. Then it is the “loud” from family, friends, work, social silence that takes place in us and this conditions, country, etc. are, in one brings us to constant adoration! sense, the gateway to the desert. It is Then, free and living in pure faith the material, external “displace- and in authenticity, the fruits of si- ment” which may cost a lot at first, lence, the love of God with all our but which is indispensable for hu- heart, all our strength, all our mind, man maturity from the spiritual per- become real. And so we shall love spective. Human life, of its nature, our neighbour as God loves involves the dimension of exodus, of him/her. It is from this that our search, of pilgrimage that brought commitment to the world originates. St. Teresa of Jesus to define it as “a If in silence we meet our pettiness, night spent in the worst hotel”. meanness, mediocrity, our sin, we Gradually we discover that we must also discover joyfully that we meet change from inside: “Change your true love in the merciful God, in the soul and not your place”. Attitudes, God who loved us first. Then we will criteria, feelings, thoughts, ways of have silenced the spirit of the world being and acting must be increasing- and there emerges in us the pres- ly overcome and purified from the ence of God. We come to the expe- ambiguity that they bear because riential knowledge of the gratuitous they are born of selfishness. generosity of God and the desire to identify ourselves with God in the The journey through the desert love of neighbour. of learning silence and solitude in order to overcome one’s limitations That is why solitude has always is not without its pains. But there is held an important place in Carmel- also a happy side to the celebration. ite life, which aims to live in deepest Our Carmelite mysticism teaches intimacy with God by following in thus! This is one of its most beautiful the footsteps of Christ, the basis of aspects. It does not bring us to the its fraternity and service. This is an cult of purification or to the tempta- Elijan inheritance which was taught tion of a sterile puritanism, but it by the Fathers of the Church who, reminds us that the journey through even before the birth of the Order, the desert is made in darkness and saw Elijah, our inspirer, as such: light at the same time. This is be- Life in solitude is beautiful and bright cause the journey through the desert and when my self-esteem refuses to accept allows us to have a double and inte- it, Carmel and the great Elijah teach it to grating experience of the relativity me (St. Gregory of Nazianzen). of all things, including ourselves, and of the knowledge of God. It will Silence exists for the Word. If always be so: from the beginning to there is solitude without silence it is the end of the journey, sometimes a silence without presence, without darkness will dominate, sometimes Word, it is not the Carmelite soli- light. We can never say definitely: “I tude-silence. This would impoverish 34 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

the person and not bring growth between created reality and God; and fullness. Solitude does not de- succeeds in maintaining the fight prive the person of anything in the and contributing efficaciously to the spiritual life, but prepares the per- transformation of the world. son for presence, leads to adoration, transforming relationships and ser- The Carmelite Family does not vice into signs of love. Blessed Titus lack examples. One of the most top- Brandsma explained this clearly ical is our brother Titus Brandsma when he wrote: who, in his supreme suffering for the Solitude is the journey that takes us di- redemption of humankind, found, rectly to our ultimate search that is in his silent and solitary life, the God…. For the Carmelite, solitude is the strength to pray and give himself in expression of detachment from the world a cheerful and adoring manner: and of belonging to God. Dear Lord, when looking up to Thee, I see Thy loving eyes on me; Only life in the PRESENCE of Love overflows my humble heart, GOD can give us a privileged place Knowing what faithful Friend Thou art. to observe reality, allowing us to see each thing in its right place and in A cup of sorrow I foresee, its right proportion, and to discover Which I accept for love of Thee. in the light of this supreme truth its Thy painful way I wish to go; authentic meaning and value. Only The only way to God, I know. then is it possible to follow con- sciously the call of God, in a full real- My soul is full of peace and light; isation of ourselves: Although in pain, this light shines bright, Silence promotes justice, and, more, your For here thou keepest to Thy breast strength lies in silence and hope…and My longing heart to find there rest. seek attentively and prudently to keep the silence that promotes justice” (RA 21). Leave me here freely all alone, In cell where never sunlight shone. Unless we dedicate ourselves to Should no one ever speak to me, reality, starting from God and God’s This golden silence makes me free! justice, we shall live at the mercy of pragmatism, at a superficial level; For though alone, I have no fear; and we not only compromise our- Never wert Thou, o Lord, so near. selves, but, through our human way Sweet Jesus, please, abide with me! of reckoning, we weaken our service My deepest peace I find in Thee. for the Kingdom. The solitude born of silence separates our being, our Only the one who has discov- interior world from all concrete mat- ered LOVE, present ever so deep ters and situations, leading us direct- within the self, can come to the full ly to union with the ONE who is the giving of self in PEACE and JOY; but source of our existence. From this it is impossible to perceive this love solitude it is possible to order our without silence and solitude. whole life, and hence, to commit ourselves to reality, purified from Silence-solitude selfishness and rightly turned to- introduces us wards God. Without silence-solitude 4.4 gradually to our Practical our being cannot be open to the di- most intimate changes vine dimension, to the point of real- nature, that worked by ly achieving God’s plan for us and which our Car- silence-solitude for the world. This is the Carmelite melite language way of preparing for and realising calls “the summit mission. That is why only a mystic of the mountain succeeds in living on the frontier that is Christ”, “the interior castle”, Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 35 the “aim of the little way”, “life in 4.4.1 Life from the exterior God’s presence”, “finding heaven on earth”, “the Marian way of life”, etc. to one’s interior

This is realised in practice because The basic psycho-biological silence-solitude leads us to live at a needs of a person are well known. deep level even to the fullest com- We achieve our integration when we munion with God. accept them as an integral part of

and direct them according to the Phenomenologically too, a great plan of the creator God for the body change takes place in us, not always and for the psyche. Integration, in evident at first sight, but which fact, is the fruit of the clear gradually shapes our being and gives knowledge of oneself and the cir- it an interior look, so deep and cumstances of life, and accepting clear, so strong and natural that it them in the light of God. It is thus, actually transforms us “in the image and only thus, that we shall reach and likeness of God”. Our interior personal perfection and life acquires attitude changes because the centre full meaning. The sense of guilt, and source of our life is God re- sadness, distress, all the things that vealed in Jesus. We acquire his way cause neurosis will disappear. It is in of thinking, his criteria, his values living in depth that our being rests and his love. Our being acquires and finds PEACE and JOY. Our substance and identity. commitment to the diaconia will be

a joyful witness of the presence of Our external attitude also is God in us. changed by our convictions: “The mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart”. The spiritual life, the life of the new person, acquires al- 4.4.2 Disintoxication of the most visible outlines. It is no longer person and genuine the good that directs our small ac- satisfaction tions, but the SUPREME GOOD. We are rooted in the unique and perfect If we are distracted, our natural essence of LOVE that is God. We are tendency often strongly draws us to- thus, “naturally” spiritual and this wards an attachment to the necessi- becomes our way of acting. ties of life, which are also contingent. We are absorbed by the envi- Among the main changes which ronment. Our mind, memory and silence-solitude (or life in the de- heart lead us to anxiety, insatiability, sert) work in us, and which are easy and fear of losing little things. We to discern in our lives, are the fol- place our interior substance more in lowing (not necessarily in this or- material things than in ABSOLUTE der): LOVE. In solitude-silence, we intuit . life from the exterior to one’s that the passions and desires are interior; taken for granted and understood . disintoxication of the person and gradually lose their false sense and genuine satisfaction; because we listen more to God who . going from possessiveness to transforms us from the “old person” freedom; into the “new person”. Then our . open to the universal merciful commitment to reality will be truer love; because it will be free from attach- . life of discernment; ments and slavery. . going from the memory of God to living in God’s presence.

36 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

4.4.3 Going from all the time and exclusively. It is not possible to think of other matters. possessiveness to freedom Constant discernment, which puri-

fies the motivations and means of

our actions, will be our daily guide As our brothers and sisters from in every situation. Then, silence the past tell us, silence-solitude in- gives rise to an attitude of adoration troduces us gradually into the free- and so, more than any ideology, to dom of the children of God. the capacity of giving, of faithfulness, Through purification we pass from of perfection, of honesty and of a attachment and possessiveness to the complete giving of self, even to the process of liberation from ties. Go- cross. Action will be without many ing from the many to the one, from words, because it arises from the re- the ephemeral to the eternal, from lationship with the Lord, and is not the contingent to the essential – a based on weak motivations, but only real journey through the desert – on the plan of God. The light of and this results in the fullness of God will be sought constantly in dis- freedom! And, clearly, even though cernment, which is the true guardi- not fully in this life, this purification an of silence. leads us to an experience of the joy

and beauty of life in the “all-

nothing”, a little heaven on earth. 4.4.6 Going from the memory of God to living in 4.4.4 Open to the universal God’s presence merciful love

Union with God touches one’s If we dwell on the Rule meditat- most secret roots, embracing one ed with love, it will grow in value. totally. Union with God reveals to us The deep consciousness of our fra- whatever was obscure in life: “I no gility taken up by the ever-present longer call you servants…” The cer- LOVE of GOD opens us to merciful tainty of one’s love takes on an un- love towards our brothers and sis- mistakable character, demanding ters. The capacity to love, because more and more loving silence- freed from passion and the worship attention and experiencing an ever of self, manifests itself in welcoming growing thirst for God. One experi- every person joyfully, kindly and ences a certain “natural” living to- gently. Thus, one of the more evi- gether with God and naturally one dent fruits of silence-solitude is takes one’s eyes off vanities, formal- meeting the brothers and sisters and isms, wordiness, worldliness, etc. It is getting out of the narrow circle of the possession of the INFINITE oneself. Personal assurance, based GOOD that gives endless rest and on the intimate and constant pres- happiness. In one’s life, one feels ence of God, allows us to say to the the TRINITY as the “parental home” other without any fear: “Come in, where one wishes to live for ever. the dwelling of the heart is yours”. And so silence in practice becomes praise: “For you, O God, silence is praise” and solitude becomes “loud”. It becomes COMMUNION with the 4.4.5 Life of discernment SUPREME GOOD and, in the

SUPREME GOOD, peopled with the A loving devotion to God, the brothers and sisters and with reality. only aim of silence-solitude, leads us One achieves life in vacare Deo, to examine God’s plan for the world Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 37 which is what the Rule invites us to Evaluation aim for. 1 Experience a “time” of silence. Biblical texts for Look for a suitable time and 4.5 internalisation: place. Try to spend the time Further alone in the presence of God. reading Ps 1 – Ps 15 – 1Kings 19 2 Some other time, evaluate the – 1 Pt 1: 18-24 – Gen 3 – time spent in silence: Ex 2: 1; 3: 3. a)Where was my heart? b)What did I notice occupied Careful reading of the text: my mind? c)Look for the qualities you

came across in your silence 1 Look up the biblical texts in . spontaneous or forced? number 21 of the Rule and ex- . happy or sad? amine them in their context in . enriching or impover- the Bible. ishing? 2 Based on the text, define silence, . quiet or tense? solitude, the desert, and estab- . loud or silent? lish the relationship among the 3. What do you think of all this? three elements. (Distinguish What have you discovered? What their geographical, psychological have you learnt? and spiritual aspects.) 4. At some other time, repeat the 3 Research the witness of brothers experience. and sisters whose thoughts are 5. Share your thoughts, feelings, presented by the text. Copy oth- and conclusions with your spir- er quotations from them and itual director. from other Carmelites. 4 In your reports, have you come across the characteristics of a life of silence as presented in 4.4 above? Describe these and show how they manifest themselves.

38 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

NOTES Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 39

to leave room for God: “I must de- crease and he must increase”. They 5 know how to create space to dispose the heart for the divine explosion. They, therefore, live as though they Learning saw the INVISIBLE (Heb 11: 27). It is by harmonising language and ex- Silence pression that they become ever more coherent in their project of life.

Freedom from isolation for an authentic com- That is why Carmelites 5.2 munication is obtained are modest in their Silence only by teaching the 5.1 gait, do not talk loud, and being heart at the “school of Introduction seek not to make noise solitude and silence”, and so always keep the that is, to “acquire the silence… But there is enduring attitude of renouncing the another silence that is interior silence… temptation of reducing others to This is the silence the Carmelite must ourselves and our needs and instead practise in order to acquire the proximate permit each one to be himself in his disposition for mystical union with the uniqueness and in his openness to heavenly Spouse and for a life of intima- others” and to “dialogue in its deep- cy with him… er sense, where one knows how to Every Carmelite must be convinced that hear the other as such” (Gen. the second sign of the Carmelite spirit is Congr. 1974, The Carmelite Today, solicitude in observing silence. The first is n.2). love of solitude. (Michael of St. Augustine) In this “school of solitude and silence” one goes from the need of In the quotation above, the the other as object of love to true form that must characterise the atti- love, which comes form an under- tude of a Carmelite is well defined. It standing of the other and of love is not just a formality, a manner of purified from selfishness. One no appearing, of a cultural prescription, longer reduces the other to oneself but much more! It is not a matter of and one’s image, but one begins to looking at a model and imitating contemplate the other as such, wel- that model, nor is it a mere external coming and respecting his/her mys- attitude or an imposition of the law. tery. Our silence must teach us to It is a way of behaviour, which must listen to the other and to accept absolutely derive from a fuller hu- him/her as s/he is. Solitude, the man maturity, and at the same time companion of silence, must express be an expression and guardian of itself in the renunciation of all that contemplation. We all have a verbal reduces the other to one’s image, and non-verbal language. Both must misunderstanding his/her individu- come from the heart and, as far as ality, his/her material and spiritual possible, be in harmony. Only those gifts. In this way, silence will be truly who are immersed in contemplation “the cult of justice”. Only the “school naturally detach themselves from the of silence and solitude” teaches us vain needs that focus on things in this. the insatiable search for more things that are felt to be missing… Only The Carmelite tries to learn si- they, moved by God, can be discreet, lence, creating his/her own envi- putting themselves, other persons ronment, since it is only in such an and things in the shadow, in order environment that intimacy with God 40 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

can grow. Growing in this school, intimate level and creates conditions the Carmelite understands existen- conducive to peace, purification, tially that silence, apart from con- self-understanding and self- tributing to rest, to a very human expression. It leads to authentic life, to being beneficial to one’s speech. Without this silence, life is work and, sometimes, to being a psy- lived at the periphery of one’s self, chotherapeutic element, it also be- leading even to an inhuman exist- comes a freely chosen attitude of ence. Without silence the heart be- heart, a habit, something conquered comes a public place and falls into and, according to the invitation of relativism, violence, greediness, con- the Rule, something which comes sumerism and materialism. The mul- from inside and is not imposed as a tiplication of noise, “words”, leads bridle on the soul. This journey may one to lose the ability to perceive be difficult at first, but awareness of reality and the substance of the word its value and of its practical aspect as its expression. Much is said, little will gradually make it natural. is communicated.

The Carmelite, immersed in si- The lack of silence in a person lence, presents an interior and exte- weakens that person because of the rior bearing proper to one intimate dispersion of forces, interior frag- with God, grows in contemplative mentation, leading one to multiplic- sensitivity, is capable of waiting on ity at the expense of unity and sim- God, seeing God, listening to God in plicity of being for whom “only one the “gentle breeze” (1Kings 19: 12) thing is necessary” (Lk 10: 42). It and of speaking to God intimately, may be said that for us Carmelites, all the time. Because for the Carmel- who are invited to “meditate day and ite, to live is to “communicate with night on the law of the Lord”, si- God from morning till evening and lence is the factor that unites all the from evening till morning” (Elisa- interior forces and directs them to beth of the Trinity). To achieve per- God, allowing us to live this process fection on this journey, it is essential of Internalisation of the LOVE OF to opt for silence, know it, experi- GOD, revealed in Jesus Christ. Chil- ence it and make it a natural way of dren of pilgrims, heirs of the spiritu- life. We are complex beings and we ality of the Exodus and descendants have a life ad intra and a life ad extra. of the hermits, our life is a journey In each of these there are immense and a remaining in the Lord: possibilities. We become whole be- . who is eternal truth (cf. Mt 24: ings when we succeed in integrating 35); all the spheres broken by our weak- . whose depths are unfathomable ness. This is achieved slow- (cf. Jn 6: 64); ly…sometimes more demanding, . whose substance satisfies (cf. Es sometimes less. The journey towards 3: 1 ff.); the conquest of perfect silence is . who alone can be kept in one’s long. One must make a start… Di- heart (cf. Lk 2: 19); dactically we must pass through the . who comforts and strengthens us school of exterior and interior si- (cf. Rom 15: 4); lence, gradually integrated and mu- . who leads us to perfection (cf. tually influencing each other until 1Tim 3: 16-17). they become fused. To live in silence is to stay ever Exterior silence is connected closer to one’s identity (heirs of God with the external bearing of a per- and co-heirs with Christ), ever more son; it controls physical movements, free from the consequences of sin, which are the expression of its life ad ever more open to love and to being extra. Interior silence lies at the most loved, in order to internalise ever Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 41 more the plan of God and realise it. and means of communication. It is Silence makes us attentive to the not the lack of communication or ABSOLUTE all the time, leading us fear of others. Silence is not a syno- to discern and practise more and nym of dumbness, of death or of fu- more the will of God. The silent per- neral. It looks like distancing oneself son learns to seek and rejoice in- from the world, but it cannot be creasingly in truth. Silence helps us identified with it. It is the ordinary to distance ourselves from talkative- climate and common environment ness, from those things which pre- for the development of loving inti- vent growth; becomes a source lead- macy with God. That is why, even ing to transcendence; facilitates though the Rule establishes times of communion among us, with others greater silence, for the Carmelite and things; is the source of deep en- there are no places where one can richment; guides the journey which talk more or less (excepting the brings us and keeps us before God; needs of community). Every hour is sharpens our receptivity; promotes a time of silence for the Carmelite, our general calm, which is the prel- because the life of intimacy and dia- ude of LOVE and a full realisation of logue with God is uninterrupted. It being. Silence will know how to keep is important to look at the silence of the WORD: “Consecrate them by Jesus. He was incarnated in the means of truth – your word is truth” midst of people to redeem them and (Jn 17: 17). to announce to them the “good news” (the same commitment as for Silence is acquired his disciples), yet he lived in the spir- and demands from us it of the desert. Silence did not 5.3 a process that in- weaken his power of communica- The school cludes motivations, tion, nor did it take him away from of silence content and exercise. his mission: “He speaks as one hav- ing authority” (Lk 4: 22). Flight from The true motiva- commitments as an excuse for si- tion for silence lies in lence is a perversion of silence: “The our option to seek God in an Order crowds followed him” (Mt 4: 25). that has experienced silence in its tradition of seven centuries. This is The first absolutely necessary not a theoretical experience, but the step at the school of silence is keep- experience of Elijah, of John of St. ing the heart in the desert and, at Samson, of Magdalene de’ Pazzi, of the same time, in solitude. We must Michael of St. Augustine, of Teresa meet the world, live in the world, of Jesus, of John of the Cross, of but not let the world overpower us Elisabeth of the Trinity, etc. If Car- in any way: “I am in the world no mel is my vocation, I can never ques- more, but these are in the world” (Jn tion the value of silence in its various 17: 11). In practice we can try to ex- phases, of that silence which leads to ercise: vacare Deo and to its practice. . silence in our speech . silence in our bearing (our ex- The content of silence needs pressions, our actions). further reflection. It is good for us to begin learning silence remembering always that it is necessary for the 5.3.1 The relationship spiritual life, and that deeper silence in the Carmelite life is not simply between silence and word the absence of or the distancing The word is a great gift. It gives oneself from noise and talkativeness. us the power to express our being, It is not some kind of inhibition or and, at the same time, as in a circle, form of atrophy of words, gestures 42 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

to capture reality. There are long sential part. This weakens the capac- psychological-anthropological dis- ity for perfection to which we are cussions concerning the question: called. By making the word absolute, does one speak because one thinks, one transforms it into “idle talk”, or does one think because one into a talking mania. In order for speaks? There is still no answer to the word to achieve its aim of ex- this question. In any case, experi- pressing LOVE-TRUTH, of promot- ence shows us that there is a close ing and celebrating COMMUNION, connection between word and the word must be purified from the thought. It is good to remember our contagion of sin, which renders it childhood, how it was that gradually ambiguous. “The tongue can be our we produced sounds to interpret life damnation” (cf. Jn 22: 27; Jas 3: 1- and our environment. Then we 12). elaborated on that and continued to express ourselves…to this day. The Rule teaches us that the strength of the word comes from It is the word that distinguishes silence. To be silent for us Carmel- humans from beasts. It may be said ites is to immerse ourselves in the to be at the service of humanity’s mystery of Christ, learning with him freedom because it allows people to to “see” and “love”, hence to express tend towards TRUTH and to settle ourselves. Only contact with the in- there: “Let your yes be yes, and your carnate Word of God can purify us no, no”. The word is of immense and give sense to our word. We must importance! Consequently, those penetrate the depths of our reality who seek maturity and fullness of life and that of the world in order to must learn to use this implement. understand the meaning of events, messages and situations and thus to So great is the value of the word give “weight” to our verbal expres- that God communicates with us by sion and produce fruit: “Happy the means of the WORD. It is through one…who finds pleasure in the law the Word that God created heaven of Yahweh and murmurs his law day and earth (Gen), and sent us the and night. S/he is like a tree that is incarnated Word, Jesus Christ. When planted by running streams, yielding the Holy Spirit came to confirm the its fruit in season, its leaves never faith of the Apostles it was in the fading; success attends all s/he does” form of tongues of fire (is this a (Ps 1: 1-3). symbol of the purified tongue?). Thus, the word needs silence to be Only in the school of the Wis- conceived, nourished and matured dom of God will we be able to have a to express reality intensely and word that builds, a word that merits truthfully. Otherwise it would be an to be heard because it comes from a empty word without meaning. To heart united with God. It is not just speak much, without the necessary sound, but, in fact, experience of interior deepening (deep under- truth, of the essence of being. And it standing of that which one wishes to will be a valuable word that creates express, its sense, what it implies, challenge and arouses admiration: possible consequences) is to run the They will wait on my silences, risk of saying useless, superficial, and pay attention when I speak; empty things. These are the idle if I speak at some length, they will lay words, which the Rule warns us “will their hand on their lips. have to be accounted for”. (Wis 8: 12)

Speaking without the support of Nobody must imagine that s/he is reli- silence produces also an emptying of gious while s/he still goes on deceiving oneself, the alienation of one’s es- him/herself and not keeping control over Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 43 his/her tongue; anyone who does this has ing us. God’s action has the quality the wrong idea of religion. of God’s love, this is why it is perfect, The only person who could reach perfec- creative and universal. Our action tion would be someone who never said then should have: anything wrong – s/he would be able to . this same quality – evangelical control every part of him/herself. effectiveness; (Jas 1: 26; 3: 2) . the same motivation that makes the heart of God act – the crea- Beware of idle words, that is those that tive-redemptive-sanctifying mis- are not used to give glory to GOD and for sion; the good and the benefit of the neighbour . the same objective – God’s or of oneself… LOVE reflected in ourselves, our Be faithful to your observance of silence, brothers and sisters, the world. because unnecessary speech is rarely without fault. For the Carmelite, action con- If you do not like sweet silence, it is im- sists in allowing God to be God in us, possible for you to taste the things of God, who seeks to transform us ever more and so you will always be afflicted and into God’s image and likeness; in anxious. taking on the mission of helping our From not knowing how to restrain the brothers and sisters and the world tongue, come many evils that are the towards that same transformation. cause of anxiety. Only the WORD heard in silence (Mary Magdalene de’Pazzi) can render us capable of a liberating and transforming action. That is why But if you, Lord, do not watch over my our work must be done in an atmos- house, in vain would I keep watch, so I phere of recollection, so that it may beg you with all my heart: restrain and spring from our inner being as an moderate my tongue, watch over my eyes answer to the Word heard in silence. that they may not feed on vanity. Deign Moreover, our action must be con- to direct, sanctify, rule and govern my stantly united to the Word so that heart, my body and my senses, my words action may not just be activity or just and my actions in your law and in the for our satisfaction. Our contribu- fulfilment of your precepts. (B.R.) tion towards serving and sanctifying the world will be to exclude from It would be a grave mistake to think that our action-being: noise, distractions, one could explain, with whatever kind of whatever may take away from the word, that which the love and the secrets plan of God or delay God’s plan of of God suggest. Who would be capable of love. describing what God says to the souls in whom God abides? Who could reveal in The work of the Carmelite must words the feelings that God arouses? be done with a pure heart so that it (St. John of the Cross, may become a perfect act of adora- Spiritual Canticle) tion. This will happen if our action is the fruit of silence, because only silence leads the person to perceive 5.3.2 Silence and service the LOVE of GOD, to keep it in one’s heart, to live attentive to this love and to be moved to action by Work is one of the richest and God’s project and not by our own liveliest expressions of the person, of desire. Silence matures through ac- his/her reality and ability to give of tion that is in harmony with the self. Even God revealed God’s self in ABSOLUTE, and acquires the full action, creating us, sustaining us, meaning of “To serve God and the calling us to life, loving us first, sav- brothers and sisters”. Carmelite action, as recommended in the Rule 44 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

(no. 20), aims at making the person violent movements that break the grow into being responsible for harmony of one’s being, passions, his/her life and announcing the attachments, self-comfort, the seek- “Good News” to the brothers and ing of personal advantages and in- sisters. But when the Rule orders terests, sensuality, neglect of poverty, Carmelites to work, it recommends exaggerated attention to oneself, that they “earn their own bread by giving up the cross for comfort… By silent toil. This is the way of holiness neglecting silence, one compromises and goodness…” Here is a good one’s human-spiritual maturity, be- Carmelite example: cause: With what peace and recollection did . this weakens or even takes away Mary work, giving herself in everything! the deep motivation for one’s ac- In her, even the most insignificant action: the liberating plan of God; tions were rendered divine because in all . one experiences stressing con- things she was in constant adoration of flicts, one is disturbed, living an the gift of God. Nothing stopped her from increasingly material life; giving herself to external work because she . one increasingly adopts worldly worked for love. criteria that substitute for the (Elisabeth of the Trinity) voice of God, which is no longer heard… One’s criteria become: The work of a Carmelite can technical efficiency, personal never be separated from his/her and financial advantages, utility “centre”, from that intimate nucleus (statistics), taking on whatever where communion with God takes ideology is popular at the pre- place ever more completely and sent moment, popular fashion, permanently. It is from there that loss of the evangelical style, devi- Carmelite action must spring and ation from the aim of human ac- converge: “Without me you can do tion, namely, “to be and to build nothing” (Jn 15: 5). This is a deep the new person for a new world”. truth and guide for our work. It is “O God, grant that I may under- necessary to feel and root oneself in stand that if the most brilliant the “remain in me” (Jn 15: 4). actions (even religious ones) do not proceed from deep UNION In his/her life of work, the with YOU, they are but vain and Carmelite seeks the silence that useless commotion… Empty lends itself to purification of motives commotion and motion without and the true disposition of one who meaning have been the cause of gives him/herself completely to the so many activities devoid of Reign, conscious, nevertheless, that evangelical value, without bring- “we are but useless servants”. The ing the grace of conversion.” Carmelite avoids dispersion, activism, social climbing, and action born Silence, understood as a means more of one’s own passions than of standing before God, offers the from the loving plan of God. Such Carmelite the conditions for fruitful action can be sustained “until death, action, whatever his/her field of even death on the cross” only by one work: health, education, parish, who has entered the dynamics of promotion, exercises. It is for this salvation-liberation of humankind very reason that Carmelite life is not and the world. differentiated by a charism limited to one type of work or one profes- Silence reveals to us our ambi- sion. The mission of the Carmelite, guities and lets us move ahead with whatever his/her status in the assurance, able to overcome that to Church (priest, religious, lay per- which, usually, the distracted person son) consists in living intimately with is drawn: unrest, unnecessary noise, God and to lead those whom s/he Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 45 serves to this discovery and to a con- operating in the alienation of sistent style of life. The Carmelite’s people’s responsibility to opt essential charism is participation in and respond to live for God; the saving work of Christ, as witness . by constantly reviewing aims and of joy, hope, reconciliation and methods that bring us closer to peace. The special vocation of Car- God: Discernment that guaran- mel in the Church is “to live tees a pure heart and a right and communicate contemplation” conscience. Readiness to change through the witness of life and the in order to be faithful to God, various activities of its members, who when God’s plan points us in a by their personal gift and communi- new direction or tells us to let go ty commitments respond to the of something. Ready to be faith- needs of the world. ful to God “unto death, even The aim of the Order…is to offer to its death on the cross” if necessary. members the possibility of achieving the At the same time understanding summit of contemplation…and to lead with simplicity “the sword of suf- others to the same end…There is no fering” (Lk 2: 35), remaining member of the Church who does not owe standing at the foot of the cross something to Carmel. (Jn 19: 27) and being able to (Thomas Merton, Ascent to Truth) sing joyfully: “My soul glorifies the Lord, because he has done The silence that nourishes the great things for me” (Lk 1: 49); life of the Carmelite and allows . by growing in personal harmony, him/her to act in conformity with in the complete maturity of a the plan of God, opens him/her to liberated being in the relation- contemplative sensitivity which is ship FAITH-LIFE, action- leavened and expresses itself: contemplation. Then one always . by means of knowledge of and has to have the attitude of one adherence to TRUTH-LOVE and who keeps all things in one’s working according to this love: heart (Lk 2: 51), always being always and only according to the able to say with this same heart: heart of God, renouncing radi- “Behold the handmaid of the cally any contrary affection; Lord” (Lk 1: 38); . by accepting the CROSS, which . by recalling in an increasingly our commitment always places dynamic and responsible way on our shoulders, even to the that happiness and maturity, as supreme immolation. Experi- well as the transformation of the ence (and not just demagogic world and society, are not the homily) of the mystery of the In- fruit of our labour, although we carnation, in solidarity with all are not dispensed from labour- our brothers and sisters in need ing, and do not come from any of life. Those who live do not system or ideology as such, even need to proclaim, they them- though these are necessary for selves are the epiphany of their any social organisation; values; . by a life of witness, true following . through one’s own work found- of Christ. Christ was not a ed in faith, hope and charity, learned man who taught some seeking one’s own liberation and doctrine, nor was he a theoreti- that of one’s brothers and sisters cian who invented ideologies from all that would take the and programmes. He is God in- place of the relationship with carnate to bring about the trans- God; formation of the world. We share . through constant vigilance not in his nature in our being and to usurp the place of God in the action. hearts of people, also by not co- 46 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

Silence, then, is the means that For self-evaluation: teaches us to act in harmony with the heart of God. The more a per- 1 Do you know of some silent son is silent by way of contempla- environment of life and tion, the more that person becomes work? Describe your impres- capable of transforming actions. Our sions, compare them with work acquires meaning through si- those of an agitated and lence because silence leads us to noisy environment. transcend pure action and its results 2 Have you ever met a person to the “one thing necessary”, the to whom applies the expres- “better part”, which will not be taken sion s/he “is worth his/her away because this silence grows to its weight in gold” because of fullness: the mystical life, prelude to his/her consistence, circum- the beatific vision. That is why only spection and uprightness? the mystic is capable of a concrete, Look for such persons and faithful, substantial transforming observe their behaviour, action: “I came that they might have their criteria and values. life and have it to the full” (Jn10: 3 Choose a day to write a re- 10). port on: a) your relationships, Biblical texts for b) your activities, 5.4 internalisation: taking as your starting point Further the exercise of silence-word- reading Isa 6: 1-8; 55; Ps 48; Qo. action. 20; Jn 1: 1-17; 17. 4 Check how you usually use the gifts of word and action. Other texts cited above. 5 Confide to your spiritual director your discoveries, pro- Careful reading of the text: gress, difficulties and resolu- tions.

1 Extract from the text the expressions you think are fundamental. 2 What is the reason behind the “school of silence”? 3 How do you explain the relationship “Silence-Word”? 4 Is it paradoxical to say that effective human action must arise from and be nourished by silence? Explain and give reasons for your answer. 5 Look in your Constitutions for articles on the contemplative, fraternal and serving dimension. Do they suggest some connection with silence? How? 6 Check in the biography of some Carmelite the experience of the dimension of silence.

Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 47

calm, concentrating wholly on one’s centre. This unity offers one the pos- 6 sibility of being in harmony with the other in the profoundest communion. Silence and When interior silence “vacare is cultivated in its pe- 6.2 ripheral zones, it Silence and helps in the search the search Deo” for personal integra- for God tion and interior peace. This is the psy- O God, my silence seeks chological aspect of your being. How won- silence. However, there is a deeper 6.1 derful then is silence aspect, namely, spiritual silence, the Introduction that allows me to dis- silence indispensable in the search cover the nothingness for God. The experience of this of beings and the “be- deeper silence is a determining facing” of nothingness, which are not you! tor on the journey towards spiritual Silence leads me to wonder, to adoration. maturity and it directs the person to I no longer need to ask questions concern- an ever greater achievement even to ing the essence of anything, nor to discuss communion with the ABSOLUTE, and ask questions on the substance and reaching ever newer dimensions of consistence of any being. In silence I life by passing from: communicate with being. This commun- . the exterior to the interior, ion is sufficient for me. It is purification, . the material to the spiritual, fullness, transfiguration, embrace in . conditioning to liberation, truth, fusion in love, enlightenment, and . the conscious to the super- nourishment of life. The silence I desire is conscious, the silence-language of the homeland of . the individual to the trans- heaven, full communication of the Trini- personal. ty, generator of new life, enrichment of the heart, font of fullness, light to create and This is interior silence: rich, live in a new world, stimulus to tran- fruitful, lived and recommended by scendence. our Carmelite brothers and sisters who preceded us in the search for The apex of human life, the full God. When we live silence, we dis- maturity of the person, consists cover concretely that creation is a principally in intimate union with footprint for us, but not God. We GOD, so as to be “transformed” into become aware that the world of God, entering in full and conscious sense and reason has a more sub- participation into the “secret” life of stantial value that goes beyond ap- the Trinity. We have already said pearances. We shall see its hidden that this intimacy requires silence essential cause. A purified and con- and solitude, which are also indis- centrated heart is necessary, awake pensable elements in any human and attentive to taste the “sacramen- relationship. It is only by these tal vision” of reality. Only silence means that we can know the other, (deep interior availability and total accept him/her, and understand openness) can give one this interior him/her in love. By eliminating all purification that allows one to see noise, much speech, activism, confu- “beyond” and guarantees life on a sion and distraction caused by new level in the VACARE DEO. things, one enters into the deepest PEACE, INNER HARMONY, JOY, CONSTANT COMMUNION with 48 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

the ABSOLUTE in the world and in . HOPE, which removes from our the brothers and sisters in whom memory all that is vain and use- God reveals God’s self become the less in Love; natural components of life even . CHARITY, which purifies and when there is also incomprehension, fills our hearts for VACARE abandonment, humiliation and DEO. death. As St. Teresa, our Inner silence, then, is serene, sister, used to say, constant openness, full of hope in 6.3 this silence grows the divine intuitions. This is the si- Silence: the from the exclusion purification lence in the life of Carmelites: of dissipations, puri- of images I shall remain silent, watching, and I fies and clears the and shall remain safe in the castle and I shall “palace” that is the memories listen carefully to what is said to me… It most intimate depth is not possible to receive this most high of the person. It is Wisdom and Language of God, that is liberation from im- contemplation, without being a silent ages and memories that hold back spirit, far from fashions and news. freedom and an interior disposition: (St. John of the Cross) “Forget your people and your father’s house; so shall the king desire Inner silence goes beyond psy- your beauty” (Ps 44: 11-12). chology, transforming energies of dispersion into recollection, where This silence does not exist in- the PRESENCE of GOD and con- dependently of the other silences. centration on GOD become our on- Perhaps it is the consequence of ly centre of gravity and natural envi- something deeper. Forgetting some- ronment. Unwelcome guests are thing is natural when some other kept away to give full possession to object takes its place in the memory. the OWNER. It is, as Fr. Michael of Indeed, it is not just a question of St. Augustine said, “an immediate mental gymnastics, of using a rigid disposition and a very suitable prep- method in order to achieve purifica- aration for the interior life; and it tion from images and memories of consists in one’s fidelity to God, the past or of the present. It is no fighting the tumult and activity of athletic effort that creates anxiety both one’s internal and external and adds to difficulties thus destroy- powers”. ing silence. Above all it is necessary: . to consider the images: expres- In order to understand this si- sions of the content of a reality. lence, we can look at its forms: Hence, to purify these images . Silence: purification of images means to seek their origins, the and memories. source from which they emanate. . Silence: perfecting of intelli- The things that have been inter- gence. nalised and are lodged in our . Silence: a pure heart for God. conscience emanate as images. These are images and memories These forms of silence intro- that are the fruit of experience duce us to God’s action, because, and desires. They are the past alone, we could never even recog- connected to the present and nise the need for silence or find our the future. Silence will be way to God. It is a matter of experi- achieved when we perceive that encing the theological virtues: the benevolent LOVE of GOD is . FAITH, which extinguishes natu- present in us and that this pres- ral lights and brings us to the ence corrects all that was not supernatural knowledge of God; good in our past. Thus it makes Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 49

no sense to be worried about any Intelligence is one of image or memory. the most important . to be aware that images and 6.4 faculties of human- memories are intimately con- Purification kind. Intus-legere: to nected with the image of and the of the read into. It is by values assumed by our ego. Our intelligence means of intelligence memories are but reflections of that we know reality those things that make an im- and can “name” all pression on us and, in some way, things. It is by means of intelligence "govern" our being. They pro- that we come to the knowledge of duce our actions and attitudes, truth from a human aspect, even and influence our life. The more though our experience of God (our the motto of Elijah, “with zeal I contemplative dimension) goes be- have been zealous for the Lord yond reason and the light that God of hosts”, becomes part of comes from intelligence. However, it our lives, the more we will have is by the help of this small light that spontaneous memories and im- we become aware of the presence of ages connected with LOVE. God and are able to communicate it to others. These reflections can help us a great deal. If we understand that the Faith is the sole way to union imagination and memory (especially with God, and is full of a light that affective memory) function almost goes beyond our intelligence in always in a spontaneous manner, in knowing God. Faith, says St. John of order to know oneself it will be use- the Cross quoting St. Peter, is like a ful to observe their fruits (images candle that produces light and intel- and memories): “The mouth speaks ligence is the candlestick that holds from the abundance of the heart”. the candle; the candlestick does not The mind surely thinks that which produce light, but is necessary to fills the heart. Every attitude has its hold the candle that throws light. To cause. Thus to silence our images hold the candle in balance and allow and memories does not mean to it to spread its light, the candlestick strangle them. Hence to silence our must be ready and clean. Our intel- images and memories consists in let- ligence (human reason) must be ting them flourish, to seek their ready to receive the light of faith. causes and place them in the pres- Silence makes it ready, the silence ence of God. Then, gradually, they born of stripping the spirit in mat- will give place to God, immersing us ters spiritual, so that reaching God in the silence of God’s great love, rests only on faith. This is the deep which will fill the space of previous action of silence because it not only things in our hearts. Finally, we will promotes an ever greater detach- consider all else as useless and our ment from natural desires, but also sole interest will be, “For me to live from all spiritual explanations. It is is Christ” (Phil 1: 21). On their own, the silence of “sure darkness”, of full external solitude and silence would trust in the mysterious God, of the be worth little if we allowed the complete gift of self in purity and noise of the world to dominate our simplicity that refuses all pleasures internal “cell”. and appetites, including spiritual ones (“neither earthly nor celestial goods”). In this silence, which is the “exercise” of faith, it suffices for the intelligence to know God, to love and accept God as God is revealed to it. This way is to come to God without images and representations. 50 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

Faith is not science acquired from . enjoyment of peace with oneself, outside, but it is, above all, the assent with others and with God, by see- to that which is taught from inside ing them in the new light of by means of revelation. To live by Revelation in its real sense; faith is to be “ruled” by the Wisdom . shortening of distances within of God. oneself:  between being, saying and By silencing the images and doing; memories of the senses or the inter-  between internalised values nalisation of false idols, we shall use and one’s behaviour; our intelligence in conformity with  between God and neighbour; faith which is the only way to know  between action and contem- God: plation. In this greatest perfection of faith, the infinite God becomes light of the soul, The silence of the intelligence which is immersed in darkness, and co- becomes the deepest experience in vers it entirely with God’s truth. And at one’s relationship with God in faith. such an unintelligible moment, darkest It consists in fixing one’s gaze on night becomes day and faith transforms Christ who became human to reveal itself into the ability to understand. the Father to us in our sharing by faith in God’s divine life. To silence intelligence is to understand that it is impossible to come to God by our own efforts, to We now come to the succeed in explaining God and to be deepest silence, the certain of God’s presence and ac- 6.5 silence of “watchful A pure love”. This silence will tions in us. This silence is supernatu- heart for bring us to freedom ral openness: God Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor from every inordinate has it so much as dawned on the human attachment, that is, heart what God has prepared for those from everything that who love God (1 Cor 2: 9). may weaken or take the place of the ABSOLUTE-GOD. In this silence, the spirit acqui- esces to all that God teaches it with- Only the well-beloved matters. out sound or words, without the One dreams of such by day and by night; mediation of ideas our reasoning, The world ceases to exist. although, ordinarily, one cannot explain this great human ability. This is The silence of the heart or of at- using silence at the service of search- tachments is the perfection of the ing for the true meaning of the other silences mentioned. It is the world and of life. This is crossing the perfection of silence. Other silences dark road of agreeing with faith. prepare us for this. With this silence Without faith we would neither be we enjoy “LOVE”. It may be a para- aware of ourselves nor of God’s dox, but most certainly it is evangeli- presence in us. Revelation would cal: without the death of selfishness have no meaning nor would it affect (the “nothing”) and the purification our lives. of faith and love (the “nights”), the Carmelite cannot achieve a “ful- Silence of the intelligence – dis- filling” and freeing intimacy with cipline of thought, simplicity – God. As pilgrims in search of the openness to the gift of God – will deepest and fullest meaning of life, facilitate: the ABSOLUTE, the INFINITE, . a return to interior harmony people can only achieve this when (redemption of sin); they make God the deepest centre of Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 51 their feelings, desires and aspira- This means living always and every- tions. where the WILL of God, the fusion To love God and for God to divest oneself of one’s will with the divine will, of all that is not God. even to the complete absence of the (St. John of the Cross) least movement that is contrary to God’s plan. The heart lives in silence when It is to our advantage to love it succeeds in getting rid of all at- what God wants tachments that do not have God for as God wants it and beginning and end; when God is the in the measure that God wants it… only source of its aspirations, desires, I choose neither to suffer nor to die, affective tendencies; when it suc- But only the divine will. ceeds to silence the claims of at- (Mother Bernardete, C.D.P.) tachments and inordinate tendencies in order to listen to the only In our Carmelite language, this true and fruitful voice: the WORD of is the silence that leads us to em- GOD. The silent heart is the one brace the “nothing”, to create abso- that understands and lives the ques- lute emptiness in our hearts in order tion and answer of the disciples: to leave room for the ALL, the “Lord, to whom shall we go? You ABSOLUTE. This is the only possi- have the words of eternal life”. This ble way to embrace God: “Two con- silence is achieved when: traries cannot occupy the same . we switch off the sound of self- space”. It is indeed thus, to re- ishness; nounce all that one possessed (with- . we silence the spirit of the world; out compensation, "night of the . we educate and turn our pas- senses") and at the same time to sions towards LOVE; embrace the One who is . we educate our hearts so that INEFFABLE, INTANGIBLE, ALL! silence may not be marred by To come to enjoy, know and possess every- indifference, contempt, pride, thing, one must desire not to taste, know, laziness, malice, weakness, cow- possess or be anything. ardice, complicity, treachery; (St. John of the Cross) . we cultivate in silence the authenticity of each situation: joy, Without this silence of the reflection, respect, pain, purifi- heart, which is the “house in perfect cation, truth, charity, adoration; order”, we do not possess a happy . we direct all our inner energies, life in the spirit: as in one reaction, towards God . Few are contemplative because few and God’s will, thus fulfilling our are those who free themselves com- own mission in the world, always pletely from persons and things of in conformity with God’s plan. this world.

The silence of the heart has its . Whether the heart is bound by a rope roots and foundation in the ever or a thread, it has lost its freedom. greater and deeper need for hones- One cannot welcome the light of di- ty, purification and liberation. It be- vine union without detachment from comes sharp in perceiving the subtle creatures and passions. insinuations of selfishness, feelings that weaken the ties of love, desires . The heart rises or sinks, grows or di- that prevent or delay the fulfillment minishes, is stained or purified, ac- of God’s plans in ourselves and in cording to that to which it is at- the world. Only a silent heart is ca- tached. If it is attached to creatures it pable of the generous and complete cannot but share in their impurities gift of itself, of a response to God and be incapable of loving the One that becomes loving COMMUNION. who is infinite holiness and purity. 52 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

alive in faith because one lives in . The one who can die in all things deep silence in true “loud solitude”, will find life in all things. faith being its only logic for guide, (Thoughts of St. John of the Cross) and peace and joy as permanent guests of the heart. To live with a We can learn silence of heart pure heart and to take root in the from Jesus “the way, the truth and mystery of the death and resurrec- the life”, by conforming our life with tion of the Lord, is to remain con- his, our way of acting to his. This stantly in exodus and communion, means learning to let the human in struggle and celebration, on the and divine co-exist in the unity of cross and fully alive. It is to be freed their being. In the search for silence from every conditioning force and of heart one may be active, that is, every impediment to “see God”. It is do what is necessary for purification to taste freedom from ambiguity and – and passive, that is, consent and to transform oneself into the being accept with love and freedom God’s “dreamt” by God. It is to allow God work in oneself in concrete circum- to take over our whole being and to stances. The Carmelite will walk in act in us, transforming us into love, FAITH, HOPE and CHARITY since we have rejected all idols, (OBEDIENCE, POVERTY AND namely all earthly attachments and CHASTITY), growing in intimacy passions. It is to become a mature with God, until s/he is transformed person: and identified with Christ: The centre of the soul is God. When it Our whole being is attracted in one direc- has reached God with all the capacity of tion and becomes sensitive, like the needle its being and the strength of its operation of a compass, to the least influence of the and inclination, it will have attained to pole towards which it instinctively turns. its final and deepest centre in God, it will It gets to the point of identifying itself know, love and enjoy God with all its with the object of its desire … The interior might (The Living Flame of Love, 1, person has a sense of God, a sense of 12). Christ … This person knows God, seeks God, is nourished by God, is one spirit The soul has thus attained the with God (St. John of the Cross). light of DIVINE INTIMACY, on the summit of the mountain where A pure heart will bring one ever “honour and glory” dwell. It is clear closer to God, even to a radical iden- that in this life one will never attain tity with God and to feel one with the summit of the beatific vision: the Absolute and the Absolute’s DIVINE SILENCE, ETERNAL manifestations. Thus one has BANQUET, and DIVINE WISDOM. reached one’s goal, has achieved One approaches this state in the holiness whereby one renders God measure that one lives silence- present in the world, using God’s purification. Then, like Elisabeth of own criteria for being, living and the Trinity, we can say with ever acting. Detachment from corrupt greater conviction: passions towards persons or things, I have found heaven on earth and concentration on the LOVE of because heaven is God GOD become natural. Even though and God is in my soul. there may be painful wanting moments, yet the fullness of the pres- The soul’s action – whatever its ence – VACARE DEO – will certainly station in the world, its responsibil- be constant. One has achieved a true ity, its task – will acquire redemptive attitude of love and of listening to value and will play an essential part God in perfect peace. One lives in in the transformation of the world this presence without the aid of ide- according to the heart of God. To as, attachments or efforts. One is learn this silence, which makes us Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 53 attentive to God (living in the vacare For self-evaluation: Deo), is to dispose oneself to live the main part of our Carmelite vocation. 1. How do you see your being, the “source” of your being, your pre- Biblical texts for sent life? Allow memories and 6.6 internalisation: images that need purification to Further surface. reading Ps 140 – Ps 118 – Es. 15: 1- 2. Are you attached to some ideol- 18 – Deut 6 – 1 Pt 1: 10-24. ogy? Which ideas obscure your actions? Write a report on per- Careful reading of the text: sons, groups, and books that influence or once influenced your

life. What is your connection to 1. Write an outline of the text. them? 2. Why do we say that vacare Deo is a 3. Write a list of deep certainties or “new level of life” and what is its ideas – feelings, forces – which connection with silence? give direction to your life and 3. Explain what is silence of the provide dynamism to your life. imagination, of memory, of intel- Analyse them in the light of ligence, of attachments. (It Faith, Hope and Charity. would be good to carry out a 4. Have you tried to write your his- psychological research on these tory in the loving light of God? elements.) Consult a good man- Try! Get hold of a good plan to ual in order to know the basic help you. elements of memory, imagina- 5. Talk to your spiritual director tion, intelligence, attachment, concerning the results of your will. self-evaluation. 4. Why and how is silence of these faculties connected to the practice of the theological virtues?

54 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

NOTES Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 55

of the “delicate touch of the Word”, perceived only by those who succeed 7 in developing the “contemplative sensibility”, the only valid motivation Conclusion capable of sustaining the Carmelite commitment to the brothers and Live on in me as I do in you. Live on in sisters, to the REDEMPTIVE mission my love. You are my friends (Jn 15: 4, 9, of the world. 14). O enkindled love, with your loving Anyone who loves me…we will come to movements you are pleasantly glorifying him and make our dwelling place with me according to the greater capacity and him (Jn 14: 23). strength of my soul, bestowing divine knowledge according to all the ability and Here I stand, knocking at the door. If capacity of my intellect, and communi- anyone hears me calling and opens the cating love according to the greater power door, I will enter his house and have of my will, and rejoicing the substance of supper with him, and he with me (Ap 3: my soul with the torrent of your delight by 20). your divine contact and substantial union, in harmony with the greater purity of my substance and the capacity and breadth of my memory! In concluding this little study on And this is what happens, in an inde- silence, we can see that silence is of scribable way, at the time this flame of great value in our lives, because its love rises up within the soul. Since the aim is to make us sensitive to the soul is completely purged in its substance voice of God (ob-audire) and to build and faculties (memory, intellect and the deepest relationship of LOVE will), the divine substance which, because with God. Life in silence will become of its purity, as the Wise Man says, completely a reality and made full: touches everywhere profoundly, subtly by means of the intelligence, employed in and sublimely (Wis 7: 24), absorbs the understanding that which is useful to soul in itself with its divine flame. And fulfil the beloved (and oneself); by means in that immersion of the soul in wisdom, of the will, seeking and loving that which the Holy Spirit sets in motion the glorious pleases God, liking whatever God likes flickerings of His flame. Since the flame is (and remaining free); by means of the so gentle the soul adds: since now you memory, employed in being solicitous for are not oppressive. the things are of service and are pleasing (enjoyment of Peace and Joy). O You, then, delicate touch, the Word, the Son of God, through the delicacy of Even the body, with its external Your divine being, You subtly penetrate senses, its passions, attitudes and ac- the substance of my soul and, lightly tions, becomes habitually perfectly touching it all, absorb it entirely in Your- and spontaneously directed towards self in divine modes of delights and God. The intelligence, will and af- sweetnesses unheard of in the land of fections, the memory and senses be- Canaan and never before seen in come purified in the “new person” Theman! (Bar 3:22). O, then, very deli- who lives according to the “dream” cate, exceedingly delicate, touch of the of God. Silence, fruit of FAITH, Word, so much the more delicate for me HOPE and CHARITY, and learnt insofar as, after overthrowing the moun- with this in mind, will be the “guard- tains and smashing the rocks to pieces on ian” of these virtues in our heart. It Mount Horeb with the shadow of might will lead us to understand and, and power that went before You, You above all, to experience the beauty gave the prophet the sweetest and strong- 56 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

est experience of Yourself in the gentle Those who learn this silence – breeze (1 Kings. 19: 11-12)! in God and for God – are always O gentle breeze, since You are a delicate ready to leave their solitude and si- and mild breeze, tell us: How do You, the lence and “their God” to meet and Word, the Son of God, touch mildly and serve God in their brothers and sis- gently, since You are so awesome and ters (fraternity) and in their neigh- mighty? Oh, happy is the soul that You, bour, in their every need (diaconia, being terrible and strong, gently and justice) when occasions demand. lightly touch! Proclaim this to the world! Then the zeal for the brother and But You are unwilling to proclaim this to sister and the choices that these de- the world because it does not know of a mand are not the result of an ideol- mild breeze and will not experience You, ogy or the fruit of some passion of for it can neither receive nor see You (Jn ours, but are transformed in real acts 14:17). But they, O my God and my life, of love. Happy are we, if we attain will see and experience your mild touch, this and understand that: who withdraw from the world and become To keep silence mild, bringing the mild into harmony is not to choke and inhibit the word with the mild, thus enabling themselves to and the gesture, experience and enjoy You. You touch but it is to learn to take everything them the more gently the more You dwell in hand permanently hidden within them, for the in order to direct everything properly. substance of their soul is now refined, In this view, cleansed, and purified, withdrawn from silence is love, every creature and every touch and trace “homeland language of heaven”. of creature. As a result You hide them in the secret of Your face, which is the Word, from the disturbance of men (Ps 30:21). O, then again, repeatedly delicate touch, so much the stronger and mightier the more You are delicate, since You detach and withdraw the soul from all the other touches of created things by the might of Your delicacy, and reserve it for and unite it to Yourself alone, so mild an effect do You leave in the soul that every other touch of all things both high and low seems coarse and spurious. It dis- pleases the soul to look at these things, and to deal with them is a heavy pain and torment to it. (St. John of the Cross, The Living Flame of Love, 1:17 and 2:17-18)

Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 57

Bibliography Works consulted:

AA. VV., Oración, silencio y palabra, Madrid, Narcea, 1979. Anonymous Parola e silenzio - meditazioni di una carmelitana. Fossano, Edizioni Esperienze, 1959. Avv. Silencio in: Enciclopedia de la Biblia, VI (Barcelona, 1963), p. 686-687. Baldini, M., ed. Il silenzio. Raccolta di testi sul silenzio scritti negli ultimi cent’anni, 3ª ed., Vicenza 1986. Ballester, Mariano. Para orar continuamente, Madrid, Ed. Paulinas, 1983. Brenninger, Giovanni. Dottrina spirituale del Carmelo, Tipografia Poliglotta Vaticana, 1952. Chardin, Pierre Teilhard de. Réflexion et Prières dans l’espace-temps. (Sio è utilizzata la traduzione portoghese: Editora José Olímpio, Rio de Janeiro, 1978). Collin, Louis. La vie intérieur. (I used the Portuguese translation: Lisboa, Editorial Aster, 1960). Congregação geral O.Carm. O Carmelita hoje. A fraternidade como caminho para Deus, 1974. Davy, M. M. Le désert intérieur, Paris, Éditions Albin Michel, 1983. Doherty, Catherine de Huech. Molchaine. The silence of God, New York, The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1982. Poustinia. Christian Spirituality of East for Western Man, Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, 1975. Giovanna della Croce. Silenzio, in: Dizionario enciclopedico di spiritualità, a cura di E. Ancilli, 2ª edizione, Roma, 1990, pp. 2308-2312. Hertling, Ludovicus. Theologiae asceticae cursus brevior. Roma, 1939. João da Cruz. Obras completas. Ed. José Vicente Rodríguez-Frederico Ruiz Salvador, 3ª ed., Madrid, Editorial de Espiritualidad, 1988. João de S. Sanson. Orientaciones para la vida interior, selección de S. M. Bouchereaux, traducción del P. Elias M. Bañón, Madrid, Ediciones Carmelitanas, 1960. Kaufmann, Cristina. Silencio, v. in Diccionario teológico de la vida consagrada, dirigido por Angel Aparicio Rodrígue y Joan Canals Casa. Madrid, Publicaciones Claretianas, 1989, p. 1655-1667. Lafrance, Jean. Orar como o coração, tradução portuguesa, São Paulo, Ed. Paulinas, 1987. Merton, Thomas. Ascensão para a Verdade, (traduzione portoghese). Vita nel silenzio, Brescia, 1957. Michael a S. Augustino Introductio ad vitam internam. Bruxelles, 1659 (ed. anast., Roma 1926). Miquel, Pierre. – Dupuy, Michel. Silence, in: Dictionnaire de Spiritualité, XIV (Paris, 1990), col. 829-859 (con bibliografia). Padres da Igreja. Clemente di Alessandria PG 3, 949. 997; 9, 32-124; Basilio 31, 899-1306; 32, 224-232; Gregorio di Nazianzo 35, 413b. 517a; Gregorio di Nissa 44, 728d; Ambrogio PL 14, 1031; 15, 1246; Agostino 37, 2004; Gregorio Magno 77, 235-236. 553. 591. Ridouard, A. Silence, in: Vocabulaire Theologique de la Biblie, Paris, 1970, col. 1237-1238. Rodríguez, Rosa Helena Nieves - Dávila Paredes Vitoria - Guerreiro Gomes Consuelo A. El silencio: harmonia de la vida consagrada (stencilled). St Albert of Jerusalem Carmelite Rule. Steggink, Otger. Silenzio e solitudine come cammino verso Dio oggi, in: Congregazione generale O. Carm. 1974 (reports and documentation), edited by the Secretary General O. Carm., Rome, 1974, p. 76-82. Stein, Edith. Los caminos del silencio interior, Madrid, Espiritualidad, 1988. Teresa de Jesus. Obras completas. Ed. Efrém de la Madre de Dios - Otger Stegink, Madrid, BAC, 1962. 58 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

Other works useful for the study of silence a) Silence in religions, philosophy, literature, art:

Casel, O. De philosophorum graecorum silentio mystico, Giessen, 1919. Greene, A. B. The Philosophy of Silence, New York, 1940. Heilmann, L. Silere - Tacere, in “Quaderni Istituto Glottologia”, 1 (1955-56), p. 5-16. Jones, R. M. Silence, in Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, 11 (1920), 512-513 (relationship between silence, religion and cult). Lavelle, L. La parole et l’écriture, Paris, 1942, p. 129-156: silence. López-Gay, J. La mística del Budismo, Madrid, 1974, p. 187-188: “asiyan silence” (= silenzio interiore, uno de igradi della contemplazione). Mensching, G. Das heilige Schweigen, Giessen, 1926. Roloff, V. Reden und Schweigen. Zur Tradition und Geschichte eines mitterlalterlichen Themas in der französischen Literatur, Munich, 1973. Ruberg, U. Beredtes Schweigen in lehrhaffer und erzählender deutscher Literatur des Mittelalters, Munich, 1978. Sciacca, M. F. El silencio y la palabra. Barcelona, Luis Miracle, 1961. Souilhé, J. Le silence mystique, in Revue d’ascétique et de mystique, 4 (1923), p. 128-140. Steiner, G Linguaggio e silenzio, Milano, 1972. Van der Berghe, J.-H. Du silence et de la réticence, in “Psyché” n. 39, 1950, p. 53-68. Wadding, R. B. The Iconography of Silence and Chapman’s Hercules, in “Journal of the Warburg and Courtault Institute”, 33 (1970), 248-263.

b) Silence in the Bible:

Boros, L. Der anwesende Gott, Olten-Fribourg, 1964, p. 197-217. Delgado, J. El silencio, lenguaje revelador del misterio de Cristo en el evangelio de s. Marcos, in “Ecclesiastica Xaveriana”, 24 (1974), p. 133-211. Gerhardsson, B. Jésus livré et abandonné d’aprés la Passion selon st. Mathieu, in “Revista Biblica”, 76 (1969), p. 218-219: Le silence. Neher, A. L’exil de la parole. Du silence biblique au silence d’Auschwitz, Paris, 1970. Passelecq, G. – Poswick, F. Table pastorale de la Biblie. Index analytique et analogique, Paris, 1974, col. 1073-1074.

c) Silence in the Church Fathers:

Bieder, W. Zur Deutung des christlichen Schweigen dei Ignatius von Antiochia, in “Theologische Zietscrift” 12 (1956), p. 28-43. Capanaga, V. El silencio interior en la visión augustiniana de Ostia, em “Augustinus”, 9 (1964), p. 211-49. (= Studia Patristica IX, T. 94, 1966, p. 359-392). Chaddwick, H. The Silence of Bishops in Ignatius, in “Harvard Theol. Review”, 43 (1950), p. 169-72. Mortley, R. The Theme of Silence in Clement of Alex., in “Journal of Theological Studies”, 24 (1973), p. 197-202. Vollenweider, S. Neuplatonische und christliche Theologie bei Synesios von Kyrene, Göttingen, 1985, p. 41-50.

Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project Silence • 59 d) Silence in the monastic tradition:

Ancilli Ermanno Dal silenzio della certosa. Roma, 1976. Daniel-Ange Les Feux du désert. Solitudes. Silences, Andenne, 1975. Il silenzio nei Padri del deserto. ed. M. Balduini, Vicenza, 1987. Latteur, E. Silence du Christ et silence monastique, in “Collectanea Cisterciensia”, 38 (1976), p. 3-21. Leclercq, Jean. Silence et Parole dans l’expèrience spirituelle d’hier et d’aujourd’hui, in “Collectanea Cisterciensa”, 45 (1983), p. 185-198. (Also ed. in: Mistica e misticismo oggi, Roma, 1979). Otia monastica. Études sur le vocabulaire de la contemplation au M. A., (Studia Anselmiana, 51), Roma, 1953, p. 70-76, 102-114. - Schmitt, Cl. Silenzio, em: Dizionario degli Istituti di Perfezione, vol. VIII (Roma, 1988), col. 1491-1501 (with another bibliography especially on silence in the religious and monastic life). Marie-Bruno. Aux écoute de Dieu, le silence monastique, Besançon, Imprimerie de l’Est, 1954. Salmon, P. Le silence religieux. Pratique et théorie, in “Mélanges bénédictins”, Saint- Wandrielle, 1947, p. 11-57. Theologie de la vie monastique. Paris, 1961, Table, p. 504 (a list of authors dealing with silence). Wathen, A. The Meaning of Silence in the Rule of St. Benedict, Washington, 1973.

e) Silence and Revelation:

Balthassar, H. U. von. Wort und Schweigen, em Verbum caro, Einsiedeln, 1960, p. 135-55. (Traduzione italiana: Parola e Silenzio, in Verbum caro, Brescia, 1968, p. 141-162). Cecchetti, I. “Tibi silentium laus”, in Miscellanea Liturgica in honrem L. C. Mohlberg, t. 2, Roma, 1949, p. 521-570.

f) Silence in the spiritual life:

Aux portes du silence (anonymous). Genéve, 1972. Baldini, M. Le parole del silenzio, 2ª ed., Milano, 1986. Beniamino della Trinità. Silenzio e preghiera, in AA. VV., Ascesi della preghiera, Roma, 1961, p. 123-148. Eugenio M. del Bambino Gesù. Voglio veder Dio, Milano, ed. Áncora, 1953, p. 375-430. Ferlay, Ph. Dieu dans le silence, Paris, 1987. Grün, A. Der Anspruch des Scweigens. Verlag Münsterschwarzach, 1980. Hausherr, J. Solitudine e vita contemplativa. Brescia, 1978. Lubiencka de Lenval, H. Le silence. A l’ombre de la Parole, Tournai, 1955. Marc, A. Le silence, in “Revue d’ascétique et de mystique”, 26 (1950), p. 289-307. Nouwmen, J. M. Ho ascoltato il silenzio. Brescia, 1979. Silenzio, solitudine, preghiera. Roma, 1985. Picard, M. Le monde du silence, Paris, 1954. Steggink, Otger Einsamkeit un Stille oder Spiritualität des Nächsten als Weg zu Gott, in “GeistLeben” 1 (1981) p. 36-43. 60 • Silence Horizons – Carmelite Spiritual Directory Project

NOTES