Tonight, we read Step number 11 on “talkativeness and silence.” Fittingly, it is very brief, if not the briefest of all of the steps of The Ladder. This brevity is St. John’s way of teaching us that so much of our speech involves vainglory; putting ourselves on display. We seek through it to step out of ourselves; betraying the painful experience we have as human beings of our lack of identity. God has created us for himself. He has created us in his image and likeness precisely that we might not experience ourselves in isolation, but rather in communion. However, to enter into communion with God means to step out of our limited ways of perceiving the world around us and reality as a whole. This means allowing God, through the silence,
to draw us in faith into the experience of His life, light and love. To give ourselves over to talkativeness is to find ourselves dissipated. Our desire for God cools and the emptiness that we feel drives us to fill our lives with anything and everything so that we do not feel alone. Despite having God dwelling within us, once we lose sight of him, silence becomes an enemy. Therefore, John tells us that we must foster silence as a habit. We must allow God to show us its value, and what it makes possible for us. The first step is to create external silence. Once we have done this, we often see the unsettledness of our minds and hearts.
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Text of chat during the group:
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis VII Part II
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-nine Part II
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis VI Part III and Hypothesis VII Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-eight Part III and Letter Fifty-nine Part I
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis VI Part II
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-eight Part II
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis V Part VII & Hypothesis VI Part I
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-eight
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis V Part VI
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-seven Part III
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis V Part V
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-seven Part II
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis V Part IV
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-six Part II and Letter Fifty-seven
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis V Part III
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-five and Letter Fifty-six
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis V Part II
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-four
The Evergetinos - Vol. I, Hypothesis IV and Hypothesis V
Letters of Spiritual Direction to a Young Soul - Letter Fifty-two Part II and Letter Fifty-three
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