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:
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 28 On Prayer Part I
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 27 On Stillness Part II
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 27 On Stillness
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 26 On Discernment Part III
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 26 On Discernment Part II
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 26 On Discernment Part I
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 25 on Humility Part II
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 25 on Humility
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 24 on Meekness, Simplicity and Guilelessness
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 23 on Pride part II
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 23 on Pride
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 22 on Vainglory
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step 21 On Fear
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Steps 20 On Alertness
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Steps 18 and 19 On Insensitivity and Sleep
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Steps 16 and 17 on Avarice and Poverty
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step Fifteen on Chastity Conclusion
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step Fifteen on Chastity
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Step Fourteen On Gluttony
Ladder of Divine Ascent - Steps Twelve and Thirteen on Falsehood and Despondency (Acedia)
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