The tongue is a small member, but it does big things. A religious who does not keep silence will never attain holiness; that is, she will never become a saint. Let her not delude herself - unless it is the Spirit of God who is speaking through her, for then she must not keep silent. But, in order to hear the voice of God, one has to have silence in one's soul and to keep silence; not a gloomy silence but an interior silence; that is to say, recollection in God.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the power of speech and the importance of silence for spiritual growth.
Mary Faustina Kowalska's quote reflects on the significance of the tongue in human communication while stressing the necessity of silence for spiritual clarity and connection with God. It suggests that to truly engage with the divine, one must cultivate an inner tranquility that allows for discernment of God's voice, contrasting the weight of words with the profound depth found in silence.
In practice
In a meditation group, this quote can be used to encourage participants to find inner silence.
Oh, how great is the goodness of God, greater than we can understand. There are moments and there are mysteries of the divine mercy over which the heavens are astounded. Let our judgment of souls cease, for God's mercy upon them is extraordinary.
Know that My Heart is mercy itself. From this sea of mercy graces flow out upon the world....I desire that your heart be an abiding place of My mercy. I desire that this mercy flow out upon the whole world through your heart.
There is nothing so wrong as accepting a thing merely because men who have done things say it should be so.
You just have to have a simple faith.
Don't worry about what the people say; be yourself, say what you want to say WITH respect.
All the great evils which men cause to each other because of certain intentions, desires, opinions, or religious principles, are likewise due to non-existence, because they originate in ignorance, which is absence of wisdom.
I think that's the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.
At 11, I could say ‘I am sodium’ (Element 11), and now at 79, I am gold.
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