Since everyone is quite inclined to
hasten his tongue to discuss
those things that most please our senses, the human tongue has great
need of careful restraint and enforced stillness (
James
1.26). By and large, the habit of outspokenness has its roots in a
certain pride. Persuading ourselves that we know a great deal, and
taking pleasure in our ideas, we repeatedly make an effort to impress
them onto the souls of others, to pose before them
as experts, as though they needed to learn from
us.
The evils born from
many words cannot be
expressed by a few. Loquacity is the mother of sloth, the proof of
ignorance and insanity, the gate to detraction, the ministry of lies
and the chilling of devout fervor. A multitude of words gives strength
to
impure
passions and from this, then, the tongue is induced to continue
speaking indiscretions all the more easily. Do not go on and on in long
discussions with those who listen unwillingly, so that you do not annoy
them. Show the same restraint with one who willingly gives you his ear,
so that you do not exceed the limits of modesty.
Fly from speaking with either eloquence or volume; either is odious, an
indication of presumption and vanity. Regarding yourself, your
business, and your relations, speak only out of pure necessity; even
then, keep things as brief and reserved as possible. If it seems to you
that another speaks of himself excessively, try to keep a good opinion
of him, but do not imitate him unless his words tend towards
self-humiliation and self-accusation. Regarding your neighbor and his
possessions, discuss as little as possible, unless to speak well, as
the occasion may require.
Speak willingly of God, particularly of his love and his goodness; do
so, however, with the fear of making a mistake even in this. Take
pleasure instead in giving your attention to one who discusses such
things, keeping his words in the intimacy of your heart. Should he
speak of other matters, let only the sound of his voice strike your
ears, and keep your mind raised to the Lord; if later you need to
listen to someone who speaks for understanding and response, do not for
this reason abandon the occasional mental glance towards heaven, where
your God resides. Instead, observe that height and how he always looks
down upon your humility (
Luke
1.48).
When your heart swells with words,
examine them before they pass to your tongue. You will realize how much
better it would be not to send many of them outside. But I also warn
you: of those things that you then think it good to say, not a few
would be better off buried in silence. You will understand this if you
think about it, after the opportunity to speak them has passed.
Silence, my beloved daughter, is a great fortress of the spiritual
battle, and a certain hope of victory. Silence is the friend of one who
distrusts herself and trusts in God; it is the custodian of holy
speech, and a marvelous help for the exercise of virtue.
To accustom yourself to keep quiet, consider often the damages and
dangers of loquacity, and the great goods of silence. Learn to love
this virtue. To acquire the habit of silence, keep quiet for a while,
even when it would not be wrong to speak, as long as this does no harm
to you or to others. For this reason, it will avail you well to keep
distant from conversation, so that instead of men, the company you keep
will be that of angels, of saints, and of God himself. Finally, remind
yourself of the combat that occupies you; seeing how much you have to
do, you will gladly forsake all those words.