SO GOOD QUOTES

Category: SILENCE

  • Therefore, whoever uses hurting or hard words like stones cast on others is not a person of chaste tongue. The chaste tongue does not defame or expose anyone, because it is a polite and decent tongue that weighs every word before uttering it.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit

  • If a person has an opportunity to save someone from an attack against him, would he not do under pretext of gentleness?

    He could say: It is not my business. What have I to do with that? Leave me alone! Or rather he advances valiantly to save him, gently. In this way the Lord Christ saved the woman caught in the very act from being stoned. He said to those who wanted to stone her: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” He said this gently, without revealing their sins, but wrote them down on the ground.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit

  • …If you keep silent, your silence will be wrong. Gentleness does not mean that you live like a still corpse in the society. You should have your own personality, but in a gentle way, even to express yourself with one word as the Baptist did, saying: “It is not lawful for you” (Mt 14: 4)

    St. Paul the Apostle said, “Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.” (Acts 20: 31) His gentleness did not prevent him from warning everybody, but gently: with tears!

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Fruits of the Spirit

  • If we never unnecessarily open our mouths, we may enjoy many moments of communion even when unavoidably detained in society.

    —François Fénelon, Spiritual Progress

  • And most contemptible of all it is that now I am attempting to justify myself to you.

    Notes from the Underground
    Fyodor Dostoyevsky

  • Many take actions that they later on regret, either due to its bad results or because their conscience troubles them and turns against them. It could also be that they fail to put matters back to the way they were before taking these wrong actions. 

    The regret increases more as the person realises the horror of his sin and the greatness of his guilt, just like Judas, and as Cain said, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” (Gen. 4:13). 

    The regret also increases when one realises that it is of no use. For example, a word is said and nobody can get it back, or take it out of the ears of those who heard it, no matter how the person apologises. 

    Wrong deeds that one regrets could be the result of rashness, hastiness and lack of consideration. It could also be due to lack of consultation before taking such action. The terrible and wrong deed could also be the outcome of anger, inner revolution, loss of self-control, ignoring the results or not giving them a thought completely. 

    As one regrets what he does hastily and without consultation, he may also regret giving in to his desires and passions, without putting God before him and without considering his dignity as an image of God. 

    One may also regret not taking the future into account when he acted carelessly in a light, and lazy manner. 

    Nevertheless, regret has its benefit, as it leads one to repentance, correcting his lifestyle. It also has another benefit, as it leads one to a life of humility and contrition. That is what happened with the prophet David, who every night, drenched his couch with his tears. It also happened to St. Paul, the Apostle, who says, “… I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.” (1 Cor. 15:9). 

    Regret could be of benefit here, but in eternity it turns into torment. There wouldn’t be repentance, as the time of repentance would be over, “… and the door was shut …” as in the parable of the foolish virgins who heard the Lord saying, “I do not know you.” (Matt. 25:10). The regret here turned into “.. weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 25:30). 

    Struggle then while you are on earth before it is too late when regret wouldn’t be of benefit. That is the share of those who do not labour now, as the poet says:

    If you did not sow and watched a reaper – 

    You shall regret for wasting the time of sowing.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. IV

  • “If you want it to be private, don’t let it leave your lips.”

    —Fr. Tadros Malaty

  • “Silence, I discover, is something you can actually hear.”

    —Haruki Murakami

  • “Much can be said without much being spoken.”

    —Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers

  • Such persons are so caught up in God’s love that everything else can only receive its meaning and purpose in the context of that love. They ask only one question: “What is pleasing to the Spirit of God?” And as soon as they have heard the sound of the Spirit in the silence and solitude of their hearts, they follow its promptings even if it upsets their friends, disrupts their environment, and confuses their admirers.

    —Henri Nouwen, Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life