We start a new series in which the monks of New Clairvaux answer questions sent to us by our viewers. Brother Christopher gets us rolling, replying to the question, “Do you have any suggestions concerning maintaining inner silence if one lives in the world?”
Great question! The first thing to consider is: what is inner silence? It is not the absence of thoughts; thoughts are an innate part of our human nature and they will be with us as long as we live, as much as a beating heart or blinking of eyes. I would define inner silence as an inner tranquility and calm in the midst of whatever may be happening in our lives, good or ill. The foundation of this calm is the firm sense of God present with us and to us at the core of our being, a fact that nothing exterior can ever change. How does one maintain this form of inner silence? The only way I know is faith; that is, to cultivate our sense of God’s presence through continued returning to God in prayer and constant conversation with Him throughout the day. Scripture says, pray without ceasing. I hope that helps answer the question.
God bless you,
Your brothers of New Clairvaux
#innersilence #faith #calm #thoughts #God #monks #trappist #newclairvaux
