In our noisy world, silence can feel like an absence, an empty space that needs to be filled. Yet for the Christian, silence is not emptiness at all. It is presence. It is the place where God speaks to the heart and where our own words are purified.

In an earlier post on A Reflective Guide on The Ladder of Divine Ascent, I reflected on how silence is part of prayer. Here, I want to look at another dimension: how silence shapes the way we speak and, in turn, the kind of people we become.

Elijah on Mount Horeb did not find God in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in “a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12). St. John of the Cross wrote that the Father spoke one Word, His Son, in eternal silence, and in silence must it be heard (Ascent of Mount Carmel, II, 22, 3). Silence is the language of God, and when we enter it, we begin to hear truth more clearly.

Thomas Merton once observed, “Silence is the mother of truth” (Thoughts in Solitude). It is in quiet that we come face to face with ourselves, stripped of excuses and distractions. This honesty then spills over into how we speak to others.

Silence helps us to resist gossip. So much harmful talk arises because we do not stop to reflect. Proverbs says: “Sin is not ended by multiplying words” (10:19). Silence gives us the pause to ask: Is this true? Is it necessary? Is it charitable? Often, that pause is enough to stop us from repeating words that wound.

Silence also makes us more reliable. Jesus tells us, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). When we live in noise, we promise quickly and often fail to keep our word. But silence teaches patience. We speak less, and when we do, we mean it. Ecclesiastes reminds us: “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it” (5:4). The same applies in daily life with our family, friends, spiritual communities, and colleagues.

Over time, silence forms trustworthiness. Others learn that we do not spread what is not ours to share. They sense that when we speak, we are careful and sincere. Cardinal Robert Sarah puts it beautifully: “Silence is more important than any other human work. Because it expresses God.” (The Power of Silence, I, 68). By carrying silence within us, our words become fewer but stronger, simpler but more truthful.

I’ve found that when life feels hurried, the simplest practices often make the biggest difference. Instead of rushing through the day, it helps me to pause and return to God in small ways. Here are a few practices I’d like to share with you, simple steps that continue to ground me and might bless you as well. Begin your day with a few minutes of silence before God instead of checking your phone. Notice the pauses during Mass and let them speak to your heart. Choose one evening a week without screens, giving space for prayer or Scripture. When you are about to speak of someone else, pause and remember Ephesians 4:29: “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths but only what is good for building up.”

Silence is not only for monks or nuns. It is for every Christian who longs to be closer to God and truer to others. In silence, we learn to listen. From listening, we learn to speak with care. And in speaking with care, we slowly become people who can be trusted.

To conclude, I’d like to share a prayer. You may wish to print the longer version for your prayer corner, and keep the shorter version in mind as a simple daily reminder.

Lord of eternal silence,
You spoke one Word—Your Son—into the world,
and in Him You have said everything to us.

Teach my heart to love silence,
not as emptiness,
but as the place where You dwell.

Guard my tongue from gossip and careless speech.
Let my words be few, truthful, and full of charity.
Grant me the grace to keep my promises,
to speak with sincerity,
and to become a person others can trust.

May my silence be filled with Your presence,
and my words shaped by Your Spirit,
so that in all things I may build up my neighbor
and glorify You.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Shorter version:

Lord Jesus, teach me to love silence.
Guard my words, that they may be truthful and kind.
Let my speech flow from prayer,
and make me trustworthy in Your sight. Amen.