Holy Silence - A Practical Guide to Recollection in God by Basil Nortz
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Fr. Basil Nortz masterfully builds upon the classic reflections of Sr. Marie-Aimée de Jésus, a nineteenth-century spiritual mystic and Carmelite nun, on the twelve degrees of silence. By cultivating these types of silence, you will find out how you can — even amid your busy days filled with chatter, commotion, and noise — listen to the voice of God.
In these profound pages you will find ways to overcome your fear of silence and discover:
Keys to obeying God’s will
Kinds of silence that are holy and kinds that are unholy
Ten tips on what to do — and what to avoid — to bridle your senses
Seven ways to guard your imagination and foster recollection
How to direct your emotions with reason and foster silence of the heart
Effective ways of responding to injustice
You will learn the one sinful attitude that cuts us off from the merciful forgiveness of God and will acquire ways to stop passing judgment against others. Additionally, you will learn the most important attitude that disposes us to God’s plans and allows us to enter into His love and converse with Him affectionately throughout the day. Moreover, you will find practical techniques for overcoming distractions in prayer and advice from the saints on methods of meditation to develop silence of the spirit.
Above all, you will glean how to maintain peace of soul and live free from anxiety and despair, regardless of temptations or life’s battles. By relying totally on God, you will fearlessly rise after falls and begin again. You will begin to see the loving hand of God in all things, contemplate the light of His presence, and “be still” in the silence of His love.
“Holy silence is what helps the soul acquire the strength necessary to bear the presence of the all-pure God, who is ipsum esse subsistens (subsistent being itself),” explains Fr. Nortz. “The intensity of that fullness, far from inspiring languid inaction, produces a vibrant joyfulness that St. John expresses in the book of Revelation in terms of the saints singing with full voice.”
Endorsements:
In a world and in a time where material noises and the cacophony of contradictory doctrines has deafened men, there is an urgent need of silence. True silence must enable men to listen to the one and ultimately valid voice of truth, which is Jesus Christ, the Incarnated Word and Son of God.
-Athanasius Schneider
This is the best treatment of the importance of silence in the spiritual life that I know of. Fr. Nortz, steeped in the wisdom of our spiritual tradition, especially that of John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, has with precision and real insight shown how silence applies in various ways to virtually every aspect of our life. This is a book well-worth prayerfully reading and reflecting on.
-Ralph Martin
208 Pages, Paperback
208 Pages, Paperback
