“In the silence of the heart, God speaks.”

“Prayer that comes from the mind and heart is called mental prayer. …It is only by mental prayer and spiritual reading that we can cultivate the gift of prayer. Mental prayer is greatly fostered by simplicity–that is, forgetfulness of self by transcendence of the body and of our senses, and by frequent aspirations that feed our prayer. ‘In mental prayer,’ says Saint John Vianney, ‘shut your eyes, shut your mouth, and open your heart.’…We cannot put ourselves directly in the presence of God if we do not practice internal and external silence. The interior silence is very difficult, but we must make the effort. …In the silence of the heart God speaks. If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you. Then you will know that you are nothing. It is only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence.” (Mother Teresa, No Greater Love 5-8)