Re: Substantial Words in Day-to-Day Life

I said that, it seems to me, substantial words can be given consciously or unconsciously (in the summit of our soul, passing above conscious apprehension). Both are ways that God can work an effect by his words.

It almost goes without saying – but I’ll say it anyway – that we certainly won’t hear substantial words consciously if we do not have an interior silence, which can only be prepared by times of prayer in physical silence. Silence is necessary. The spirit was not made for noise. If we abuse that, we make God’s job harder. One has to be realistic. Listening always presupposes silence. If our head were running with images, tunes, or imaginings, we’d never consciously hear a substantial word if God wanted to give one.

And perhaps, without silence, we’d never hear substantial words unconsciously, either.