The art of speaking and the virtue of being silent

The art of speaking and the virtue of being silent

Yes, speaking is easy, but SHUT UP requires prudence and mastery. Christ as a man, was silent, lived in silence and ignored for thirty years, to be able to speak as God for three years only.

The Word of Christ in promulgating his redemptive work, was kind, attractive, but decisive, penetrating and convincing. He called the bread, bread, and the wine, came bluntly and simply. But when he was silent, he did not defend himself against infamy, slander, accusations, injustices, outrages and crimes. Because it is useless and counterproductive to speak to predisposed people.

He gave us the following examples:

To speak in a timely manner is RIGHT
Speaking in front of the enemy is CITIZENSHIP
Speaking up in the face of injustice is COURAGE
Speak to rectify, it is a DUTY
Speaking to defend is COMPASSION
To speak in the face of pain is to CONSOLE
Speaking to help others is CHARITY
To speak sincerely is RIGHTEOUSNESS
Talking about yourself is VANITY
Talk restoring fame, is HONESTY
Talk clarifying gossip, it is OBLIGATION
To speak dispelling falsehoods, is of CONSCIENCE
To speak having to be silent is NECESSITY
Talking for the sake of talking is NONSY
Talking about God means MUCH LOVE.

When Christ spoke, he ignited sincere and noble hearts, but his SHUT UP surprised everyone, disconcerted his own enemies. CALLANDO taught to carry the Cross, for the same reason:

Silence when accused is heroism
Shut up when they insult, it’s love
Silencing one’s sorrows is SACRIFICE
Shut up on yourself, is HUMILITY
Silencing human miseries is CHARITY
Shut up on time, it is PRUDENCE
Silence in pain, is PENANCE
Silence useless words, it is VIRTUE
Silent when they hurt, it’s holiness
Silence to defend, is NOBILITY
Silencing other people’s defects is BENEVOLENCE
Shut up having to speak, is COWARDY

Learn first to SHUT UP to be able to SPEAK correctly and wisely, because if TALK is silver, SHUT UP is gold. Just as you shut up and defend covering the defects of others with the same measure, you will be defended by GOD.

To silence one’s own qualities is humility.
To shut up the good works of others is envy.
To be silent in order not to hurt susceptibility is delicacy.
Silencing one’s own defects is prudence.
To stop the defects of others is charity.
Shutting up useless words is wisdom.
To shut up to listen is education.

To be silent in time is discernment.
To be silent with the suffering is solidarity.
To be silent when one has to speak is cowardice.
To be silent before the strong is submission.
Be quiet before the weak is magnaninimity.
Be silent in front of a injustice is complicity.
To be silent when they humiliate you is to walk in the truth
Silence in moments of pain is a virtue
Silence in the face of injury is strength.
Silence to love better is holiness.

Return to the main page of

catholic reflections

Sign in the guest book

Subscribe to Javier’s Catholic Web mailing list for free to receive weekly updates by email.