To remain silent is to love

Respect comes from within. One has to begin by redeeming the roots. Destructive words are the daughters of destructive feelings. These need to be silenced as a sacrificial homage to Jesus.

The most profound solutions to the ills of a community are born at the feet of Jesus Christ. We will respect the mystery of our brother only if we place ourselves in the sphere of faith, and make a transference, “seeing” the Brother-Jesus-in this brother who is with me.

The ideal form of respect is silence.

Firstly, interior silence. As Paul says, quarrels and disputes are born in the heart. It is in the heart where each one has to check and silence gossip and offer this to Jesus as an oblative sacrifice. Thinking no evil. Feeling no evil. Respecting the other “by being silent” within.

In second place, there is one’s exterior silence. One frequently cannot justify certain reactions of a personality or certain irregular attitudes because, obviously, they are shortcornings. But we can always respect the reputation of our absent brother, simply by remaining silent. Silence is such a noble and dignified attitude...

I have always thought that, when we present ourselves at the gates of eternity, the best admission ticket would be a bouquet of well-guarded secrets. Only those who have loved will enter there; and those who have kept silent, have loved.

Extracted from the book “Come with me” by Father Ignacio Larrañaga.