Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/473

 says: "Beware  of   too  much   speaking,  for  it  banishes from  the  soul  holy  thoughts  and  recollection  with  God." Speaking of  religious  that  cannot  abstain  from  inquiring after worldly  news,  St.  Joseph  Calasanctius  said:  "The curious  religious  shows  that  he  has  forgotten  himself." It is  certain  that  he  who  speaks  too  much  with    men converses but  little  with  God,  for  the  Lord  says:  I  will lead  her  into  the  wilderness,  and  I  will  speak  to  her  heart. If, then,  the   soul  wishes  that   God   speak  to  its  heart,  it must  seek   after  solitude;  but  this   solitude   will  never be found  by  religious  who  do   not   love   silence. "If," said the  Venerable  Margaret  of  the  Cross,  "we  remain silent,  we  shall  find  solitude." And how  will  the  Lord ever condescend  to  speak  to  the  religious,  who,  by  seeking after  the  conversation  of  creatures,  shows  that  the conversation of  God  is  not  sufficient  to  make  her  happy? Besides, the  Holy  Ghost  tells  us  that  in  speaking  too much we   shall   not   fail  to   commit  some  fault. In the multitude  of  words  they  shall  not  want  sin.   While  they speak and  prolong  conversation  without  necessity,  certain persons  think  that  they  are  not  guilty  of  any  defect; but if  they  carefully  examine  themselves  they  will  find some fault  against  modesty,  of  detraction,  of  curiosity, or at  least  of  superfluous  words. St. Mary  Magdalene de Pazzi  used  to  say  that  a  religious  should  speak  only through necessity. For religious  are  bound  in  a  special manner to   give   an  account   of  idle  words,   for  which, according to  our  Saviour,  all  men  shall  have  to  render an account. ''But I  say  unto  you,  that  every  idle  word  that  men shall  speak,  they  shall  account  for  it  in  the  day  of  judgment. ''