Friends, the wise tell us that God abides in silence -- that God speaks in the silent serenity of the heart. Let us not speak of silence; rather, let silence speak to us of God.
Together, let us enter through the door of serenity, the silence of our heart: a heart that is free, peaceful, quiet and calm, a heart that is one ... a heart so large and wide it embraces God of all and the all of God, the God who in silence speaks all languages, the God who in silence speaks in all creatures, the God who in silence speaks one word: the God who speaks of Love.
As Dom Helder started to speak about the poor, he choked up and could not continue. The bags under his eyes filled up like fountains and the tears ran down his wrinkled face. For five minutes he could not speak. His mouth twitched every now and then, and we hoped he might be able to continue. We waited in rapt attention for him to express what he was trying to say, but he could not. The memory of the destitute and the realization of their desperate plight left him with just one response: tears.
