Today is September 5, the optional memorial of St. Teresa of Calcutta.
We read in the Psalm at today’s Mass, “Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends” (Ps 100:3).
Carlo lived in the same noisy, distracted world we do. But he knew how to find silence. He loved praying the Rosary, reading Scripture and sitting quietly before the Blessed Sacrament. Silence was not emptiness for him — it was space for God.
This habit of silence prepared Carlo for everything. In silence, he learned to listen. He discovered God’s will, found peace in trial and grew in love. His patience and serenity, even in suffering, flowed from this life of prayer.
A means of openness
Our world trains us to avoid silence. We reach for our phones or fill our time with constant activity. Carlo shows us that silence is not something to fear but to embrace. It is in stillness that God speaks.
If we want to know God’s plan for us, we must first create room to hear him. Silence does not mean passivity; it means openness. For Carlo, silence was the ground where his friendship with Jesus grew.
We may not always have long hours for prayer, but we can make small choices to reclaim silence: to pause before speaking, to step away from noise, to sit quietly with God. These little acts open the door for his voice.
Let us pray,
O God, who called the Virgin Saint Teresa to respond to the love of your Son thirsting on the Cross with outstanding charity to the poorest of the poor, grant us, we beseech you, by her intercession, to minister to Christ in our suffering brothers and sisters. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
*We are experiencing issues with the recorded video files for MDV. Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve them and post the remaining reflections.
