Pope Benedict XVI on Mother Teresa's 'silence'

I think it might be too kitchy to start every post with "the branch of..." when I have other thoughts and want to post them as well.

The following statements came from the current Pope when he was asked about the new book published on Mother Teresa [Come Be My Light]. Much has been made of her experience of silence from God. I, personally, am not sure why people are making such a big deal about it -- as though really holy people don't experience the same suffering that we all do as human beings. That seems really short-sighted. My own opinion is that it's easier to think that Saints are special somehow - that they have some "special" thing that other people don't have and that's why it's easier for them to make sacrificies and to give so generously with their lives. The truth is that it makes it more scary to think of the responsibilty we all have to strive for holiness except (personally) we're so lazy and would rather not think about it. But, the Truth is, we're all called to be Saints. We're all called to be Mother Teresa.

Here is the excerpt from ZENIT:

Benedict XVI continued: "On one hand, we have to endure this silence of God, partly in order to understand our brethren who don't know God."

On the other, he said, "we can always yell out again to God: 'Talk, show yourself!' And without a doubt, if the heart is open, we can discover the great moments of our life in which the presence of God is truly perceptible, even to us."

Seeing God

The Pope explained how it is possible to see God.

Before all, the Pontiff said, "the beauty of creation is one of the sources in which we can touch the beauty of God, we can see that the Creator exists and is good, that it is true what sacred Scripture says in the creation account."

Second, he explained, it is possible to perceive the divine presence "listening to the word of God in the great liturgical celebrations, in the great music of faith."

Benedict XVI then told the story of a woman who converted to Christianity after having listened to the music of Bach, Handel and Mozart.

Third, the Pope told the assembly of youth, one can discover God through "personal dialogue with Christ."

"He doesn't always respond, but there are moments in which he really responds," the Pontiff said.

A last way of discovering God, according to the Holy Father, is "friendship, companionship in the faith."

Benedict XVI continued: "Now, here, gathered in Loreto, we see how faith unites, how friendship creates a companionship of journeying persons.

"And we experience that all of this does not come from nothing, but has a source, that the silent God is also a God who speaks, who reveals himself, and above all, that we can be witnesses of his presence, that our faith truly brings about light, even for others."

The Pope added: "On one hand, we have to accept that in this world, God is silent, but we shouldn't make ourselves deaf when he speaks, when he manifests his presence on so many occasions, above all in Creation, in the liturgy, in friendship within the Church. And, full of his presence, we can also give light to others."