The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, must abound in our mouths and hearts. We must seek to know the Word of God so that it will become an integral part of our being. We must be transformed by the Word so that the plan of God may be realised in each one of us. Work and silence are important parts of the Carmelite life. Silence is the ambience in which we can more easily become aware of the presence of God.
Exterior silence is useful but more necessary still is interior silence.
In the silence of our hearts we can begin to discern the voice of God. God spoke one word, which was His Son, and He always repeats it in an eternal silence, and in silence must it ever be heard by the soul. The first group of Carmelite hermits has blossomed into the world-wide Carmelite family. Being members of one family is a very important element of our Carmelite vocation. We do not follow Christ as isolated individuals but as sisters and brothers.