Down with empty silence. Down with ritual silence. Down with empty phrases. Down with spiritual pretense of every kind. What we're about, I hope, is real prayer.
Quiet prayer provides the nourishment and the bonding and the security which a parent provides.
Here's another way to look at it. I don't know if all of you are going to like this quotation, but those of you who are cat lovers will understand. It's from Phil Gulley's book, Home Town Tales . Phil Gulley talks about the presence of God as joy . We feel joy when God is near.