The Role of Silence in Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Throughout the history of revelation and salvation, from Moses and Elijah down to Charles de Foucauld, many great men and women have been God's witnesses and have had one thing in common. They al spent a long time in the desert before beginning their apostolates, and they remained people of silence. In fact , God constantly uses silence as a method of instruction: For you, Lord, silence is praise. Christ, the envoy of the Father, revealed to us what God is and what we are; and He Himself was a man of silence. After he had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. when evening came, he was there alone. 

Silence is necessary physiological-psychologcal element of our development as persons. silence must develop in two complimentary directions-outward and inward. by outward silence it is meant that one is led towards relationship with others, with outside world and by inward silence it is meant that one draws aside from others in silence and reflection. 

St. Francis exactly followed this two ways of silence, which made him fully human, truly free with the freedom of the children of God. In silence he learnt and thought much about God, and in silence he recognized and welcomed the Lord in his life. From the time of his conversion, Francis was always seeking silence in order to be with God. He did not completely withdraw from the people but close to them, Thus he integrated prayer and charity, combined solitude and service. In Francis, there was a alternation between solitary contemplation and the service of others. In this, he was following the example of Christ. This aspect of life was arrived after much discussions with his early companions. 

In the quite of prayer, Francis finally learned to be silent so that he could listen to God, undisturbed by the noise of words and the glamour of his own thoughts. silence is the best way of responding to God, and Francis sensed that love of silence led to the silence of love and in this silence he responded to God. by keeping silent Francis learnt to respect of god's action within him, and allowed himself to be loved by Him and fashioned by that creative love.