“When you contemplate what I tell you in the depths of your heart, you gain much more than if you read many books. Oh, if only souls would listen to my voice when I speak to them in their hearts, they would quickly reach the summit of holiness” (From the Diary of Sister Faustina).
Our Heavenly Father speaks to us not only through Sacred Scripture, the voice of the Church, and various events, but also in the depths of our hearts. To perceive His voice, we must learn to listen in silence.
At her trial, Saint Joan of Arc exclaimed to a large group of scholars who sought to brand her a heretic, “I read in a book that you do not know.” She was undoubtedly referring to the voice of God, who spoke directly to her heart and taught her things not found in books. It could be the mystery of God’s love for His creatures and all that He wants to communicate to them.
This is also what the Lord’s words to St. Faustina refer to. Our Father wants to communicate with us directly, heart to heart. His words are imbued with grace, which takes effect when we pay attention to them. However, it takes time to learn to listen to God. In this case, the heart, or love, is the protagonist, not the mind. A single moment of direct contact with our Father illuminates and warms our hearts. In His Spirit, we can immediately and directly understand things without the limitations of reason.
Let us think of a beautiful love, when hearts meet. With a glance and a gesture, a lover can express love better than by trying to explain it in detail. That is what I mean.
It is even easier in relation to our Heavenly Father. His love for us is constant, and as soon as we are receptive, it can flow from His heart and touch ours. Our souls perceive it and become “like a child quieted at its mother’s breast” (Ps 131:2).
And this inner knowledge of His love is not reserved only for a few privileged souls; God wants to convey it to all His children as soon as they learn to listen and remain in His presence. Then the path to holiness becomes easier.