In the last issue I was sharing thoughts about the eleventh step on the Ladder, namely Talkativeness and Silence. When we are spiritually lazy, we often try to fill the vacuum with pointless chattering. The Ladder pinpoints three fundamental causes of talkativeness. The first is A Bad or Relaxed Lifestyle.

Words are easy, whereas prayer, hard work, fasting, study and restraint require recollection, contemplation, thoughtfulness, and action. When these things are lacking, we spend far too much time sitting around talking. And let us not make the mistake of thinking that constantly speaking of spiritual or theological matters always justifies this passion of talkativeness. For speaking incessantly of such matters while not acting upon them is of little benefit to us. As St. Maximus the Confessor aptly wrote, “Theology without works is the theology of demons.”

But let us also be careful not to go to extremes. For a good word can bring hope, peace, comfort, enlightenment and joy. Sometimes our own words can even remind us that we should be trying harder to reach our own ideals, to heed our own advice, to practice the very thing we are preaching. This is why I always tell everyone that I tend to preach to myself and just hope that   others listen. All things must be         exercised in moderation. There is “a time to keep silent and a time to speak.” One of the many great Mothers of the Church, St. Cassiani, a rather outspoken woman for her day, once said, “I hate silence when it is time to speak.”

There is always a delicate balance. When a person is talking too much they are not really listening to others, don’t really want to hear what others say, or are trying to convince themselves of what they are saying is true.

Use this to assess yourself?