Pope Shenouda III
However, what should you do if you cannot seclude yourself with God?
If you cannot close your doors during a fast, then at least secure your mouth against sinful words.
How easy it is for our conversation with people to hamper our discourse with God. As one of the Fathers said: “He who talks much is empty from the inside and is void of neither prayer, contemplation, nor spiritual recitations or spiritual work inside the heart.
Training in seclusion and retreat helps you remain silent, and silence rids you of the spoken mistakes and gives you the opportunity for internal growth which is the work of the soul.