Common Sense
By Melodious Monk
This morning I was reading about Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, a 20th century Italian priest from a farming town in southern Italy, more well known as Padre Pio. He gave this advice: “Whatever can I say in order to stop the multitude of your thoughts? Don’t try, excessively, to heal your heart, as your efforts would only make it more infirm. Don’t make too great an effort to overcome your temptations, as this violence would only make them stronger. Despise them and don’t dwell on them too much.”
I smiled while reading this, as it reminded me of conversations I frequently have with one of the long standing brothers at our community. He often tells me to try not thinking so much. Because put simply, “How do you expect to hear God’s voice with so many thoughts and voices of your own to drown His out? It’s just common sense!”
