Hearing that still small voice of the yet unincarnate Word—manifested in such quiet humility— caused the holy Prophet to be completely beside himself, and he wrapped his face in his mantle. This unexpected encounter plunged him into a greater sense of holy fear and awe than had the Lord manifested Himself with power. In that little cave, the humility of the Prophet met the humility of the Lord. The account portrays a kind of icon for us, as well. How do we get ourselves quiet enough to hear the Lord’s voice? Are we even listening for it? Truly, the way into the closet of our heart is through a very small passageway. The entrance is very narrow—too narrow for our prideful self. Opening our inner heart in prayer is not just a matter of quietening ourselves down from the din of the world and the clatter of our inner thoughts; we must also ‘work’ to get ourselves ‘small’ enough to pass through to that inner closet where we can hear the Lord’s voice. The entrance gate is humility! Humility opens the way for our heart to hear His quiet word. Perhaps it is a voiceless word, or an assurance of His presence, or the revealing of some hidden truth spoken by our conscience; but for us to have the spiritual ears to hear it requires humility.

– St Paisius Monastery newsletter, Arizona