Scripture:
1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19
Mark 7:31-37
Reflection:
In looking through today’s readings the message that jumped out at me the most came from the responsorial psalm, " I am the Lord your God, hear my voice". A pretty straight forward, simple message, a message that is very similar to what we hear at the river Jordan for Jesus’ baptism, "This is my beloved son, listen to him".
In a busy world of work, family, social life, let alone in a culture that is aggressively trying to remove God and religion from the public square, how do we hear His voice? Sunday Mass by itself is not enough for me. It is too easy to get distracted or come preoccupied. Jesus though gives us an example of how we may listen. Prayer!
Often Jesus goes off to pray alone when He is overwhelmed. Thus it can be for us. Not the quick "drive by" prayer requests or petition, but the long, silent prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament or alone in a room.
Pray unceasingly Paul tells us. Maybe he knew how much effort it would take for us to truly hear the voice of our Lord. Not just using a lot of words, but the effort of returning over and over in prayer and finding stillness in our hearts, so that like in the ATT commercial, when God says "can you hear me now", we are listening.
Steve Walsh is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, and a good friend of the Passionist Community.