Friday of the Third Week of Lent
Scripture:
Hosea 14:2-10
Mark 12:28-34
Reflection:
How do we hear the voice of God? The psalm response of today, ‘I am the Lord your God: hear my voice’ serves to remind us that God is always calling, always near to us, always present. Each year during the Lenten season we are encouraged to take time to hear God’s call, to listen to that still small voice within nudging, challenging and prodding us to be still and know that God is with us.
How do we hear the voice of God? For some it is on a 30-day Ignatian retreat, for others it is on a sandy beach at shores edge, for others it is at the bedside of a dying loved one. Everyone hears the voice of God differently to be sure. God meets us in the most unexplainable and unpredictable times. For me growing up on the shores of Lake Michigan, God and I have had many encounters walking the beach, sitting at the lighthouse, catching the sunset. In my role as pastoral associate, I am privileged to hear God’s voice in our RCIA candidates, in couples preparing for marriage, in visiting the sick or even during a strategic planning meeting.
Oftentimes we do not hear God or feel that presence at the exact time we want to hear or see. This doesn’t mean that God has not been present, rather, more often it is us to have not been present to hearing or seeing God. It is always easy to see God in the good times and the exciting moments of our lives. It is not as easy to recognize the God moments in times of stress, anxiety, trauma and disappointment. I had a spiritual director who told me one time that he no longer prayed to see God in only the high times, but the low ones as well.
During this Lenten season let us ponder and reflect on the myriad of ways that God is speaking to us. Let us quiet our bodies and spirits, come away from the chaos and crisis that often crowd our days and nights. Come away to that inner room wherein God speaks to us without any distractions or interruptions. Take time to be refreshed and regroup which will lead us to experience more clearly the ‘voice of God’. Happy Lent!
Theresa Secord is a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.