-
January 12, 2024The Voice of God
I am often asked, “Father, when I pray, how can I be sure if God is speaking to me, or if it is just my own thoughts? I ask God questions or advice, but I rarely hear anything clear. Am I praying correctly?”
First of all, I am proud of you are trying to pray well, and for trying to establish this real relationship with the living Jesus. Knowing the voice of God is usually something which must be cultivated by lots of prayer over many years. God only speaks to a silent heart, and many people simply do not make enough room for silence in their lives. Or else, they try to pray for a few sessions, and not hearing clearly, they give up.
This is why I invited each member of our parish, as a kind of parish wide New Year’s resolution, to stop by the church once a week to make a visit. St. Michael’s Church is a beautiful little church and perfect for silent prayer during the day!
Maybe the great line from our first reading today can be our mantra for these visits: “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” Opening God’s Word is a great way to hear his voice. I encourage you to bring your bible on these visits. In the small book which the parish gave you for Christmas (The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic), Matthew Kelly reminds us that a dynamic Catholic prays every day, at a certain time, in a certain place and with a certain structure. A relationship with Jesus is worth any amount of effort or struggle. He is truly the Pearl of Great Price!
God is real and He is very capable of speaking very clearly to His children! It could be, by the way, that He has been speaking to you all along, but you were unable to hear?
Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.
Fr. Brett Brannen
Pastor
