Listen Up!
Written by Rita Zyber on Monday of the First Week of Lent
When I was younger, I never quite understood how people could “hear” God speaking to them. I remember a friend who once said, “The Lord told me to cut my hair.”
I smiled politely, but I was really thinking, “geez, doesn’t God have bigger stuff to deal with – like war and famine and disease?” Looking back now, I can see that I was wrong. After all, didn’t Jesus tell us that every hair on our head is counted? (Mt 10: 30).
Also, I can see now that my friend’s hairstyle was only part of God’s transforming work in her life. She had been making some big choices and big changes. She was not only experiencing a new look, but a whole new outlook.
Deacon Romolo here at St. Mary’s has a wonderful way of explaining divine inspiration. “The Lord laid it on my heart,” he often says. It sounds a little saner than telling people you hear voices. It makes better sense to me, too. We may not hear an actual voice, but in some situations, we feel moved to do or say something. Somehow, we just know what’s right.
It takes a little work, though, and the right attitude. I’ve learned that when I’m able to open my mind and heart, that’s when God is able to open my ears. Recently, he’s been sending me an earful. No static, just a strong signal telling me not to sweat the small stuff and not to fear the path I’m on.
For me, the messages usually come through scripture. Makes sense. I’m a word person and God tends to meet us in a way that fits us best. A few months ago, I happened to encounter the same passage from St. Paul three times in two weeks. It’s the one where he tells us to think about “whatever is honorable… whatever is lovely… and worthy of praise”. (Philippians 4: 8-9). Then, another random thing happened and I was confronted with a similar line from St. Paul, “hold on to what is good.” (Romans 12: 9).
So that’s what I’m doing; just holding on to the good – and noticing, more and more, what an abundance of good there really is in the world. So thanks, God, for the tender care you show us. I’m glad we had this little talk.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqF4N7rdV-w]
Questions for Reflection:
How do you hear the voice of God?
Does God speak to you through other people, or maybe through nature, art, music?
When does it seem easiest to hear God’s message?
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Rita Zyber
Rita joined the St. Mary Student Parish staff in June to assist with RCIA sessions. She has previous staff experience at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Ann Arbor, as well as years of volunteer service in religious education, stewardship, music ministry and RCIA. She is also a freelance writer and former newspaper reporter. She and her husband, Frank, have two college-age daughters, Claire and Lauren.
Contact: rzyber@smspnewman.org