listen up!
"Suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them. Out of the cloud came a voice which said, 'This is My beloved Son on Whom My favor rests. Listen to Him.' " —Matthew 17:5
Many Christians say they have difficulty listening to God, but many of these Christians profess that Jesus is their Lord. How can Jesus be our Lord and order every detail of our lives if we don't hear Him?
At Jesus' Transfiguration, God the Father commanded us to listen to Jesus (Mt 17:5). This means the Lord will provide the grace for us to hear Him, and His grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9). To decide to accept the grace of listening to Jesus, we should:
- obey the Church, her magisterium, bishops, and the Pope,
- devote ourselves to communal life in Christ (Acts 2:42),
- live a sacramental life, including a daily time of prayer,
- abide in God's word (Jn 8:31),
- change our lifestyles dramatically to maximize listening and minimize distractions, and
- set aside each day a time to be silent.
The Lord expects us to try to listen to Him daily. He will honor our attempts — no matter how feeble they are — and tell us "things great beyond reach" of our knowledge (Jer 33:3).
What an awesome privilege to listen to the all-holy, Triune God! Let us center our day and our lives on listening to Him and obeying Him.
Prayer: Father, make listening to You a top priority for me.
Promise: "We possess the prophetic message as something altogether reliable. Keep your attention closely fixed on it, as you would on a lamp shining in a dark place until the first streaks of dawn appear and the morning star rises in your hearts." —2 Pt 1:19
Praise: Praise Jesus, transfigured in glory, the "Light of the world" (Jn 8:12), shining in radiant splendor.
Reference: (For related teaching, order our leaflet, Hearing God, or our audio AV 45-1 or video V-45.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 8, 2005
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