Friday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:00:00 PST

Good News Reflection
Friday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time
February 10, 2012

Today's Memorial: Saint Scholastica
Pray for spiritual conversations:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Scholastica.htm

Today’s Readings:
1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19
Ps 81:10-15
Mark 7:31-37
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021012.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/12_02_10.mp3

Hearing God's voice

What is God telling you but you're too deaf to hear? I am not asking IF you're deaf to something, for we all have partial hearing losses.

In today’s Gospel reading, the deaf man started listening even before he could hear! He listened to God's voice inviting him to find new growth and healing. In the same way, God speaks to us in our consciences before we hear it in our minds.

We're living in a noisy world, so it takes effort to hear what the Lord is saying. He's speaking to us all the time. Every moment of every day. He's actually quite chatty!

When was the last time you heard him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" I'm sure he has – today even. (Hey, sometimes just getting out of bed gains us a "well done!" from our Lord.)

When was the last time you heard him say, "I made this day for you! Isn't it wonderful? Sure we're sharing in some trials today, but listen to the birds singing! It's a song I taught them to sing for you!"

Sometimes, we're deaf because we don't believe he's saying what he's saying. Sometimes, we're deaf because we're too stubborn to accept his message. He then tries to reach us through other methods, including the people around us. Listen! He might use the least likely person; God's got a sense of humor like that – or maybe it's a sense of fairness.

God has guidance that he wants to give you today, but you'll need to work at keeping your ears open all day. God is also trying to correct you about something, warning you about a sin you're vulnerable to today. And he's giving you words of encouragement, hope, comfort, and rejoicing. Will you be able to hear all of this? Are you willing to hear all of it?

His voice is waiting in the scriptures, in Christian music, in that spiritual book you've got sitting on your table, in your children or your spouse or the friend you "accidentally" bump into. His ways of communicating are as infinite and as creative as he is.

Give him your deafness each morning, and if you truly want to hear, you'll get more guidance, more comfort, more affirmation, and more "All right! Way to go, my child! Well done, good and faithful servant! Hooray for you! I love you!"

You might hear the angels singing to God about what he has done in your life. They have a chorus going right now. Shhhh.... listen!

© 2012 by Terry A. Modica of Good News Ministries
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Friday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time