24 Oct 2017
“Obedience” has a negative sound to it. But, really, the word means “to listen;” to
listen attentively, and even to have a respectful conversation. It isn’t about “do or die;” it’s more like:
“Be quiet, listen, I have something important to show you.” And, of course, that’s what God asks of us—to
be quieter inside, so we can listen to him...attentively.
It sounds so simple, and yet it is a challenge. How many of us have thoughts running through
our head all day long (it seems)? How
many of us, if something is bothering us, will just let it sit inside us and
keep us from being at peace? And then
there’s so much of our culture which expects us to be busy, busy, busy. It’s a challenge to be quiet in our minds and
in our hearts. But if we want to hear
what God has to tell us, it’s a challenge we take up.
The first word of the Rule of St. Benedict is:
“Listen...listen, my child, to the precepts of your master Teacher.” That really is the start of the spiritual
life—listening attentively, learning to be quiet inside so we can hear God’s
whisperings. And he whispers sweet
things to his friends, sometimes challenging things, but always, always good
things.
The next time we go to pray, maybe start with our psalm from
today: “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Here I am, Lord.” And then be quiet. Listen.
Let God do the talking.
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