In the Psalm today the Lord says, “I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.” This got me thinking about prayer and how we hear God’s voice. I wondered if God speaks to us similarly or if we all have unique experiences. I concluded it is probably a little of both. I hear God’s voice in the quiet of my heart. Sometimes in Adoration. Oftentimes in nature. And still other times in water. How do you hear God’s voice?
My grandmother was my dearest person in the world. She was my best example of the Catholic faith, womanhood, motherhood, everything. She was my person. Our last exchange was a card and in it she wrote, “It is sad, but I am cheerful.” She was dying. It wouldn’t be long. I remember telling my husband years and years prior (before we got married), the day we lose her is going to be the hardest day of my life.
Dream
One week before she died, I heard God’s voice through a dream. In it, He spoke to me and showed me exactly what was going to happen. In short, I dreamed her death. I remember calling my mom the next morning and telling her it was time to make the long drive north to go to her mother. She knew our bond and did not question the dream.
It happened exactly as God said it would. It was beautiful and peaceful and filled with grace. I realized that by Him showing me, it was His gift to prepare my heart.
From a Friend
I reached out to a friend and told her what I wanted to write this month’s reflection about. Would she tell me about an experience when she heard God’s voice? Here is her reply:
“…. God spoke. Not in a thunderclap. Not in the wind. Not even in a whisper. He spoke in the silence of an empty adoration chapel. While praying to St. Joseph for intercession for someone very dear to me, I journaled:
Thy will be done.
Into your hands.
He is your son.
You love him more than we do.
Reach him.
Cast out his demons. St. Joseph, terror of demons, protect him.
Joseph. Baby Joseph. Intercede for him. Pray for us. Pray for our protection.
I looked up. In the front corner of the adoration chapel stood a beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother holding baby Jesus somewhere between infant and toddler. He sat on her folded arms facing outward with his hand raised in blessing to all who entered this sacred space. His gently smiling face under a mop of blonde slightly curly hair suddenly struck me as if I had not seen that statue hundreds of times. It was the same little toe-headed boy I had recently seen in a dream when I saw myself playing
with our miscarried son as a toddler. Joseph. In the quiet of adoration, almost exactly 3 months to the day after that painful Valentine’s in the emergency room, God introduced me to our son Joseph and gave me the gift of an image of his beautiful face that will live in my heart forever.”
She heard His voice after months of weekly visits to the Adoration chapel. Sometimes we hear God’s voice right away, other times it takes weeks or even years and years.
It is clear what is required once reading verses 12-13 of the psalm;
“My people heard not my voice,
and Israel obeyed me not;
So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts.
they walked according to their own counsels.”
One thing is certain, our hearts must be open. And we must not depend on ourselves.
[Readings: 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19; Mk 7:31-37]
