Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

"The sheep that belong to Me listen to My voice;
I know them and they follow Me" (John 10:27).

In a high school literature class, the teacher called
on a day-dreaming student to read aloud a paragraph
from an essay. When the reader had finished, the
teacher asked him to tell the class what the paragraph
he had just read meant to him. The classroom rocked
with laughter at his answer: "I'm sorry, but I wasn't
listening."

One thing is clear about today's world: there is a
serious shortage of good listeners.

We talk too much, most of us -- talk, talk, talk. And
even when we're not talking, we're not listening. We're
trying to think of what we're going to say when the other
person slows up enough for us to break in.

Listening is a loving way of affirming the other's real
worth as a human person. When you care enough to be
there and to give your full attention to the other, you are
saying, in effect, "I care enough about you to take time
to listen." Moreover, the person "who can no longer listen
to his brother, will soon no longer be listening to God,
either."

We who have identified with Jesus the Christ have been
taught a very special kind of love which, among other
things, is a listening love.

A young man was faced with making an important
decision that would affect the course of his life. He
considered his grandmother to be the wisest person
He knew, and so he went to see her. "Grandmother,"
He said, "I need to make the right decision about my
life and I've prayed about it. But I just can't decide.
Nothing happens when I pray. Tell me please, how
can I hear the voice of God?" The grandmother thought
for a while, then replied, "My dear grandson, I have
quite a different problem and, because of it, I don't think
I can help you. You see, I cannot NOT hear the voice
of God."

You hear what you want to hear. You hear what you're
listening for. If you want to hear the voice of God, you
cannot not hear it. God never gives up on you. God never
stops inviting you to be His own. The Good Shepherd
always keeps you within calling distance. If you don't hear
Him it's not because He's too far away or He's not speaking
loudly enough. It's because you are listening for other voices.

To listen to God's Word, really listen, we must turn toward
Him in the spirit of complete openness, love and trust.

Prayer:

Lord God please give me the gift of "listening". Lord I want
to listen to You and Your Word.  I mean really listen. I want
to turn to You in spirit of complete openness, love and trust.
I do love you Jesus and I place my trust in You.
In Your most Holy Name     AMEN