Sunday 10^th August – 19^th Sunday of the year

Reflection: 1 Kings 19: 9, 11-13

THE STILL SMALL VOICE

“My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). God desires to speak to his children always. Through the words of scripture, at Mass, in every situation of life, in the events that unfold before our eyes each day, in the depths of our hearts, God desires to speak to us, helping us know and understand His will and reminding us that He is always with us. How then do we hear God speak?

Just as difficult as it is for you and your friend to hold a good conversation in the midst of noise so it is for us to hear God in the midst of noise. If we really desire to hear God and hold fruitful conversations with him, we must be quiet in the depths of our hearts. Today’s world is full of noise and distractions, making it difficult for us to recognize God’s voice. For us young people as we strive to catch up with the happenings around us, with our peers and friends especially on social communication outlets and our various ambitions it becomes even more difficult to maintain the silence of heart required to hear that still small voice.

Dear friend, just as the Prophet Elijah in our reading today waited to listen to God and found him not in the wind, fire, or earthquake bit in the still small voice, in the sound of a gentle breeze; we too must stay still in God’s presence and put off all distractions so we can hear his voice. Even in the midst of the noise around us, let us be recollected in our hearts and we will hear him speak through the events that play our before us each day. And as we hear his voice, we can really follow him.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please help me not to be carried away by the noise around me but to be silent in my heart and attentive to you so that I can hear your voice always. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 120 – What does the Holy Spirit do in my life?

The Holy Spirit makes me receptive to God; he teaches me to pray and helps me to be there for others.

St Augustine calls the Holy Spirit “The quiet guest of our soul”. Anyone who wants to sense his presence must be quiet. Often this Guest speaks very softly within us and with us, for instance, in the voice of our conscience or through other interior and exterior promptings…

HIDE A TREASURE: “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21 RSV-CE

Readings for Today: 1 Kings 19: 9, 11-13; Psalm 85: 9-14; Romans 9: 1-5; Matthew 14: 22-33