Seeking to Hear My Father's Voice

Elizabeth Reardon considers the ways Lent draws us to take the time to listen to God and seek ways to transform our lives.

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war, that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality…I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. (Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King)

Can we even imagine a world where racism and war no longer exist? In small ways, I believe that we can, because in knowing God, we come to know the existence of goodness. So too, we may have witnessed kindness, compassion, and instances whereby goodness has triumphed over evil. Yet it cannot go unnoticed that in the kingdom of God, God’s goodness and reign is completely sovereign. That withstanding, I am not ready to give up the dream and diligence toward a world where justice and goodness prevail. In fact, it is in posing this question that I am reminding myself again of that ideal that the kingdom of God reveals to us. In imagining it, it provides the vision to hope for, and the desire to work towards fulfilling it.

Entering into Lent, I have been giving much thought to our journey of faith as a community, the lifelong invitation of dying to self and accepting a life transformed. We know that Jesus spent countless hours in prayer, and this was time spent in getting to know His Father (Abba) more intimately, reconnecting with the Spirit, and redirecting His life towards infinite love. In understanding the dynamic, ongoing, and transformative conversion of life, we too need to make the necessary connection to one’s lived experience of faith—as a project of life integration. Simply stated, as Christians our lived experience of faith in the Spirit calls us to continually redirect our hearts, minds, and steps towards the values and actions necessary in being followers of Christ and in building the kingdom of God.

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Beautifully, we can see metanoia in community when partaking in the Eucharist. For, here we are invited to bring our brokenness, recommit ourselves to God and the community, and are sent forth to be Eucharist to the world. Even so, Lent gives us a period of time to reflect on our own desires, to surrender ourselves, and better discern where and who God is calling us to be.

Like Jesus, we need this time with God to hear and become familiar with the voice of our loving Father. So, in this way, I invite you to consider carving out quiet time and space this Lent to do just that. It needn’t be vast, but a committed time each day just to sit, “be still and know that He is God.” Pay attention to the stillness, to the absence of your voice, and the freedom found in just being present with God. Feel the Holy Spirit’s constant reminder of life in every breath you take.

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Lent gives us a period of time to reflect on our own desires, to surrender ourselves, and better discern where and who God is calling us to be. #CatholicMom

Reflect: When I pray, am I seeking to hear my voice or my Father’s? How do I respond when you call attention to my need for conversion of heart?

Pray: Thank you, God, for the gift in rediscovering You. Here in your presence, I know that your love, truth and guidance both for me and for the world are always there to be found ... if we truly seek to hear your voice!

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