HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD
Do you want to hear what God is saying to you? Ainish Philip, a Sehion youth minister, working in the USA tells how this is possible
A DIVINE CALL
One day, when St. Francis of Assisi was out walking he passed the old ruined church of San Damiano. Guided by the Holy Spirit, he went inside the church and knelt in front of the crucifix, praying. As he gazed at the Cross, he heard a voice saying three times, “Francis, go and repair my house!” At first Francis thought that the Lord was asking him to rebuild the ruined chapel, but then he realised that God was asking him to build up the people of God. After hearing this divine revelation, Francis worked tirelessly for the rest of his life building up the Kingdom of God for the love of Christ.
THE SAINTS
There are many stories of the Saints having visions or dreams where God speaks to them. Our Lady revealed herself as The Immaculate Conception in a vision to young Bernadette at Lourdes. We read in the life of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque that, while she was praying, Jesus often spoke to her of the devotion to His Sacred Heart.
GOD SPEAKS
You might think that God’s voice would be accompanied by pomp and fanfare. I remember that when I was a child, after my night prayers, I would often pretend to go to sleep but then keep checking to see if an angel or even Jesus himself had appeared in my room. But nothing like that ever happened to me! Over time I’ve realised that the Holy Spirit doesn’t usually speak to us in an audible way through our ears, but He speaks to us constantly in the simple and ordinary situations of life.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
Addressing young people at World Youth Day in 2008, Pope Benedict said, “The Holy Spirit has been in some ways the neglected person of the Blessed Trinity.” He then confessed that, it was only when he was a young priest teaching theology that he began to recognise the importance of the Holy Spirit in his priestly life, and also to know Him intimately. He emphasised, “It is not enough to know the Spirit; we must welcome Him as the guide of our souls, because He alone can open us up to faith and allow us to live it each day to the full.”
GOD'S WILL
Imagine sitting in front of a dish of your favorite ice cream or cake or something that you would really like to eat, but you have just eaten a meal and you are pretty full. You know that you will probably regret it but you eat it anyway because it is too delicious to resist. It is the same in our spiritual life. The Holy Spirit will tell us what is best for us but we tend to do what our bodies and our brains tell us instead. If we can learn to depend on the Holy Spirit completely, we will be led by the Spirit and will know the will of God for our lives.
IS IT GOD'S VOICE?
In the story of Samuel being called by God (1 Samuel 3:4-11), the young boy does not recognise the voice of God, until the old priest Eli tells him that God is talking to him. In obedience and submission, Samuel says, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” In the same way, if we feel that God is calling us to do something but we are not sure, then we can always go to a priest, a spiritual elder or our parents to help us to discern God’s will in our lives.
THE BIBLE
God also speaks to us through the Bible. If we immerse ourselves in the Word of God, we will hear His voice clearly. Mary, the mother of Jesus, meditated and treasured the Word of God in her heart (Luke 2:19). When we regularly and prayerfully read the Bible, we will witness a massive transformation in our lives through God’s guidance.
SILENCE
For many of us, used to being constantly surrounded by crowds, noise and loud music, silence can make us uncomfortable. But it is only in quiet that we can truly enjoy God’s presence. “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). Silence can help us to contemplate and listen to what God is saying to us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes St Teresa when defining contemplation as, “Contemplative prayer in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him, who we know loves us” (CCC #2709).
FELLOWSHIP
At Mass, we hear the words from 2 Corinthians 13:13. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” Our Heavenly Father wants us all to come into fellowship with the Holy Spirit and to get to know Him personally. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, He changes our tastes to suit what pleases Him. He will also speak to us clearly, direct our lives so that we can live life to the full, and help us to do what brings him pleasure.
