"If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts."
Psalm 95: 8
 

We live busy lives. We are always rushing for something; everything is a rush to do the next task and make the deadline. We measure our success or productivity by the number of jobs we accomplish and how busy we are. This new age culture has tricked us into thinking that being active is a good achievement. Being busy makes it difficult for us to be more present and listen attentively to the voice of God in our lives.

Ignatian Spirituality encourages us to find God in all things and that God is constantly labouring, and He invites us to help him in this labouring. It is difficult for us to offer a response if we are not attuned to the voice of God because of the busyness that surrounds our lives. The Lord invites us today to listen to his voice and let His word dwell in our hearts and transform us. Listening involves paying attention and being present to the Lord, who always wants to communicate with us.

The Lord can speak to us anywhere, and He does. The Lord speaks in church when we are doing everyday household chores, in deadlines and busyness of work, etc. Jesus often met people amid their busy lives; we see this in the scriptures. Matthew was in the tax collector's booth, working when he was called (Matthew 9:9). So we too are encouraged to find God in all things, people and places.

I invite you to pay attention to the different ‘God moments’ in your day; these are moments of consolation. Someone giving you a compliment, the completion of a task, being outdoors in nature; an encouraging conversation with a friend; the overcoming of a problematic situation; conversations around meals with family; the feeling of looking forward to meeting a loved one you haven’t seen in ages. Gratitude, peace, and joy are some ways that the Lord communicates with us. Sometimes the Lord invites us to face challenging and difficult situations, but He gives us the courage we need to meet these.

What other 'God moments' might you be invited to pay attention to today?

How might you listen more to the Lord today? What is the Lord asking you to be more attentive to today?
 

Loving Lord

Thank you that you are in all things. It helps us to slow down and pay attention to you more when you speak with us so that we may be able to listen to where and what it is you are inviting us to.
Amen.