NOTE: For all of the Sunday’s of Lent I would like to suggest that we spend some time in prayer and reflection…like a mini-retreat. My hope is that it will help us dive deep into this season of grace and set a course for the week ahead…and more!
When it rains it pours! Recently I had just sat down for a one-on-one meeting in my office. Minutes into our discussion I heard the familiar “ding-ding” of my cell phone—another text message. Then another. This was followed by a knock at the door and with a head pop in, “gotta minute? Oh I’m sorry – I did realize…”. Then the computer signals a new email and off course, the cell phone can’t resist.
I got up, and my colleague said, “it’s ok, check it…it might be something important.” But I scribbled a note and put in on the outside of the door. IN A MEETING. I went to the computer and turned the volume off and put my phone on silent/no vibe.
Why? I wanted to listen to him! It could all wait. I was in a meeting and he was most important and what we were about was the focus.
There are so many distractions in our lives…and we jump to them. We’ve become like Pavlov’s dog. Ding… and we can’t resist. Email? Got to read it NOW…no matter what we’re doing.(Maybe there is a reason it wasn’t Pavlov’s cat?)
This Second Sunday of Lent offers us an opportunity to put a note on the door of our heart…to silence our cell phones…let our emails wait…so we can listen to Him. Today’s Gospel reminds us how distractions can lead us to missing what’s right in front of us. Transfiguration! We are all like Peter, James and John—we’ve been invited to this spectacular moment— this revelatory encounter between Jesus, Moses and Elijah, and we get distracted. How quickly does our focus shift?
Our relationship with God is the ground of our faith and in turn, our life. Communally and personally our focus needs to first be on Him…listening to Him, Learning from Him, which eventually becomes truly loving Him. Loving Him above all else. But with all of the distractions – how do we listen?
Here are a few things to reflect on today as we block out 24Hours news, March Madness, Netflix, Pundits, the vast army of anonymous cyber commenters, Facebook status updates and uploads and the inner voices that lead us from our deepest truest selves (to name a few).
We listen to Him in Worship. It isn’t about obligation or putting your time in…its about going to the assembly of the faithful and putting ourselves in God’s time. It is for us and for God…for God to speak to us…for us to speak to God and for each of us to share how it is going on the journey. This is NOT a solo expedition. Soooo How is my/our worship? If we really love this God of the universe who came to be one of us, not JUST like us, but truly one with us, how are we doing with worship? Are we going? Are we there? Are we entering into the revelatory encounter with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
We listen to Him through personal prayer. First we need a place and a time for our encounter. How is that going? Is it still just a desire or a reality? Second we need focus. Just like the note I had to put on my office door, our one-on-one time is sacred. We need to focus on the encounter…to be about what we are about. AND it is not just about us pouring out our list of needs or talking about ourselves. It is about LISTENING TO HIM. If we quiet ourselves and open our ears and the ears of our heart, we will be able to hear the loving voice of God…speaking just to you (and me).
We need to listen to Him in Each other. I like to call it the Tabernacle of the self and the tabernacle of other. Is our encounter with each other merely transactional, quid pro quo? What can you do for ME? Our do we recognize that the very presence of God is within us and the person we encounter. The tabernacle of the self/other. How am I doing at reverencing others – genuflecting to the other? Honoring them as an IMAGO DEI..like me made in the image and likeness of God?
This is part of the disciples call. The first true tabernacle was our Blessed Mother Mary. She housed Him in her womb – the incarnate mystery within. She brought Him forth to the world. The WORD made FLESH. And at the Wedding Feast of Cana, another revelatory encounter, she told the wine stewards and water carriers to “DO WHAT EVER HE TELLS YOU.” (John 2:5). As disciples we are called to Follow…to DO…but before that, before we can know what to do we have to “DO” something very challenging.
We have to listen to Him.
