Surrender my child....

Whoever hears....

Listen carefully, my child....with the ear of the heart

With these few words, Benedict invites us to believe—to listen—in a way that many of us, in the beginning, do not understand. We should not be surprised by this. It took the apostles quite sometime before they understood what Christ was offering of them—the open armed acceptance of the living God.

After reaching the age of reason many of us began to believe that most gifts involve an exchange. For many of us, the idea that the living God is in us, a part of us, integral to our being, and is waiting for us to embrace Him, is difficult to comprehend.

If you find yourself continuing to search for your heart's ear, I invite you to read once more the nature of listening in the silence. As you read, be at peace.  Read slowly, hold each phrase gently in your mind—allow it to challenge you and to stir your soul.

Benedict and Sister Joan invite us to accept that the living God is present in us at all times. He is the air we breathe—our task is not to put God into our lives. Our task is to acceptance that He is already there—waiting for us. For those of you to whom music speaks most clearly, take a moment and tap the play button at the end of today's meditation.

Sister Joan invites us today to recognize the efforts that we are making to seek out God, to prove our worthiness, to demonstrate to ourselves and others that we are on a pilgrimage to find God. And, as sister Joan suggests, we may even be keeping score: so many daily masses, so many rosaries, so many fast days. We do not need to seek Him—He is here in us now, ever present, ever aware of our joy, our pain, our longing for Him.

All we need is an open and contrite heart, and surrender, believing, "I know you're with me. You hear my voice. You hear my every thought.  I am now listening."

So why is this so difficult?  Why do we have so much trouble listening with the ear of our heart? I fear it is because we want to be in charge—we lack the sincere desire to surrender control of our lives.

Go forward today and listen. He's talking to you.