Do you Hear God's Voice?

by David Lins  |  09/10/2023  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

According to my desk calendar, September 10th is Grandparents Day—so to all you grandparents, enjoy your day!

I was recently watching a miniseries on “Blue Zones” (populations with the highest concentrations of people living longer lives) when I heard a pretty brutal fable told in Okinawa (one of the zones). In this fable, when elderly became too much of a burden, their sons would lead them to the top of a high cliff and push them off. One son would not do it after leading him to the precipice, and hid his father instead. Over the following years, the man grew wealthy and successful. No one knew it was a result of the wisdom and counsel he was receiving from his (still very much alive) father!

A harsh way to get across the point—but a valid point just the same. The lived experience and subsequent wisdom of the elderly cannot be valued enough!

This weekend’s Responsorial Psalm says, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

And I talk to people all the time who say they’ve never heard the voice of God.

He might speak to you through your grandparent. Or a coworker. He might use your spouse. Yes… he might even speak to you through the voice of your child!

Matthew 18 refers to this when he advises his disciples in how to speak truth to others. Start by speaking to them directly. Then, bring a few others. Next, bring it to the Church. Finally, give them the distance their decisions have chosen.

But there is a flip side to this reading. When someone approaches you and challenges your decisions—it just might be the voice of God. It just sounds like your grandparent, coworker, spouse, or child.

And one more thing… You go to Mass, don’t you? If you do, and you haven’t heard the voice of God, it’s your fault because you aren’t listening.

He speaks to you through the readings, the music, the homily, and the prayers of every parishioner.