Thursday, Third Week of Lent

THURSDAY, THIRD WEEK OF LENT

Listening To the Voice of Love

O that today you would listen to his voice! Do not harden your hearts…Psalm 95:7, 8

Prayer is the discipline of the moment. When we pray, we enter into the presence of God whose name is God-with-us. To pray is to listen attentively to the One who addresses us here and now. When we dare to trust that we are never alone but that God is always with us, always cares for us, and always speaks to us, then we can gradually detach ourselves to dwell in the present moment. This is a very hard challenge because radical trust in God is not obvious. Most of us distrust God. Most of us think God is a fearful, punitive authority or as empty, powerless nothing. Jesus’ core message was that God is neither a powerless weakling nor a powerful boss, but a lover, whose only desire is to give us what our hearts most desire.

Lord, to make sure I am not using my solitude as an escape, I resolve anew to live patiently and kindly with those around me. This Lent I will seek out at least one person with whom I can share your healing presence.

Henri J. M. Nouwen

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