LEAD RESPONSE: Week Two (Day 3) (Sunday Forum)

by PeterR , Thursday, February 25, 2010, 08:08 (1186 days ago) @ PeterR
edited by PeterR, Thursday, February 25, 2010, 08:35

As we continue to reflect on the Bishops’ prayerful dialogue with us, I return to the Exodus and Transfiguration as they reflected on those events, and I find their thoughts in the alternative Opening Prayer of last Sunday’s Eucharist. Some of the Bishops also stressed the importance of the Gospel command: “Listen”, whereas Peter wanted immediately to do something: “Build three tents”.

"Open our hearts to the voice of your Word."

What an intriguing statement we find in this opening prayer! Not, “Open our hearts to your Word,” but, “Open our hearts to the voice of your Word.”

Where do we hear the voice of the Word of God?

In the Gospel we read: “And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’”

In the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt “Yahweh went before them, by day in the form of a pillar of cloud to show them the way ..” (Ex 13.21)

Several times in scripture the overshadowing cloud is a symbol of the presence of God.

On our exodus through life, where are the clouds of God’s presence showing us the way? Do we listen to the voice of the Word of God in the cloud?”

Vatican II’s “Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation” teaches us: “God, who creates and conserves all things by his Word, provides people with constant evidence of himself in created realities .” (No.3)

“In the beginning, God said .. and it was done … and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1)

Is every event in our lives, every person we meet, every element of the environment, every ‘everything’ a cloud of the presence of God, from within which is spoken the voice of the Word of God?

When God speaks to us, what does he expect in reply?

‘“The obedience of faith” (Rom. 16:26) must be given to God as he reveals himself. By faith people freely commit their entire selves to God.’ (Dei Verbum, No.5)

When I hear the voice of the Word of God in every cloud of injustice, do I commit myself to God who reveals Himself by my obedience of faith? Do I, as an exodus person, respond to God who reveals Himself by committing myself to God - dying to self in Christ to serve the unjustly treated other?

Am I committed to the preferential option for the poor individually, socially, locally, nationally, internationally?

When I hear the voice of the Word of God in “every created reality” do I respond in faith?

"Open our hearts to the voice of your Word."

“Yes, as the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)