godswhisper

The Present Moment, God's Whisper
by Sister Ana Maria Solis, O.S.F

Have you ever considered that God is present in every moment of our lives?
Think about that now. Let His abiding presence guide you, as a pilot guides a
ship to safety across the vast ocean. Such is God's love - ever steady, ever
constant, yet always moving us to safety.

The importance of this moment cannot be overemphasized. Now, right now,
God's gentle call offers us the opportunity to let Him work in us, sanctifying
our actions. With the acceptance of the present moment God and His
Kingdom are made manifest.

But we can't recognize God's abiding presence until we learn to acquire a
listening heart like that of the prophet Elijah. Remember when Jezebel, the
wicked pagan queen of Israel's northern kingdom, threatened to murder
Elijah? The prophet's zeal for the Lord had resulted in the death of Jezebel's
pagan prophets. When she sought to kill him, God led him to safety on a
mountain. While there, Elijah heard the fierce wind, the roaring earthquake
and the crackling of fire. But he knew God was not in them. When he heard a
tiny whispering sound, Elijah immediately prostrated himself on the ground,
hiding his face in reverential fear. He knew that God resided in that tiny
whisper. He met God in the present moment because, despite his desolation
and all the distractions, he had prepared his heart to meet his Lord.

Why don't we hear God more often? Is it because we live in a noisy,
materialistic and fast-paced society filled with distractions? What can we do
to provide a worthy dwelling place in our hearts so that we can hear God's
whisper? We can set aside a period of time in the early morning or late night
when the house is quiet to open ourselves to God's presence. These
moments let us look into our hearts. A daily, prayerful gaze into the depths
of our hearts shows us our connectedness, or its lack, to God. Perhaps we
might see Jesus' reflection, if union with God has been our quest. If not, we
can humbly ask for God's grace and begin the journey toward union with Him.
As our hearts persevere, He will grace us with the ability to hear the tiny
whisper so essential to meeting Him.

Great advantages come from responding to Our Lord's whisper. Graces flow
from God, when we humbly acknowledge our weaknesses before Him. His love
flows unto us enriching our desire to praise, thank and glorify Him for the
many blessing bestowed upon us. What better way to honor Our Lord than
assisting at the greatest act of love Jesus left us, the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass? Or by participating in the rest of the Sacraments? Filled with such
graces, we become more alert to God's whisper. We begin to look at the
world in a different light as we marvel at His providential love. New doors
swing open as we go about our daily routine. When unexpected trials arise,
there is no fear. These precious situations, God's love-taps, refocus our
hearts on Him. What amazing mercy!

God sent Jesus, His only begotten Son to earth, to demonstrate the fullest
in perfect obedience, sacrifice and love. Through His death, He shattered
the bonds of evil and thus revealed His total acceptance of the Father's will.
His passion unveiled His thirst for gaining forgiveness for our sins. Jesus'
triumph on the cross brought complete satisfaction of justice to His Heavenly
Father, who once again opened wide the gates of heaven for us.
Think of the endless possibilities made available by Our Lord when He
accepted the present moment.

Abandonment to His Divine Providence entails many sacrifices that give us
the opportunity to offer oblation for the salvation of the world, particularly
for our own sanctification and for the conversion of those perpetuating evil.
How to respond for these offences against God? By heeding God's whispers.
He empowers us to participate according to His will as collaborators. Being
made in the image and likeness of God implies a response to His loving
concern for us. We owe all to Our Divine Creator. What greater way to
return our love than by helping restore this world and by guiding it toward
the path of heaven. His guidance, sustenance and justice urges us not only
to acknowledge His love for us, but to respond in kind by caring for our
neighbor's spiritual needs.

Furthermore, as our vision of God's goal evolves, we begin to see God's plan
of salvation for all humanity. In our service to others, we also experience
God's image in them. It is then that we behold a conversion being effected in
us. We are becoming the human beings He intended us to be!

So you can see that God's Wisdom in seeking our attention at every
moment of our lives has a Divine purpose. Certainly God's whisper urges us to
be vigilant in restoring God's glory. Zeal for God's glory should consume our
hearts.

From Elijah we learn the indispensable disposition that allows God's whisper
to penetrate our hearts. Only then will Wisdom empower us to seize the
present moment to make reparation for the many injustices committed
against our merciful Lord. When we strive to do His will in our lives, Our Lord
is never outdone in generosity, promising us the reward of many blessings, a
peaceful heart and eternal happiness. Why waste such precious moments!

A Listening Heart
O God of the present moment, You delight in being with us. Your love gently
guides our every action. Help us to be open to Your desires. Persuade our
will and mind to know that You wish always to remain united with us. Make
us understand Your longing to provide us with eternal happiness. Grant us a
gentle heart to thank You for Your love and care. Give us profound gratitude
to appreciate Your Son's sacrifice in freeing us from sin. Fill us with Your love
so that we may forever sing Your praises. We ask all this through Jesus
Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Short Bio: Sister Ana Maria Solis, O.S.F. is the Superior of the Franciscan
Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, a new forming Community from the Diocese
of Lincoln, Nebraska. The Community's charism is simply to obey the Lord's
command to spread the Gospel message.

For further information about our Community please visit our website:
www.franciscansisters.net