LISTENING TO GOD’S VOICE IN OUR CONSCIENCE
Jesus is seen arguing with a group of Jews. At one point he makes an affirmation of great importance: «No one can come to me unless the Father draws him». And further on he continues: «Everyone who has listened to the Father and learnt from him, comes to me».
Disbelief begins to spring forth in us from the very moment we begin to organize our life with our back turned on God. It’s that simple. God ends up there like something not very important that is boxed into some forgotten place in our life. It’s then easy to go about ignoring God.
Even those of us who call ourselves believers are losing the capacity to listen to God. It’s not that God doesn’t speak in the depth of our conscience. It’s that, full of noise and self-sufficiency, we don’t know any longer how to perceive God’s silent presence in us.
Perhaps this is our greatest tragedy. We are throwing God out of our heart. We resist listening to God’s call. We hide ourselves from God’s loving gaze. We prefer «other gods» with whom we can live more comfortably and less responsibly.
Yet without God in our heart, we end up as lost people. Now we don’t know where we come from or where we’re going. We don’t recognize what is essential and what is of little importance. We tire ourselves out seeking security and peace, but our heart remains upset and insecure.
We’ve forgotten that peace, trust and love are awakened in us when we let ourselves be guided by God. Everything then takes on a new light. Everything begins to be seen more loving and more hope-filled.
The Second Vatican Council speaks of the «conscience» as «the most secret core» of the human being, the «tabernacle» in which the person «feels alone with God», an inner space where «God’s voice resounds in our most intimate corner». Going to the depths of this conscience, in order to hear the noblest yearnings of the heart, is the simplest path to listen to God. Whoever listens to that inner voice will feel self drawn toward Jesus.
José Antonio Pagola
Translator: Fr. Jay VonHandorf
