A HEART THAT LISTENS TO TRUTH – 02/09/22 (Wednesday)

Mark 7:14,20-22

14 And He called the people to Him again, and said to them, "Hear Me, all of you, and understand:

20 And He said, "What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.

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Blessed Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time! Jesus called the people to Himself and instructed them to hear and understand Him. Listening to Jesus Christ is necessary for us, not just to understand the parables, but to know God's will and obey Him. By listening to the voice of Christ, our Shepherd, we can avoid committing sins, and we can see the presence of God more in our lives. Jesus clarified to the disciples that what was unclean was inside the hearts. Our hearts are unclean when these are full of sins, impurities, and evil thoughts. 

Do we listen to the voice of Christ within us? God speaks to us through our conscience. However, our conscience can be darkened by sins, and it makes it difficult for some to follow the will of God. If others do not listen to the voice of our Lord, which voice are they listening to? Unfortunately, we may be listening to the temptations of the evil spirits, or we may also be listening to the lies of the world. This takes place when we think that our purpose in life is to seek many achievements and honors to be acknowledged by the people around us. Some people can also scandalize us when they seek worldly satisfactions and reject the commandments of our Lord. Even if someone speaks a sinful lifestyle, God does not stop speaking to this person. Perhaps, after committing many sins, one may see the emptiness and sadness of living a life without the guidance of God. Our Lord can also reveal our wrongdoings through thoughts. These are some of the ways in which He speaks to us. When we follow His voice, we will find true happiness. Authentic peace is obtained as we please God, grow in virtues, and choose to love Him for eternity in heaven. 

May we hear and understand the voice of our Lord as we spend time examining our conscience. It is pleasing to Him if we allot a time every evening for us to reflect on our day and see where we act contrary to God's will. If God reveals to us our grave sins, He is calling us to seek His Mercy through the sacrament of confession. By His grace, may we always seek to be sensitive to His inspiration. Let's not be afraid to trust His voice and to repent of our sins. Our spiritual journey always ends up with Him in heaven as long as we depend on Him. 

 

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic