Scriptures for reflection:
Romans 10:19
Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Acts 13:14-15
But going on from Perga, they
arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into
the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of
the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them,
saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.”
Revelation 1:3
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of
the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the
time is near.
Fr. Robert Barron
tells us: After these extremely significant opening liturgical elements,
everyone sits in order to listen to the Word of God: usually on Sunday, a
reading from the Old Testament, followed by a responsorial psalm, then a New
Testament epistle, and finally a Gospel reading that is thematically
coordinated to the first reading. The posture of sitting is not to be
overlooked. In the ancient world, one would sit at the feet of a master in
order to listen and learn. Sitting was therefore universally recognized, from
the earliest days of the Church, as the proper attitude of the apprentice or student.
Seated in silence, prepared to hear the voice of the Lord, Catholics at Mass
signal that they are humble learners, apprentices to the Word.(Catholicism, Image Books, 2011)
My thoughts: There
is that word again: humble. Everything we have looked at in the Mass asks us to
approach God with humble and sincere hearts, with a contrite spirit. We have
just finished recalling our sins, asking for mercy, and praising God for giving
it to us. Now we sit and quiet our minds, stop the laundry list from unraveling
in our brains, and focus on the Word of God. From the pattern carried over from
the Old Testament, we assume the posture of the humble learner, not the wise
and learned teacher. In the face of God, we are empty. Our ears and hearts are
open as we eagerly wait to hear what God has to say to us personally in His
inspired word. Everything written in the Bible, as we have already learned, is
meant for every human being ever created by God, through all eternity. If you
aren’t listening, you aren’t hearing God’s personal message to you.
Prayer: From the
hymn: Open
My Eyes, That I May See (Text: Clara H. Scott)
Open my ears, that I may hear voices of truth thou sendest clear;
and while the wavenotes fall on my ear,
everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!
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