Listening to the Voice of Christ

Today's first reading, Jeremiah 7: 23-28, opens with: "Thus says the Lord: This is what I commanded my people. Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper."

Those words are not only spoken to Jeremiah but also to each of us.  We hear many voices in our heads.  How do we discern which one is God's voice? We only do that through the Holy Spirit's give of discernment, a gift for which we need to ask.  We know that God is Truth. We also know when we are acting on truth, unless we have hardened our hearts to the truth by repeatedly being deceitful and ignoring the voice of truth and following directions that are definitely against the truth that we hear in the depth of our being, in our heart where truth abounds.

We follow the truth when we follow Jesus, who is Truth.  Jesus says: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me (John 10: 27).  Do you know Jesus? Are you developing a relationship with Jesus? Do you take time to reflect upon the Scriptures, especially the Gospels, to get to know the Lord intimately? Do you take time each day to pray, to meditate, to sit quietly in the Lord's presence, letting the Lord gaze upon you in love and you upon Him in love?  That is how to train yourself, or better yet, let the Lord transform you into His disciple, a disciple of the Truth.

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