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If you listen, you’ll hear

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I hadn’t planned to chase him into a monastery.

You listen for One Word to follow into the new year. Jesus-one-word-2013
 
I hear my One Word—my Logos—“Jesus.”

Then, barely one week steeped in January, I am listening when he says, “Follow me here.”

What else can I do?

But go.

To Sacred Heart Monastery.
For a one-day retreat: “Listening to Luke” with the Benedictine Sisters.

I’ll be listening for Jesus.

But I’m not Catholic. I’m not familiar with the liturgies. With the elaborate artwork. Not even with much of the vocabulary.
 
So Sister Elisabeth tells me, “Listen to everything.

Listen not only with my ears, but with all my senses. I listen to her. Gentle. Peace-filled. Assured.
     •    I hear
confidence in Jesus.

I listen to my new Catholic friend Mary answer my questions during break and tour me through the chapel after lunch and explain rituals not easily explained.
     •    I hear the grace of Jesus.

I listen to voices, united, reciting Psalm 124 for the midday prayer.
     •    I hear the deliverance of Jesus.

I listen to Sister Benita explain the sisters’ move from Louisiana to Alabama because they take care of their own.
     •    I hear the compassion from Jesus.

I listen to the beauty in Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), read aloud, then sung to music. 
     •    I hear obedience to Jesus.

I listen to my own heart as I walk the grounds, soaking in the statues, the stillness, the serenity.
     •    And I hear my Beloved. And my Beloved hears me.

Where will he bid we go next?

I can’t say.
But I can be listening.

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What unexpected place have you heard Jesus speaking lately?

Comments (13)

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Yes, what truth in this one phrase: If you listen, you will hear. And oh, this is why we must choose to listen to Jesus and Truth and let Him tell us who we really are, silence all those other voices clamoring to define us. What a beautiful picture of seeking the Beloved *and* living as the Beloved, Him calling you to places you've never been and you following Him right in. Thank you for sharing.

Linked up beside you at FaithBarista this week.
My recent post When You Feel Unlovely
Beautiful post, Lisa. Our church is charismatic, and while I love the freedom we have in worship, I do believe we have much to learn about being still and also the value of some liturgical tradition.
Yes. If we only listen. If we only do as He says. Praising Jesus with you, Lisa! Stay blessed!
My recent post Drawing Strength from God
In a home where I stand next to one of my siblings...one who has been drinking already that day...the one who looks at me and tells me that he thinks he just destroyed my computer. And Jesus whispers to me, right there close in my heart to make sure I hear Him, "love him anyway"..."but Lord, he says he just destroyed my computer"..."yes, but I want to love him through you". And so I bravely put on a smile and ask, "it's okay...it will work out somehow" (right then and there he had to know it was Jesus loving him because normally I would have not been so considerate...not in my flesh!) He tried pushing buttons once more and realized that he had been pushing the wrong button...and the computer was still working! But for that split second that Jesus whispered to me to love him anyway the scene could have been so different.
I find it best to turn off everything electronic and be still in the morning alone with just the Bible or a book talking about bible verses, and in layman conversation with God talking to Him like I would talk to my best friend. Then, I am refueled, feeling "beloved," and it seems on days like that when the best things happen to me even if they aren't spectacular or particularly noteworthy, the day is just...different.
I'm not Catholic either but I love the litergy, song, and tradition that comes with Catholicism! One of my best friends is Catholic and I love talking to her about our relationships with the Lord.
My recent post Healing
At the end of failure. That's the unexpected place I always find Him waiting patiently, and somehow it always surprises me anyway...that He's there, that there is no condemnation, that I am His beloved.
How wonderful you were able to go there. My husband Joel used to go on silent retreats and found the silence was a great way to connect with God.
My recent post Conversations In The Garden: Trust and Rest
Oh, so many places this first month of the year I am hearing Him: in song, a phrase catches me which I have heard so many times before, "You are the one". It becomes, "You are the One". Then it becomes a mutual love song between the Lord and me as we say back and forth to each other: "You are the One." You are the one." and I see a lower case "o" inside his capital "O" and realize that "we are one".

I am attending a new church ( one a former 1st grade student of mine who is now 39 years old pastors ). Ah - finally a church home after some years of searching. I attended my first home group gathering the other night. God was there: in embracing welcomes, in very young couples, a bit older couples, in their my singleness; not questioning it and in insights we all share. It will not be hard to be the resident mother and grandmother at this church! There is no one else my age there. I'll leave that need to be met elsewhere.

I was raised in the Catholic faith so your Benedictine experience is very familiar to me. It leads me to ask if you have read Kathleen Norris' - "A Cloister Walk"? It is her year long journey and thoughts as she was invited in to a monastery and followed their church year worship. I cannot remember for sure if she lived there for the year or was invited in for significant lengths of time. I loved the book!
My recent post Seasoned
I always find such rest and solace in the liturgy, the beautiful artwork, in the quiet. It is where God speaks to me the most, I think. While my church is definitely not Catholic or liturgical at all, I see him at work there, too. And I am amazed at His diversity, how He has made us in different ways and He speaks to us in different ways. Thank you for sharing this beautiful post. :)
My recent post Silver Candlesticks
Good for you for being obedient. As crazy as it sounds, I carried my tablet into a hotdog shop a couple weeks back and began to write after eating and I felt the presence of my Father... It doesn't matter where we go... He is there...
My recent post A DIVINE APPOINTMENT
What a blessing to go to that place, and you met your Beloved. I agree, if we listen we will hear Him. Beautifully written.
My recent post Baby stepping to my God sized dream
This encourages me to listen with all my senses for God in unexpected places! Thanks for sharing
My recent post Now I see

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