If today you hear His voice..

Mark 4:1-20

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Psalm 95:7,8)

For a long time I interpreted this as saying that if today you happen to have God speak to you, you should not harden your heart. However, I now see this as saying that God speaks to us everyday and in many ways. In fact, He is constantly speaking to us. Yet, often when I hear that still, small voice of God, I do harden my heart because what He is speaking is making me uncomfortable.

Keeping this in mind helped me to wade through the depth and richness of today’s Gospel. It was especially important to listen to what is really being said by Jesus. In fact, the Gospel repeatedly tells us to listen. Jesus begins His parable with that very word, “Listen!” He ends the parable by saying the word “hear” twice. Then in the course of explaining the parable to the disciples, He uses the word “hear” five times. I think Jesus is trying to drive home a point!

In this crowd there were many different types of people. Many of them were the same folks who had traveled great distances to hear Him and be healed by Him. In this crowd were people who fit into the four categories Our Lord uses in His parable. There were those who had evil intentions and ideas. They heard the words of Jesus but never allowed the seed to be planted. Instead, their evil thoughts and intentions consumed the seed of the Gospel like a bird. There were those who were weak and simply following the crowd. They too heard the word of God and something inside of them may have been stirred. Yet, when confronted by friends, family, or religious authority, the plant of faith quickly withered and died. There were people there that were of a worldly mindset. While they were seaside listening to Jesus’ words they were filled with joy and hope but they allowed the cares of the world to choke out their belief. Finally, there were those who were open, honest, and contemplative. They heard the word, took it in, prayed over its meaning and it began to take root. The more they tended to their faith, the more it grew until it became fruitful.

Jesus knew that all of these types were in the crowd and knew that each one would receive His words in their own way. They all heard the same thing but reacted differently. He also knew that many, like the scribes, Pharisees, and Herodians, whom He had already dealt with, would not be able to understand His word. They had ears but could not hear because of their own stubbornness and therefore they would not turn and be forgiven. They heard His words but hardened their hearts.

I believe here I have to be fair and not assume that everyone outside the select group didn’t have a clue as to what Jesus was talking about. I must admit, that if I read the parable only and forget that I know what happens next, the parable is a bit strange. It’s basically a strange gardening lesson.

I would like to think that perhaps I would have left that place thinking about what He had said, prayed about it, and contemplated it for quite some time until God revealed to me what it meant.  I’m not sure that would have happened, it would have depended on the soil of my soul at the time.

One other thing to consider in this Gospel is God’s generosity. If we read the passage carefully we will see that 3/4 of the seed was wasted. He knows it will fall in areas where it just won’t grow yet He never holds back His grace!  How then can I be selfish in any way?

FROM THE SAINTS – “…the sovereign goodness poured an abundance of graces and benedictions over the whole race of mankind and upon the angels; […] every one received his portion as of seed which falls not only upon the good ground but upon the highway, amongst thorns and upon rocks, that all might be inexcusable before the Redeemer, if they employ not this most abundant redemption for their salvation.” – Saint Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God, book 2, chap. 7

How to get better at prayer.

1. Set a prayer appointment – Set a time on your calendar each day to meet and speak with God.
2. Slowly increase your prayer time. – Don’t jump in with an hour right from the get-go.  Build up your “tolerance” so to speak.
3. Commit – to praying and slowly increasing your prayer time for 30 days.  Mark off the days on your calendar.  If you miss a day, jump right back in, don’t give up.
4. Pray – praying is talking to God, it’s spending time with your attention focused on Him.  I enjoy spending time with my children regardless of their level of development.  God is the same way.  Spend time praying as best you can.  Use formal prayers if you want or simply speak in conversation.  Don’t forget to listen
5. Journal – Our newly revised 4 Simple Steps to Better Scripture Meditations: Guide, Workbook, and Journal walks you through 4 easy steps that will help you go deeper in your prayer life.  It includes 31 days of workbook and journal pages too!
6. Read other good books about how to pray better – Prayer Primer, Deep Conversion, Deep Prayer, Time for God, The Spiritual Life: A Comprehensive Guide to Catholics Seeking Salvation

* Contains affiliate links.  No, that doesn’t mean that the kids should leave the room.  Rather, it means that if you click on a link, and if you purchase something, I may get some financial remuneration for that click and buy.  All that means is that my kids will finally get to eat, just kidding but I may get something in return.
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