Jesus at the end of the parable of the sower says, “Whoever has ears ought to hear.” (Matthew 13:1-9). The ability to listen is much more than letting sounds enter our ears, it is about allowing ourselves to be impacted by the voice that enters it.

Today I encourage you to become aware of what you hear and to pray with your ears. You can hear many sounds and voices during the day. The noise of running water, music, voices, the noise of the big city, the barking of a dog, people speaking to us and, among so many voices and noises, the voice of the Lord. Our ears get used to hearing the same things, to letting in nearly all the same sounds and voices.

That is why it is good to stop during the day, pause and realize what we usually hear and what voices impact us. You may ask yourself, what voices resonate most strongly with you? What sounds or noises? What do you remember most about what you hear? Do you recognize the voice of the Lord within you, echoing in what you live?

To recognize the voice of the Lord, it is necessary to sharpen the ear to recognize “the musical note,” his tone, and rhythm. Two things are necessary for this to happen, the first is to be conscious of the voices that we let in. The second is to get used to the voice of the Lord in the Gospels, making time to read, pray and savor the texts.

Become aware of what you hear and learn in the Gospels, how the Lord listens to the voices of the most fragile. Take what you hear into prayer and ask if it is in tune with the Lord. Ask Jesus to train your ears to listen to what he is trying to tell you.

• Bettina Raed
  Click To Pray International Coordinator