In seventh grade at St. Ambrose Grade School, I had a very stern looking homeroom teacher, Sr. Jacqueline. She was also our Math teacher, which maybe made her seem even more intimidating to me, given that Math wasn’t my strongest subject. But in truth, while she was quite serious looking and didn’t smile a whole lot, it was also clear that she had a heart of gold and really loved us.
After class we were chatting one day and she surprised me by asking if I had a habit of prayer. In fact, the question worried me a little bit because I was waiting for her to return the grades for a recent exam! I said yes, and honestly, I did have a pretty active prayer life, even as a kid. Then she asked whether or not I did all the talking, or left some time for God to speak? Her question surprised me then and has stuck with me all these years… Do I leave time for silence in prayer, where I might hear God speaking?
Maybe you have wondered whether and how God still speaks to us as the Scriptures describe throughout salvation history. On mountain tops and in deserts, by rivers, and even occasionally in places of worship, the Scriptures record God speaking to prophets and kings, and all kinds of people in moments ordinary and extraordinary. While many of us were taught as children to “say our prayers” and still make that a practice, perhaps there is more to it if we want to hear God speaking to us as well.
“Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’ They fell silent, and at that time, told no one what they had seen.”
If it wasn’t already obvious to the disciples that Jesus was more than special, indeed, that he was the Messiah for whom they’ve been hoping for ages, the experience of the transfiguration must have put their questions and doubts to rest. They’d already witnessed his teaching with unmistakable authority, the miracles of healing and exorcism, the multiplication of loaves and fishes, the calming of the storm at sea… in each case, they had the chance to “see and believe.” And now, after Jesus finally admits openly to them that he is the Messiah, they witness the revelation of Jesus’ glory as the chosen son of God; they are left speechless, struck silent with awe.
No doubt, the silence that came over them after the revelation of Jesus’ divinity was not empty, but full. Full of a presence that was beyond words to describe.
What does it take to listen to God, to perceive what God is saying now?
Jesus models for us that the way to listen to God is through prayer- yes, by expressing praise and asking for what we need, but also by opening ourselves to receive God’s will, just as we pray in the Our Father, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” To discern God’s desires and understand God’s will, we have to cultivate our capacity for a deep quiet within ourselves.
We know that our two ancestors in faith who appear on the mountain, Moses and Elijah, each learned this as well as they grew into their vocations as prophets and leaders of the people. They learned to listen in their prayer, not only to pay attention to the great signs of pillars of clouds and fire, but also to the small whispering voice.
And Jesus too had a practice of making space for silence, despite his heavy schedule as the Son of God, with so many towns and villages waiting for his ministry. He withdrew to solitary, quiet places where he could be alone, and opened his mind and heart to listen for his Father’s voice. Jesus made a point of taking time in the early mornings and in the late evenings to be centered in his Father’s love, to receive his wisdom, and to allow himself to be led by the Holy Spirit in his choices and actions.
To us very efficiency-minded people, who think “time is money,” this practice of spending quiet time in prayer with God might seem like a waste. And for those of us whose attention spans have been so shortened by our constant stimulation through technology and social media, or addiction to busyness, sitting for more than a few minutes in silence can feel like an eternity. But really, do we expect that there is any way to know God than the way Jesus modeled for us?
For Jesus, this was such an important part of his life, his leadership and ministry, that he did his best to model this practice of prayerful listening for his very easily distracted disciples. After days on the road, ministering to the multitudes of people, he would invite them to quiet places to rest and reflect together on their experience, to give thanks to God, and to listen. While not every retreat or moment of prayer was so spectacular as this one on the mountain of the Transfiguration, each time of quiet, patient, and active listening was valuable in itself as a space to welcome God’s presence.
As we ponder the mystery of the Transfiguration, perhaps we might explore in our practice of prayer, how we are making a space for God to speak? If we find that we are doing most of the talking, what would it be like to practice simply paying attention in the quiet, and sensing God in the silence itself. Let’s ask Jesus to teach us his way this Lent, and so find his peace, his wisdom, centering us in his Father’s desires.
With you on the road,
