Hearing the Word of God

In Luke 11:27-28, a woman calls out to Jesus “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed,” and Jesus replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Jesus was not discounting what his mother had done for him, but rather reframed it; Mary was one who heard the word of God, and in her case, she responded to it by agreeing to be the mother of God’s son.

Most of us think about hearing the word of God in Scripture, but Mary’s experience shows us that God speaks to us in a variety of ways. Our angels generally don’t appear to us in the form of Gabriel, but often they speak God’s word to us through a teacher, grandparent, or friend who helps us find our path. Our intuition is another angelic messenger that warns us against following false paths and gives us the confidence to respond to God’s invitation, wherever it may lead.

Because God’s word may come to us in a variety of guises, we must stay attentive and listen with the ear of our heart, as St. Benedict says. One of the questions I consider in my examen at the end of the day is “How did God speak to me today?” The messages that are filtered through prayer and my encounters with other people and nature are usually simple and direct: “Be kind.” “Be patient.” “Don’t judge.” “Remember I am with you.”

After we have trained ourselves to hear the word of God, we must follow the second part of Jesus’ directive and observe it—that is, let it change our lives. This isn’t easy because, as St. Benedict says in his Rule, it means “Your way of acting must be different from the world’s way” (Chapter 4, verse 20). It is much easier to assimilate to our culture and go along to get along. No wonder Jesus called those who hear the word of God and observe it “blessed.” They have chosen the path less traveled, and that has made all the difference.