Listen and Respond

     “Even though we know that God’s will and commandments apply to everyone, we do not always have the strength to fulfill them. Now, every time we respond faithfully to a motion of the Spirit, out of desire to be docile to what God expects of us, even if it’s something almost insignificant in itself, that may make us capable of one day practicing the commandments that up until then we had not been capable of fulfilling entirely.”                        Fr. Jacques Phillipe


     There is a very good chance that since you are reading this blog, you are striving to grow in your relationship with God. You are trying to grow in grace, holiness and virtue. You are looking deep within yourself, to discover your weaknesses and imperfections. You long so much to change, to please God in all that you do.


     So why is it, my dear sweet Jesus, that time and again, when we go to Confession, we seem to confess the same faults, sins, and imperfections? Do we truly love You? Are we really trying to change? Are You wasting Your graces upon us? Why aren’t we doing better?

     Because of the sin of our first parents, and the wound we inherited from original sin, we struggle! We have the mistaken idea that we can achieve holiness on our own, and forget Jesus’ words, “That apart from Me, you can do nothing” (Jn 15 vs 5). St. Paul, too, reminds us, “I can will what is right, but I cannot do it (Rm 7 vs 18). St. Paul became so frustrated with himself that he “begged God three times to remove the thorn from his flesh.” God replied to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor vs 9).

     God realizes our woundedness and our weakness. He knows what we are made of, but also, what we can become with His help. He has called us to become saints! God wants us to shine in our world full of darkness and offer the light of His hope! We were not left on our own, to struggle, stumble and fall, but have His Holy Spirit, to assist us and form Christ in us.

     God’s assistance comes to us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: that still small voice that whispers to us. In our times of struggle He directs us in what we should do. He also is there to encourage us when we are floundering. He is with us always to guide and direct us. We are all familiar with His voice. Sometimes we listen and respond. Other times we turn up the volume of our “radio” and choose to ignore Him.

     We must not become discouraged and throw in the towel! We must admit our weakness and to cling to God. He wants to lift us up close to His heart, to open ourselves to His saving grace. Take this step toward humility and wholeness. Embrace your littleness. Let God’s lavish love begin to heal your heart, enabling you to be open to the grace, to place your hope and trust in Him.

     How do we do this, when we have failed in the past to overcome ourselves? How do we carry out such a monumental task? Fr. Jacques tells us to begin by listening and responding to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit in small things. He assures us that even when we do an insignificant act, in docility to the Holy Spirit, our faithfulness draws grace and strength upon us. As we consistently make this a practice, God will apply the grace and strength to the very areas with which we are struggling. As we grow in strength and virtue, we may finally be able to overcome the faults, which for years had seemed impossible. As we make this a practice in our lives, we will hear Jesus’ words, “Well done good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much” (Mt 25 vs 21).

     Be gentle with yourself! Don’t expect perfection in a day, but at the same time, cooperate with the grace of God. Be attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and respond. When you feel weak, call out the name of Jesus, and He will help you. Take baby steps, as each situation presents itself, keeping your eyes on Christ. As your spiritual muscles grow, you will become more consistent in responding to His call. Thank God when you have overcome yourself and give Him the praise. When you have failed, run into His arms. Ask for forgiveness and allow His love to ease your wounded pride. Remind yourself that you are just a little child and will fail at times. Remember you are loved by God more that you can ever imagine. He will never give up on you. Don’t give up on yourself! God can use your faults to keep you humble and dependent on His grace. He delights in the fact that we want to please Him. Accept His love and grace; it is the path to freedom and true happiness.

     “I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 9b – 10).