Ordinary Time 
Pause
There are two steps in the process: first, you must listen, paying attention to what is being shared. Then, you must hear; that means you try to take in all the meaning of what you’ve been listening to, making an effort to understand.
Living in relationship with another requires that you are willing to become vulnerable to the life and experience of another, and care enough to experience it yourself—at least to some small degree.
Listen. God is speaking. Do you hear?
Listen
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10–11
Think
There is a concept called “selective hearing,” when a person only hears what that person wants to hear. Whether between a parent and child, siblings or co-workers, we engage in selective hearing when we do not take care to actually listen to what the other person is saying or when we only hear what we want to hear. When we do this, we usually only get part of the story and often not the most important part.
Sometimes I know that I engage in “selective hearing” when God speaks as well. I may want to blame it on God not speaking loud enough or distractions around me, but when it comes right down to it, when I don’t listen to the many ways that God speaks to the world or only hear what I want to hear, I fail to get the full nature of God’s presence.
Bruce Reyes-Chow
Pray
God, give me the courage to listen for you in the rain, the snow, the storms, your whispers, your shouts, and your songs. Amen.
Go
As you go throughout your day, will you listen? God is speaking and you will be wise to pay attention.
Hear what God is saying. Feel the power of God’s voice and go then wherever you may be directed. There is life abundant within for your journey.
