Branching-Out

Voice Recognition

Posted by Sharon Krause on Apr 4, 2022 6:00:00 AM

I am of the age that I remember singers Andy Williams and Dean Martin. Just the other week, I heard Andy crooning “Moon River” and Dean warbling “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime.” There is no mistaking their famous and distinctive voices. Of course, that is true about many people’s voices, whether they be singing or just speaking.

Sometimes I wonder about Jesus’ voice. Was it very loud, because he often taught big crowds outdoors? Was it usually calmexcept when he was driving money-changers from the Temple or reprimanding the Pharisees or Sadducees? Did it sound authoritative? Just imagine how it sounded when he cried out at the tomb, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43)

As Holy Week approaches, with the reading of the Passion of the Lord, I cannot help but think about the sound of the crowd’s voices yelling,” Crucify him!” Was Jesus losing his voice after the terrible scourging they gave him?

The people heard the voice of God the Father at Jesus’ baptism, proclaiming, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:7) And at Jesus’ Transfiguration, which we recently read about at Mass, the Father again said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)

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Topics: listening to God, voice crying out in the desert, God's voice, Sharon Krause

Reception Challenges

Posted by Sharon Krause on Aug 13, 2021 6:00:00 AM

I still remember the phone call. My husband and I had just moved into our first apartment together, and I had the landlord on the phone. That was before cable TV, so people were dependent upon roof antennae and rabbit ears for their television reception. I was complaining to the landlord that every time trucks or heavy traffic passed by our abode the television picture would go kaflooey. The landlord said I should go out and buy a big box of nails and throw the nails onto the road surface outside the apartment. Of course, I did not follow his tongue-in-cheek suggestion.

I got to thinking about what can cause interference and poor reception in our spiritual life. Just as antennae reach upward, it is important for us to seek out God’s voice, to extend ourselves beyond ourselves, to reach out for the connection. A verse in the book of Lamentations encourages us:

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him…. (3:25) 

And the book of Deuteronomy says,

From there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and soul. (4:29)

We also have a promise in the book of Proverbs:

          I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. (8:17)

We can conclude that we have to be willing and active seekers of the Lord. So laziness or distractions can certainly slow down or inhibit our reception of God’s communication with us.

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Topics: listening to God, RENEW International, Sharon Krause, daily prayer, seek the Lord

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