We all listen to voices every day, from conversations with family and friends to those on the radio, television, social media, and even internal voices that penetrate our minds. Sometimes, we may even perceive the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds. As disciples of Christ, we try to be in tune with the teachings of Jesus and his voice according to scripture. Since we are not always successful, the opportune word is try. We sometimes follow the call of other voices that may come through as louder or more seductive. We give in to temptation, as our first parents did in the Garden of Eden. They were tempted with doubt in the Lord, so they took matters into their own hands, leading to the fall.
We have all experienced voices that try to derail us on our path to Christ–voices of negativity, mistrust, and fear. These afflictions lead us away from the life our Lord wants for us. Responding to these other voices instead of the Lord’s leads us away from him and disrupts our peace. The great accuser does not want us to be close to the Lord; his primary purpose is to separate us from our creator.
Our scripture readings for this weekend focus on those who hear the voice of the Lord, from Samuel to Andrew and Simon Peter, the first disciples of Jesus. Even though they didn’t fully understand it, they received a calling from the Lord, obeyed it, and responded in faith. That is the difference between following God’s voice and the evil one that tempts us into sin, offers the easy road, and brings instant gratification. God’s voice requires time and patience; this is how we know what voice comes from our Lord. He is not forceful but compassionate. His voice offers support and hope, not negativity and division. Using these criteria to reflect on last year, we can identify the voices around us that influence our leaders and ourselves. We see the consequences of following the voice that accuses us rather than the voice that wants to save us.
Deacon Jeff
