Monday Morning Offering - 30

Image: George Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

Loved the story you told yesterday at Mass, Lord,
the story about young Sam…

Sam was confused.

He thought he heard you calling him,
but he wasn’t sure what he heard,
wasn’t sure whom he heard…

Maybe he wasn’t sure
if he heard anything at all…

Sometimes that’s my story, too, Lord…

I’m not sure how to listen for your voice…

I’m not sure if I hear you…

Sometimes I’m not sure if you speak - to me…

And when I do think I hear you
I’m not sure if what I hear comes from you
or from me…

Even when I’m pretty sure it’s you I hear,
I’m not always sure what I hear you saying...

I know you speak your love to each of us,
but sometimes it’s hard for me
to hear your word of love for me…

I want to hear you, Lord.
I want to recognize your voice
and I want to trust what I hear..

So I offer you my ears, Lord:
the ears I hear with, the ears of my heart
and the ears of my imagination…

Attune me to your voice in scripture and in prayer:
my prayer alone
and in the Word and song and the prayer of others at Mass…

Open my ears that I might hear you
in my friends, in what I read,
in the music I hear, in the sounds of nature,
and maybe most of all - in the silence…

Open the ears of my heart
that I might hear your voice
deep in my soul,
the voice of your consolation…

Open the ears of my imagination
that I might hear you
in every thought, idea, dream and hope
that is mine…

Open the ears of my loneliness
that I might hear you calling me by name
as a shepherd calls a sheep…

Open the ears of my fears
that I might hear your strong voice
guarding and guiding me…

Open the ears of my joy
that I might hear your laughter
in every peaceful, happy moment
that is mine…

I offer you my ears, Lord:
help me to hear every whisper and shout,
every word and cry that comes from your heart…

I offer you my ears, Lord:
help me hold and keep every word of yours
that sounds within me…

I offer you my ears, Lord:
help me hear the cry of the poor
and the needs of those around me…
help me to listen with patience
and to respond with care…

God of my Monday morning,
hear me:
I want to be "all ears" for you...

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening…

Amen.

-ConcordPastor