There is no doubt the Word of God is a great help to prayer, for communicating with God, and God with us. It is actually meant to speak to our lives and to accompany us. It can bring consolation, comfort and clarity over whatever is ours at any given time.
The trick is to be someone who is listening out for the Word of God and has the Word as part of their daily living. It is such a shame when so many of us listen to the Word at Mass and let it go in one ear and out the other!
Some years ago now I was speaking with a woman, let’s call her Beth, who had lost a two year old little boy, Sean. His absence gnawed at her heart and soul. Her life was in bad shape.
People did not know what to say, so they either said nothing, or they made inane comments (out of their own helplessness) which though meant to convey sympathy and understanding, really just made the pain worse.
Her marriage was in trouble, as most marriages are in those sorts of circumstances. More and more, she felt isolated and alone. She was consumed by grief and rightly so. No one, it seemed could reach her pain.
Even God felt a million miles away. As she lost hope in others so she began to lose hope in God.
One Sunday, Beth had had enough so she said to God, “Right, I am going to Mass, but if this doesn’t stop and I don’t hear from you then we are through. No more you, no more Mass, no more church!”
She found a seat down the back, folded her arms and waited. Along came the responsorial Psalm: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Ps 21). These words went right to her heart; this was exactly how she was feeling, as though God and the world had abandoned her.
The Word of God had put words to her experience. It was speaking to her life.
She let the tears flow and it seemed to her that God was saying, “Beth, you thought I had abandoned you, didn’t you? You thought I didn’t know? You thought I didn’t care? You thought I had left you to cry all your tears on your own?”
“But I hadn’t. I do know and I have cried every tear with you. I am sorry. I wish I could explain things to you, I wish I could take it away but I can’t. I need you to trust me.
“I get it that your heart is torn apart and there are no words. I get it that you don’t want to face each day. I get it that you feel guilty because the other children are not Sean.
“I get it that you can’t speak to Jeff AND I am here, I know it all and I am not leaving you.”
Her life changed as of that moment. She could now keep going because God had spoken to her life and she knew it.
The outside of her life did not change. Sean did not miraculously come back. Her other children did not stop needing her. Jeff was not immediately able to deal with his own grief. People still said unhelpful though well-meant things. But for Beth that was alright, because God knew.
She did what we all need to do before we listen to the Word: she told God she needed to hear from him and therefore she was attentive to his slightest whisper.
Let me tell you this too. Most of the time our ears do not hear God but, trust me, our souls always hear him. That is what makes the difference.
We Benedictine nuns of Jamberoo, along with everyone who prays the Divine Office, always commence our prayer with what I call the “password.” It is this: “O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me.”
It prepares the mind and heart to hear God. Why not try it yourself this week before you do anything, and especially before you begin to settle down with the Scriptures?
Here are some equally inviting words: “Speak Lord, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). Then after that, go on with your life.