Has there been a time in your life when you heard deep within your heart that voice and knew it to be truly of God? I have several experiences of His speaking to me through His Holy Spirit.
One night years ago, I had to work really late and I missed the mass at 5:30. When I finally got off work, I thought, “I should go to the chapel and say my prayers and apologize to Jesus for missing His Word today, then eat my dinner.” I heard a faint voice say to me “No, go to dinner and back to the hotel. The gate will be locked anyway, since mass is over, and it will just be a waste of time.” Another louder, more authoritative voice broke in and said, “What will it hurt to try? There’s still the grotto with the Holy Family that you can visit and say your Rosary.” The second voice was much more convincing, and so I went to the chapel. There was only one car in the parking lot, and, as I thought, the gate to the chapel was shut and locked (the church and chapel are in a very bad neighborhood, with a lot of gangs and criminal activity. The gate is there to protect the Blessed Sacrament and the people who are there to adore Jesus in perpetual adoration). I was getting ready to drive off, but that same second voice said, “Don’t leave yet.” As soon as I got out of my car and walked up to the gate, a man came out of the chapel. I asked him if he would mind letting me in. He said, “Of course not. The woman who is supposed to be relieving us called a few minutes ago and said she was going to be late. My wife and I were just praying that someone would show up earlier because we have somewhere to go, as well, and we really didn’t want to be late.” I knew right then that I was “called” by Jesus to come and sit with Him until the lady who was scheduled could show up.
In the Acts of the Apostles (20: 17-27), St. Paul tells the community he must move on from Ephesus: “Compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there, I do not know.” Paul trusts that God is working through him. He just needs to keep listening, trusting, and responding to the Spirit.
This is what “discernment” means in our life of faith: listening. Of course, there are many voices out there vying for our attention. And we have all certainly listened to the wrong voice on occasion. But I imagine all of us can recall a moment of extreme clarity. We just knew something to be true, like my “inner voice” that said, “Don’t leave yet.” Or St. Paul knowing he must go to Jerusalem even though he didn’t know what awaited him there. Even Jesus, trusting in His relationship with His Father, knew He had to go to Jerusalem.
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