BY REV. SR. KABASIZA MARGRET CSC FROM FORT PORTAL DIOCESE.
In life of every person there is a fore-story, a pre-story, a ‘’before’’. The fore-story influences the direction one’s life takes. Indeed we all have a pre temporal existence in the mind of God who fashioned and determined us for temporal existence. We have first been convinced by him and bequeathed to the world as the gift for a fulfilment of the divine intention. Each person is therefore, unique; he/she has an irreplaceable place in creation. Thus ‘’before I formed you in the womb, I knew you’’ (Is.1:5). However, our environment determines much in our lives. Our socio-cultural ambience forms the basis of our future vocation and aspirations.
The experienced, structure and maturity of both our primary and secondary societies pave the paths we follow later in life.
Hence those who mould young people ought to pay a great attention to the socio-cultural background of the young. It is within such context as this that they can hear the voice of God or are prevented from hearing it through the noise and liabilities of culture and society. A healthy and a well-organized society is an asset to the young people who are still searching for their respective vocation in life. Religious vocation is a special gift of God. He is a generous and perfect giver who did not spare his only son for our sake. Indeed, a society can prepare to receive this gift and more by creating a favorable environment for it. The call to priesthood or religious life bears the fruits where the ground has been tilled, where pre-history makes a generous response possible. We need therefore to discern the voice of the Lord because an inexperienced listener is likely to mistake it for other voices .This was the experience of the boy called Samuel (1 Samuel .3:1-11). In all ‘’calls’’, it is the Lord who takes the initiative. He calls those who want to work for him in ways judged by him (Mk 3:13-15). God has never stopped calling men and women to cooperate in his design for salvation. People need only to be aware of God’s presence to draw closer to him and become sensitive once more to his voice. People do not often hear him because God speaks in the depth of one’s very being, in a gentle whispering voice like Elijah encountering God at Horeb the mountain of God. He could only hear him in a ‘’still small voice.’’
According to cardinal Leone Joseph Suenens ‘’ blessed are those who can listen in the depth, for they will hear God. ’Unfortunately, we are having many confusing voices around us that can hinder us to hear the voice of God. Now the question is of all voices, how many do we listen to? Listening is a human activity that involves hearing but it is much more than hearing. We can hear him speaks to us in ordinary events of our lives, in our experiences, in the scriptures, though our contacts and religious ministers, and so on. Personally, I have found it most appropriate to listen, and stay with Jesus in Blessed Sacrament of the altar. He speaks to you when you encounter to him in that way.
What you need to do is to open up your heart and surrender to him, so that he does in you what he wills.
Remember, those who listen to God are challenged either to a change of life or to commit themselves to a course of action. The Lord makes demands on people ; this is why obedience is part of listening to the Lord. When we listen, we must be prepared to be ready to respond accordingly.
Finally, the human person is God’s way to human beings, he comes to them as humans. When he speaks to them in a human language. When he acts in favor of human beings, he acts in, by and through humans; God influences us through the people we encounter. For this reason, some people who had to do anything with priests like altar boys and girls, relatives and friends, end up becoming priests and nuns respectively. The way of life of some people can also guide others to contemplate the divine. Thus the human person is also the way of God’s blessings to others. God bless those who have renounced themselves to do your will!
ARTICLE BY REV.SR. KABASIZA MARGRET CSC
REGARDS FROM TUMUSIIME BRIAN TIMOTHY AMOOTI C. E. O BT ELITE UPDATES UGANDA
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