Dr. Helen Titilola OLOJEDE

In the world we inhabit, where there is so much noise, hearing or discerning God’s voice can be a herculean task. To discern God's voice, the Church offers several practical steps that involve prayer, engagement with Scripture and the Sacraments, spiritual direction, and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

1. Encounter with the Word of God and Church Teaching

A fundamental step in discerning God's will is through an encounter with the Word of God and the Church's teaching. One must make time for quiet prayer with the Scriptures; it helps us to sense the Lord's presence, hear His voice, and become aware of our deepest desires. This practice fosters growth in love and closeness to Jesus, who reveals the Father's merciful love. The Church also recommends reading the Word of God as a source of Christian prayer, encouraging a dialogue where one speaks to God in prayer and listens to Him when reading divine oracles. Thus, hearing from God through prayer and quiet is not a one-way thing. It instead has to do with active listening as well. Pray a while. Keep quiet and listen. With constant practice, one is sure to hear God speaks to one's heart very gently, sometimes very faintly.

 

2. Frequent Reception of Sacraments

The frequent reception of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, is crucial for spiritual growth and discernment. The Eucharist strengthens and increases our unity and charity as persons consecrated to God. It creates and fosters communion with God and with fellow believers, spurring us on to mission. The dialogical structure of the Eucharistic liturgy serves as a paradigm for community discernment, emphasising the need to listen to the Word before listening to one another

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as regular confession, helps us encounter God's mercy frequently. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we purify and renew our hearts, achieving openness in our relationship with God through the humble recognition of our sins. This joyful experience encourages growth in faithfulness.

 

3. Prayer and Spiritual Practices

Prayer is essential for knowing God and discerning His will, and there is an array of prayers for our choosing. One of the prayers we can leverage on is the Liturgy of the Hours, which could be celebrated either in community or individually. It expresses the call to raise hearts in praise and intercession. It is a daily prayer of the Church that begins by asking God for assistance. Mental and Vocal Prayer is another form of prayer.  Priests, and by extension all of us, the lay faithful, are encouraged to seek and fervently pray through mental prayer and freely chosen vocal prayers for the spirit of genuine adoration, uniting ourselves intimately with Christ.