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“What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you
hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” Matthew 10:27
What is it that our Lord speaks to you in the “darkness” and what
is it that you “hear whispered” by Him? This is an important
question to consider, since whatever it is that is spoken that way
must be spoken “in the light” and proclaimed “on the
housetops.”
Recall that when people first came to Jesus, curious about Him, He
would often speak in a veiled way, in figures of speech and in
parables. This method of teaching is the first step in Jesus’
ongoing deepening revelation to us. His parables and various
figures of speech are meant to draw the listener in so that they
are attentive to the deeper message.
Recall, also, that Jesus said to His disciples, “I have told you
this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer
speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the
Father” (John 16:25). In which way does our Lord speak to
you?
As we grow in faith, and become more and more familiar with our
Lord, He will begin to “lift the veil,” so to speak, and will begin
to whisper His deepest truths to us within the depths of our souls.
He will communicate to us in ways that go far beyond the veiled
message of His parables and figures of speech and will communicate
His very self to us, in ways that are beyond words.
The Gospel passage above, when taken by itself, seems to clearly
indicate that there is much God wants to say to us in a clear way.
But He wants to speak it to us in the “darkness” of our interior
life and with gentle whispers that can only be heard when we give
Him our full attention. Saint John of the Cross, for example,
speaks much of the “darkness of faith” by which the deepest
communications from our Lord are received. These communications are
beyond words, concepts and images and can only be communicated in a
direct and spiritual way through infused prayer. Infused prayer is
not something you can accomplish on your own; it is a gift by which
God continually draws you deeper, you respond and are called even
deeper, and you continue to respond.
The Gospel passage above also clearly indicates that God wants us
to share this most pure faith with others. To share it in the light
and to proclaim it on the housetops. This is first done by the
witness of our lives, by allowing the transforming grace of God to
shine forth through us in ways that He can only do. It is also done
by being attentive to those moments when God wants to use you to
share His deeper and often veiled truths with others. God must
first speak them to you, and then at the promptings of His grace,
He will, at times, use you to share Him with others.
Reflect, today, upon this twofold action commanded by our Lord.
First listen to Him. Listen to Him in the “darkness of faith.” Let
Him draw you into the deepest and most certain convictions about
His love and mercy and His very Self. Then, as you savor these
hidden and holy communications from our Lord, look for ways by
which He wants to speak to others through you. You do not have to
initiate this proclamation, you only need to respond when He
directs you. By building a deep level of prayer in this way, you
will not only come to know our Lord in ways that are beyond words,
you will also know how and when He wants to speak to others through
you.
My good Jesus, You desire to speak to me and all Your children
in ways that are deep, profound and beyond words. Please do draw me
deeper into these communications of Your love so that I may see
beyond the veil and come to know You as You are. Please also use
me, dear Lord, to speak to others as You choose. Jesus, I trust in
You.
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Featured images above: Jesus teaching his disciples By Ilyas
Basim Khuri Bazzi Rahib, via Wikimedia Commons
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