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“What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you
hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of
those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid
of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” Matthew
10:27–28
When you pray, does God “whisper” to you? Do you sense His
presence? Has He convicted your heart about Himself and all that He
has revealed? Most likely He has, in His own silent way.
God rarely speaks to us in visions or by audibly hearing His voice.
Though He has done so, as has been recorded in the lives of some
saints, even if He did appear to you in that mystical way, this is
not necessarily any better for your salvation and holiness than the
ordinary way He usually speaks.
For most people, God comes in silent prayer, interior intuitions,
and spiritual consolations. For example, one might be listening to
a sermon and something jumps out, convicting one’s heart or
inspiring with a supernatural insight or hope. God’s ordinary
consoling activity in our lives must be “listened” to and responded
to.
Listening to the Voice of God means we discern the eternal Truth He
communicates to us, such as do this or avoid that, and we respond
to Him. This is our conscience at work: “Conscience is the most
secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is alone with God,
Whose voice echoes in his depths” (Gaudium et Spes
#16).
In today’s Gospel, when Jesus says, “What I say to you in the
darkness…” and “what you hear whispered…” refers to God’s
communication with us in that secret sanctuary of our conscience.
Jesus says that His communication is not given only to us but must
be spoken “in the light” and proclaimed “on the housetops.” While
our faith is personal and intimate, it must also become communal by
sharing it with others through our words and actions.
Sharing our faith can be difficult. We might fear offending another
who is not living the Gospel. In addressing this fear, Jesus says,
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the
soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and
body in Gehenna.” Fear should never deter us from sharing our
faith.
When we live our faith openly and share it charitably and
unhindered, others will react. Some will joyfully receive our
shared faith, but others will not. Among good-hearted Catholics,
when the faith we share with others is not received well, we often
second-guess ourselves. We become sensitive to the negative
reaction, which easily leads to worry and fear. Such fear must be
overcome with love and holy sorrow if we are to fulfill Jesus’
loving command.
One way to do so is to regularly align ourselves with God’s command
rather than the fear inflicted upon us by the evil one. The one who
can “destroy both soul and body in Gehenna” ultimately refers to
God’s just judgment, which we must ponder with the spiritual gift
of Fear of the Lord.
This holy fear is not a fear of punishment alone but a deep belief
in and reverence for God’s justice and truth. It is the kind of
fear that compels us to remain faithful, seeking to serve God above
all else, and courageously and confidently sharing our personal
faith with others as the greatest act of love we can
offer.
A well-formed conscience, guided by the truth of the Gospel, gives
us the confidence to speak with clarity and charity. It allows us
to discern when and how to proclaim God’s truth in a way that draws
souls to Him. If we remain open to His voice and are willing to
proclaim what He whispers in our hearts, we will become true
witnesses to Christ, bringing His light into a world in desperate
need of Him.
Reflect today on the inner Voice of God, echoing in the depths of
your conscience. Do you hear Him and respond to His Voice? If so,
then do not be afraid to share your knowledge of God freely and
charitably with others. Foster, instead, a holy fear that drives
you to greater fidelity to God and the charity of sharing His love
with others.
Lord of perfect justice, You speak to us, day and night,
revealing Your love and Truth to our souls in the depths of our
consciences. Please help me to listen and to respond to You so that
I can also courageously share Your love with others, without fear.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Andreas Wahra, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia
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