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Hearing the voice of God in everyday life
In the course of my research the other day, I came upon some material from the IHM’s 1902 Novitiate Directory. Sisters who were novices, as well as those who were finally professed, arose each day at 5:00 a.m. to the sound of a bell.
“Rise in the morning at the first sound of the bell, without in the least giving way to sloth, thinking that it is God who calls them.”
"Gabriel I" -- the bell in use from 1868 to 1939 at the IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan. The ringing of the bell called sisters to begin their day.
The bell is an interesting way to image the voice of God. The bell imagery makes me think about the sounds that I hear in everyday life, and whether I associate any of them with the voice of God, calling me forth in service to Creation. One sound I hear a lot of is car traffic, because we live near a busy street. I don’t think of that as the voice of God, although I’m sure it’s in there somewhere. A sound I do associate with God’s voice is the quiet of the early morning, around 5:30 a.m. It’s not total silence – birds are singing, a breeze stirs the leaves of the nearby maples, a few tree frogs are murmuring. And when I hear God’s voice in these sounds, I arise and welcome the day.
How do you hear God’s call in the sounds of your everyday life?
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I worked for years as a baby photographer in a large retail chain of stores. The lines of screaming, impatient, snotty customers is still a source of many nightmares for me, but enough about the Moms. I was always able to tune out the Mother’s whining and complaining of the long lines and the fact that her kid was now too tired to produce a descent smile for the portraits. All I concentrated on was that child and making that child smile and laugh. Playing one-on-one with the child/baby would always produce a smile worth the Mother’s wait and money and provide them with the portrait they wanted. But many times the playtime between the child and I would produce a laugh that sounded like the fluttering of angel’s wings.
And therein lay the sound of God.
i’m sorry to say that at 5:30 am not even a choir of angels would sound like the voice of God to me … but let me think of what does …
a smile from a stranger
squirrel feet as they scurry around tree trunks
a warm, unexpected text or email
blogs that i frequently visit
the sound of rain
music
NL prayer community
gratitude
Laughter that sounds like angel wings. Scampering squirrel feet, rain, music… God’s call is rich in diversity!
Molly the dachshund and Luna the Labrador’s “sleepy noises”, Fiona the grey and white cat sleeping on my pillow with her little paw on my cheek and the purrrrr until she or I fall asleep, the Blue Jay and his cheeky and musical call, the nun shining through stained glass windows like God’s pattern book, the voices and laughter of friends, flowers shining dewy bright after a rainshower. Oh so many things remind me of God’s voice!
Suze, ditto on the “sleepy noises”.
The birds are hard to hear at 6:30, but I try to hear them as much as possible.
My feet running on the track is an amazing sound, hearing my church choir, and hearing the voices of my family (furbabies included!).
The voice of God often speaks to me in coincidences.
I love this! The mission is right by my apartment and they ring the bell for morning Mass and lots of times on Sunday. I never associated it with God calling me. Thank you.
Hello Sister Maxine / Sister Julie
This evening I wrote this and wanted to share it with you and the wonderful “A nun’s life” community.
Compassion may seem simple to share
It is after all easy to tell someone u care
In hard times or good – to share some kind words
It is something that we all at one time have heard
Compassion, though, is not as simple as that
Heck it may be easier to pull a rabbit from a hat
How silly perhaps, but true for some kats
I hope to God I am able to rise above that
For I have endured some heavy blows
And suffered and survived some heavy woes
Wondering why I had to succumb to such events
Not realizing, for me, that it was something meant
To experience and learn from despite some tears
With the ultimate goal of not hesitating due to fear
My God, the almighty, will always protect me
All I need to do is give my love and my life to thee
When in doubt or worry, I’ll look onto you
If ever shadowed with sorrow and feeling blue
Even in the good times with the joys life can bring
I will praise you and appreciate you – humble I will sing
Of God’s great blessings and endless love to all
How through his love for us, he took the fall
His hope is we share with one another some compassion
Extend your hand out and show some action
It’s not difficult to do once you love with your heart
With your neighbor or a stranger, near or far
A simple gesture, bow your head down and pray
I believe that action is enough to make God’s day
~E… 9.22.2010
~E, what a beautiful piece of writing. Compassion is one of those virtues/acts/ways of being that I am always striving for. I am grateful for your reflection.
Hi Sister Max
Well.. similarly I hear God’s call in the early morning with the sounds from the outdoors (whether it is the sprinkler spinning or the wind blowing through the leaves of the tree that stands right in front of my apartment); other times I hear God’s call when I am laying in bed ready to hit the sack, yet filled with lots of things in my head – sometimes I lay in the pure silence or place some soothing music such as classical and/or chants. Through the music and/or the silence, I feel God’s call and presence.
I used to always wake up to birds chirping and scratching the roof for bugs. Actually this morning I woke up to my alarm and hit snooze. I later hear birds chirping and that woke me up and I was reminded of a job interview I had to go to. I always think, that it is the Lord helping me wake up, cause he knows I am not a morning person. haha