Vocation - Listen to Him

Saint Benedict begins his Rule with these words,

 Listen, my son, and with your heart hear the principles of your Master. Readily accept and faithfully follow the advice of a loving Father, so that through the labor of obedience you may return to Him from whom you have withdrawn because of laziness of disobedience.  My words are meant for you, whoever you are, who laying aside your own will; take up the all-powerful and righteous arms of obedience to fight under the true King, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Listening is at the heart of the vow of obedience. Our English word listen is rooted in the Latin word obedire which means to obey, to pay attention to, and give hear to. In order to truly live the vow of obedience we need a heart that has ears. The ears of the heart need to be open. The vow of obedience invites us to empty our heart of all the distractions of the day and so that in its emptiness we can hear the voice of God and others within our lives.

- Contributed by Marianist Brother James Conway, S.M.

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Pray for the Canonization of Blessed William Joseph Chaminade

"Jesus Christ is the exemplar for all the saints: his life is the pattern for all that is to happen to the Church in general and to each of the faithful in particular to the end of time."

Blessed William Joseph Chaminade