Second Question: Listening

 Listening is a very important word.   It is used so often in the Church over the past fifty years.    There are people a confused person entering into the Church is told to listen to, and there are people from whom a resounding "Don't listen to him or her" is almost spoken in anger.    I fit into the latter category but I prefer it that way.    I do not advertise my blog too much for the followers I seek are not supporters, I prefer in England a small number of people to read my blog my detractors, for I know that they will always look in, just in case they can catch me out on something or contradict me.   I am a constant reminder to them of the folly of their ways.   I get good support from America, and there are three people in Portugal who constantly look into the blog.     I now have about 500 reads a month, so I am not a top blog by any means.   I once wrote a blog where overnight 800 people from Sweden tuned in to read something I had written.   Every so, often I get somewhere in the region of 200 from America overnight.   I never go out of my way to persuade people who agree with me to red me.    To oppose error is no easy thing, and going against the grain is very difficult.   They feel more comfortable keeping their head down  and I am not one who starts revolutions.  But I do know how much I am in their prayers.

So how does listening fit into this?    Most Catholics have a faith that tells them to pray to God when there are problems.   But often they are so busy asking God for this, that, and the next thing, that they do not conduct a two way conversation.   When do we give time for God to ask something of us.   What would God ask of us?   Perhaps our faith is so small that we do not believe He could possible be interested in what we have to ssay.   How can we pray and listen to God, remembering the words "Not everyone who cries  "Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do the will of My Father in Heaven".     I said 'remembering' but how many people remember these words and actually do His will.     How many Catholics do we know who do not do His will.    They do not only break his commandment, they excuse themselves in doing so, and even use the Holy Spirit as their champion, as though Christ and the Holy Spirit are two different entities.   If you are true to God and the Holy Spirit you will not have difficulty in knowing who you are to listen to in matters of faith.

When we receive Holy Communion we receive the 'flesh of Jesus'.   Jesus immediately absorbs his flesh into our own.  This is a reality taught by the Apostles, the Mighty God humbling Himself to become Man because He loves us so much.   Whom should you listen to?   The person who says to you "Do not kneel" or people like the Assyrians who throw themselves to their knees.    But having received Jesus in such an intimate way a wonderful practice is to return to your seat and say nothing, just kneel and be aware of His presence within you.   Believe me, He will speak, and your joy will be a feeling of heaven inside you.  Be still, for the presence of the Lord is moving inside you.    



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