Quieting our hearts

Written by Sr. Rosemary Finnegan, O.P.
Readings from: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100521.cfm

In our Gospel today, we heard that Mary sat beside the Lord, at his feet, listening to him speak. Picture that beautiful scene. Mary was listening intently to his every word. With quiet devotion, she gave her full attention to Him. And to make this sacred scene more beautiful, Jesus says that Mary had chosen the better part by not being busy then, but rather, by simply being present to Him. Mary knew that her friend Jesus came first, and he wanted to share His life and gifts and graces with her. Nothing else mattered at that moment. She is teaching us that being in the presence of Jesus, listening to his precious voice, and turning our hearts towards him is the essence of prayer.

We know that through prayer and a quieting of our hearts, we become more open and attentive to God’s love and presence. The question becomes: how do we pray?

Our responsorial psalm today, Psalm 130, is a wonderful example of how we should pray because it expresses the earnestness and sincerity with which we should pray.

‘Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,
Lord, hear my voice.’

Psalm 130 is part of a group of songs called Psalms of Ascent. The pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem sang these psalms as they walked to the city for the great Jewish festivals. These songs were sung for personal prayer and to prepare their hearts for their communal rituals in the Temple. Towards the end of the psalm today we hear:

“Let Israel wait for the Lord,For with the Lord is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption’

In prayer, we too ‘wait for the Lord.’ How can we slow down and do our own waiting for the Lord’s gifts, and graces, and peace? One of the ways we can envelope ourselves in the presence of Our Lord is by praying the rosary. As we think about those mysteries of the rosary, we unite our hearts to the saving works of Christ. This Thursday is the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary and a good reminder to pray this beautiful Marian devotion often…in the car, on a walk, or with our family.

Another opportunity we have to sit at the feet of the Lord and listen attentively will be our “Adoration Challenge” next week on Thursday, Oct. 14. Adoration, as we know, puts us in the presence of the physical Lord. He looks at us and we look at him with quiet devotion, simple praise, and loving attention. I’d encourage you to sign up for a time on our website, make that commitment and invite a relative or friend as well. What a gift to be able to sit at the Lord’s feet, like Mary did, and surround ourselves in the peace of the Lord.

‘…wait for the Lord, for with the Lord is kindness
and plenteous redemption’