Listening to God's whispers – and acting on them

Archbishop Gregory Aymond delivered the following homily at a Mass Sept. 20 at the 2022 Louisiana Priests’ Convention. About 300 priests from across the state participated in the Mass.

Someone explained to me what got most of his attention on a given day. I must admit his answer surprised me. He said it was his cell phone: It vibrates, it flashes a light, it rings for calls and dings for text messages and it’s on all day.

Sadly, on some days, I think it’s true that a cell phone can get our attention more than anyone else or anything else.

But the bigger question is, how does God get our attention in the midst of the noise of the world, our cell phones and other people? God does not use a  cell phone; he prefers an old-fashioned way to get our attention. He simply but profoundly whispers into the heart of a person.

In fact, in our Scriptures today (1 Sam 3:1-18; Lk 5:1-11), we see God speaking and getting the attention of both Samuel and Peter. And how does he do it? He whispers first to their hearts. Samuel was so tired that he fell asleep in the temple. God calls him and he says with vigor, “Here I am.” But then he runs to Eli, and Eli says, “I did not call you, go back to sleep.” This happened not once, but twice. And it isn’t until the third time that Eli says, “If he calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening’ because it could be the Lord who’s calling you.”

This is an interesting conversation between Samuel and Eli. Eli was an experienced priest who was very wise, and even with that it took him three times before he realized that God might be calling Samuel and speaking directly to him. Nevertheless, God through his message woke up Samuel and got his attention, and because of that, Samuel became a great prophet, and he grew up and the Lord used him to get the attention of others.

It’s all about getting someone’s attention, isn’t it?

In the Gospel, we ask the question, how did Jesus get the attention of Peter? Jesus is the uninvited guest. Jesus just plops himself into the boat with Peter. I think that would get anyone’s attention. And, you know the story. Jesus asks him to lower his nets, to put out into the deep. Peter at first resists and says, “Lord, we have been at this all night long. We’ve caught nothing, and you’re asking us to lower the nets and put out into the deep?” But he gives in to Jesus, and, as we know the story, he catches so many fish the nets are at a point of breaking. Jesus gets the attention of Peter, in a boat, in the midst of ordinary fishing, which became extraordinary.

This changed his life. Peter falls to his knees and says, “Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” And Jesus’ response is, “Do not be afraid. From now on, you will be catching men.” Jesus says, in other words, “This is not about your sin; this is about my needing you to preach and to lead and to shepherd.”

My brother priests, tonight we come to reflect on another story beside that of Samuel and Peter. We ask this important question of each one of us: How did Jesus get my attention as he invited me into priestly ministry? How did Jesus get my attention in the busyness and distractions of life? How did he whisper into my heart the powerful words, “I have called you by name. Come, follow me. I need you to lead and to serve my people.”

Give thanks for the call
We should ask the question: What was our personal response as we began to hear Jesus, as he began to speak into our hearts, “Come, follow me”? What was our response as we heard it the first time or the second time or however many times. Recall our discernment and priestly formation. What were the words that we used to respond to the Lord Jesus as he continued to invite? Some days it was “yes”; some days it was “absolutely not”; some days it was “maybe”;  some days it was “later, but not now”; some days it was “are you sure that it’s me that you want? Get away from me for I am a sinful man.”

As we know, my brothers, this all led to your “yes.” Today, we are very mindful as the bishops of our state and as shepherds that you have said “yes” and given of yourselves wholeheartedly to this ministry of making Christ present. We are privileged to work with you as coworkers in the vineyard of the Lord.

The call that you and I have will always remain a mystery. We can do one of two things. We can try to explain it and spend our lives doing that. Or we can more humbly and more simply give thanks to God for the call and realize that in light of our goodness and our weakness, you and I have been called to lead and to serve God’s people.

This convention is a sacred moment for each of us. It’s an opportunity for us to relive and renew that original call. I ask us to do that in our imagination right now – and not just the original call, but to trace in our lives the ways in which the Lord Jesus continues to call us to the priesthood today.

Isn’t that call a daily invitation for you and me?

The busyness of ministry
We are grateful for the times we have heard the call. There are times when we are distracted, we may doubt the call or we may be tired and worn out from ministry. We might give a deaf ear to all that is expected of us. Sometimes we, too, like Peter, can say to Jesus, “I’ve been at this all night and all day, and nothing has happened, and you’re saying again, ‘Come, follow me.’ And Jesus says, ‘Yes. It’s not about you; it’s about those you will serve.’”

Jesus continues to call, he continues to reach deep into our hearts and he never gives up on us, whether we are deaf on a particular day. We ask that when we are deaf that he heals our broken heart, that we let his invitation echo within us.

Perhaps we can use St. John Paul II as a model for us. The coat of arms that he used as the pontiff is very simple: It has a cross in the middle. In the lower right-hand corner is a big “M” for Mary, our mother. And then, below that, are the words “Totus Tuus” (I am totally yours). Mary, bring me to your Son, please, so that I can be his priest.

Jesus got your attention. Whether it was a year ago or 10 years ago or 50 – and we say it again tonight – “Yes, yes. I am yours. I am totally yours.”

Questions for Archbishop Aymond may be sent to [email protected].