Day 27 in LENT: Obedient Listening
You know me and you know where I came from. Yet I have not come of my own accord: but he who sent me is true; You do not know him, but I know him because I have my being from him and it was he who sent me. – John 7:28-29
Following Jesus isn’t about seeking suffering but listening with him to God’s love without fear. We often mislabel suffering as “God’s will,” but God desires joy, peace, and healing. Instead of explaining pain, we are invited to look for God’s loving presence within it.
Jesus obeyed because he knew the Father’s perfect love—love without jealousy, resentment, or conditions. He came so that we, as God’s children, could share in that same trusting intimacy. When our obedience flows from this trust, we can truly show compassion, entering the world’s suffering with love that brings new life.
Even though today’s world can feel abandoned by Christ, this is precisely where the Spirit is at work. God has not withdrawn; the Father sent the Son, and the Son sent the Spirit to draw us into his divine life. In the midst of human chaos and suffering, the Spirit of Love is present—if we learn to recognize him.
Our Prayer:
Merciful God, you know our weakness and distress. Yet the weaker we are, the stronger is your help. Grant that we may accept with joy and gratitude the gift of this time of grace, and bear witness to your work in our lives. Amen.
