Harden Not Your Heart

January 28, 2024

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mark 1:21-28

Our American society puts a lot of emphasis on getting things done. We do not like to just sit around and, well, sit. No sirree. We need to up and about and get ‘er done, every day and all day. I will leave it to the psychology experts to fully describe the many ways that can be harmful. However, I know from my own life, the temptation to always be working on something and neglecting to spend time in prayer, meditation, or even a peaceful deck-sit, has been a big negative for me and those around me.

Lately, I have been making a more concerted effort to spend more time in contemplation and prayer. I’m not going to lie to you – some days are better than others. It has been suggested that if I got up a bit earlier, I could use that time to start my day in prayer. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who hate to wake up before breakfast. Besides, I’ve always maintained that coffee is God’s way of apologizing for morning. So, I need to find my own way of starting my day in prayer and maintaining that throughout the day in one way or another.

I have been trying to place an emphasis on increased prayer because of what today’s Psalm says. “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your heart.” I firmly believe this to be true. I cannot have a hard heart if I hear God’s voice. And the only way I will hear God’s voice is to shut up and listen, instead of doing all the talking myself. And the only was I’m going to be able to be quiet enough to hear the “tiny whisper” of God’s voice is to be quiet in contemplation.

I know that God is talking to me. God is constantly speaking to me with direction and wisdom. Unfortunately for me, I get too busy to slow down and listen. I want things to go the way I want them to go, even if that might not be the right way. God will show me the right way. In our first reading from Deuteronomy, God tells Moses that a great prophet will be raised up to tell the people what they should do. Of course, we know that the people of Israel continued to defy God and God’s prophets right up to the arrival of Jesus. God kept speaking to them. They simply chose not to listen. They had hard hearts, despite hearing God’s voice.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus performs an amazing miracle. And the observers are amazed about the authority with which he speaks. Mark’s Gospel says that Jesus’ fame spread throughout the whole region. But did they listen to Jesus? Did their hearts become less hardened when they heard his voice, or did they just stay busy?

Jesus wants me to listen, and truly hear what is being said. My challenge is that when I hear the word of God, I cannot allow my heart to harden. I am being called to follow the example of Jesus and bring light into this world. I am called to work to end suffering, hunger, homelessness, violence, and injustice. It can be inconvenient! But, hey – if it was easy, anybody could do it! I do what I can in my own home, workplace, school or wherever I find myself. How do I know what to do? I know because I have spent time in prayer listening for God’s voice to guide me and encourage me. I receive the Eucharist to embolden me to act on what I have heard. “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your heart.” That means me.

Every Day.