A Patient Heart

SCRIPTURE
- Proverbs 18:13   
“To answer before listening - that is the folly and shame."  

REFLECTION
- Gary

MUSIC
-On this day, O beautiful Mother

-Len

NOTES
-

PRAYER OF LETTING GO
To You do I belong, O God,
into Your hands I surrender my life.
Pour out Your Spirit upon me
that I may love You perfectly,
and serve You faithfully
until my soul rests in You.

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

SPEAKER_04 0:24

Today's scripture reading is about listening before we answer. And no one exemplifies that virtue more than the Blessed Mother. On this, her day, let us aspire to be more like Mary, that God may grant us a patient and humble heart. Thank you for joining us today, and welcome to prayer. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER_03 0:57

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 0:58

Hail Mary, full of grace.

SPEAKER_03 1:01

Blessed are you among women.

SPEAKER_00 1:05

Psalm 154, the light for my path. Mary, sometimes I lose myself without ever leaving home. I move through familiar rooms, speak familiar words, and yet feel far away from everything that once gave me life.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

I search for peace in places that cannot hold it. I fill the silence with noise, mistaking distraction for comfort until I can no longer hear the longing within me.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

You searched for Jesus with an anxious mother's heart. You understand the panic of believing that what is most precious has somehow been lost along the way.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

Come and find me, Mary. Call me back from the distant places where fear has taken me. Lead me gently toward your son, who has never stopped waiting for my return.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

Remind me that being lost does not mean being abandoned. Even now, grace is searching. Mercy is drawing near. God is leaving lamps burning to guide me home.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER_00 2:45

As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

SPEAKER_02 2:56

A reading from Proverbs chapter 18, verse 13. To answer before listening, that is folly and shame. The word of the Lord. Early in my career, I read the familiar book, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. It was written in 1936, but remains one of the best-selling self-help books in history. One of the key elements to winning friendships is to be a good listener. Trust is earned by paying attention to the other, not talking over them. I also was reminded of Adam and Eve when I read this verse from Proverbs. And how they felt ashamed for not listening to God. And how the Israelites in the desert rejected the Ten Commandments. Did you notice that homeless person? Did you notice that young woman who seemed sad? Did you notice you got angry over something silly? But do we hear what he needs from us? Are we listening to the silence? Can we hear God's whisper? To obtain favor with God and our fellow men, we need to leave lives built on trust. We need to lead others to God by repeating his wisdom. We help others understand there is someone who loves them more than we humans can comprehend. God's love is greater than ours. We love because he loved us first. God made us in his image so we could find relationship with him. But we can't know what he needs from us if we don't listen.

SPEAKER_04 7:28

Through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, we pray.

SPEAKER_03 7:33

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

SPEAKER_04 7:52

Let us pray. Lord Jesus, give us humble and patient hearts, so that we may seek to understand before we respond. Help us to listen with compassion, wisdom, and love, remembering that every person deserves to be heard. May our words bring peace rather than judgment. And may our listening reflect your presence in our lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

SPEAKER_03 8:28

Amen. To you do I belong, O God. Into your hands I surrender my life. Pour out your Spirit upon me, that I may love you perfectly and serve you faithfully until my soul rests in you.

SPEAKER_04 8:51

Go forth with humble and patient hearts. Thank you for joining us today. And may Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.