I subscribe to a monthly newsletter entitled “Friends of Silence, put out by a small contemplative community. Each issue begins with the question: “Is there enough Silence for the Word to be heard?” That question always gets my attention. Is there enough silence in my life for me to hear the Word of God intended for me? Am I so consumed by the business of life, the noise and clatter of the world, my self-centered pursuits that I don’t notice the “still small voice” (IKgs.19:12) of God when it comes? Are you? Peter, John, and James in today’s gospel lesson were wrapped in awe as they experienced the transfiguration of Jesus right before their eyes. They were on the holy mountain with him, removed from the clamor of Jesus’ day-to-day ministry, a place of quiet, of silence. There, their ears were opened to hear the voice of God speaking to them: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” It occurs to me that God may have been giving that message to them over and over, but only now in that place was there enough silence for the Word to be heard. We are enjoined by that same imperative: “Listen to him!” Obviously that means, to begin with, listen to what Jesus has to say to us in scripture. We often don’t pay attention to what scripture has to say to us on any particular day because we’re so in a hurry and the story is so familiar. We’ve heard it all before; we think we know what it means. If, however, we stop and take a breath (a symbolic way of drawing in the Holy Spirit) and read the scripture slowly listening for the voice of God, we may expect to find a word or phrase speaking to us in a new way, that is just what we need to hear right now. We are also called to listen to Christ Jesus as he speaks to us through the still small voice deep within, that voice that often nudges us into some action of love. Sometimes we may find that the Lord speaks to us through others. Perhaps an author of a book we are reading says something that we recognize as a message for us, or perhaps a family member or a friend, maybe a perfect stranger, or even someone we consider an enemy will say something that we know has our name on it. There’s no limit to the ways God may use to reach us. Listening to him takes practice; it takes intention and attention. It takes making room for enough silence in our lives for the Word to be heard, but, in the end, the deepening of our relationship with God that results is worth whatever effort it takes on our part to be ready for the Word.