Seek the Heart of Jesus

In a sea of voices crying out for change, we must seek the voice of the Lord and seek to be part of His transforming and redeeming action.

-Gina Fensterer

The Holy Spirit has been working quietly, whispering to me through Scripture while the world shouts and laments. Each time the buzzword and issue of the day made its rounds–masks! Social distancing! Stay home! Black lives matter! Raise your voice, influencers and bloggers! Listen. And also Speak out!— I couldn’t find the right words.

It’s time I attempt to share my heart. Last week, while social media erupted with rage and indignation, I pulled back. Something didn’t sit right in my heart, and it took turning inward and to prayer to figure it out. I had to figure it out, before rapid-fire reposting the “hot” hashtags and screen shots blazing around social media. It’s important to me that what I share is as genuine and honest as I can articulate (something I tend to mess up–ask my family), as well as reflective of the truth I know in Jesus.

Racism is evil. Treating another human being as “less-than” is always wrong. Each and every person is a beloved child of God, and worthy of love.

Murder is evil. Human trafficking is evil. Rioting and violence are wrong.

The list goes on. I needn’t spell it out here; most of you reading this already know the 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the Greatest Commandment; and you aren’t here for an examination of conscience from my blog.

The issue bothering me is the underlying rash judgement of others’ response to the crises (I’m including myself here). It’s more than the judgement of another person based on their skin color. It’s the judgment of one’s intent based on what is said or not said on social media. It’s the judgement of one’s character and soul based on the 100-some words and a small square image shared on Instagram.

I’m bothered seeing the judgement of others based solely on what they see posted on social media. I’ve been “radio silent” not because I don’t care about racism and injustice, but because my voice (literally) has been directed towards my children and not the online world. Social media reveals very little about my life and the inner workings of my heart. I’ve been quieter than normal because my gifts aren’t naturally inclined for outspoken activism.

It was Pentecost when I gained some clarity. I heard the words of Saint Paul and immediately knew one reason I’d been unsettled. Too many voices cried out for all of America (particularly “white America” and “white Catholics”) to have one kind of response to the current tragedy. But the Holy Spirt gives different gifts, each of which will lead a person to respond to the world uniquely. The same Spirit gives different gifts so that the whole Body may be edified and work together for good.

“…there are varieties of service, by the same Lord; and there are varieties of working but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one.”

1 Corinthians 12:6 RSVCE

The gifts are given uniquely and intentionally. Beautifully. The Spirit’s gifts are varied! The call some have to speak up with loud and articulate voices against racism is God-given. The call some have to serve on the streets is God-given. The call many others have to hidden service is God-given. The call we all have to prayer is God-given. The work I’m called to is not the same as yours. It’s not the same as the activist on the streets or the doctor in the hospitals or the social worker in the schools. The work I’m called to will not fit a narrative other than the Lord’s. And your work will not be the same as mine, though it may be similar.

The goal for each of us is to seek Truth and love the Lord, loving our neighbor and working towards heaven. The day-to-day design for me following the Lord requires prayer before action, and action guided by prayer.

We cannot possibly know the specific work the Lord has placed in each person’s heart, though we can all encourage one another in love.

“Therefore encourage one another and build up each other. . .”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 NRSVCE

And later in the same chapter Saint Paul continues to instruct the faithful. WE are the faithful. These words are as pertinent today as they were when Saint Paul wrote them. We must take heed.

“. . .¹⁵ See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise the words of prophets,^[e] 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; ²² abstain from every form of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-22 NRSVCE

The hot buzzword right now is “listen”. Listen, but also raise your voice.

Listen. Protest. Listen. Post a black square. Listen. Call the governor. Listen. Sign this petition. Listen. Demand these things from the government.

Listen–There are many needed changes in our world. Many. The issues we face are grave.

And yet. None of the above actions will solve the crises. None of it.

We cannot do this on our own. Our actions alone will not succeed. But with God? Our prayer and actions can be part of the solution–His solution.

Listen we must — to the voice of the One who calls us beloved.

Listen to the Lord who lovingly and intentionally created each one of us with a beautiful body, which He designed Himself. How can any of us disdain another for the color the Lord chose? GOD HIMSELF in His love and care gave you and me the pigment of our skin.

And it is beautiful. We are each Imago Dei–in His image and likeness.

Listen to the Holy Spirit. Before taking on any sort of work to combat injustice, we must begin in prayer. Without a grounding in Truth and without guidance from the Holy Spirit, we are likely to miss the mark.

Right now, I believe one of the best things any of us can do is turn to prayer first, to seek His face. In Him we will find our way. In conversation with the Lord, He will convict our hearts and show us His will.

We need Him to show us how to best use our gifts. We need Him to remind us of who we are in Him. We need Jesus to grant us the grace, wisdom, courage, charity to act rightly towards our neighbor.

“Abide in me . . . apart from me you can do nothing . . . Abide in my love . . . Love one another as I have loved you.”

John 15:4-5, 9, 12 NRSVCE

Jesus tells us what we must do! Remain in Him. Stay near to His Sacred Heart, where He will love us. With His love, He restores our hearts individually. He gives us hope. He gives us His love and makes our hearts like His.

With Jesus, we can bring His love and hope and healing to the world.

In a sea of voices crying out for change, we must seek the voice of the Lord and seek to be part of His change.

Jesus, I need you. Make my heart like Your heart. Show me Your will for me, so that with You I can use the Holy Spirit’s gifts for Your glory and in service of my neighbor. Amen.

If you have time to listen to the words of a trusted and devoted priest, this video is 18 minutes long.