Have you ever been captivated by a gifted speaker whose message resonated in your heart and challenged you? Maybe it was a high school teacher, or a college professor, or your parish priest or a retreat leader or an evangelist---people who spoke truth with wisdom and charisma. I can certainly think of some in my life that kept me laser-focused on their every word.

It’s no wonder that the people listening to Jesus in today’s gospel were “all hanging on his words.” How blessed and privileged they were to be in the Lord’s presence, to listen to Jesus, the Word Incarnate himself, speaking to them.

Yet, the truth is that we are even more privileged than those with Jesus 2000+ years ago. He lives in us. Our relationship with Jesus, our conversations with him are not limited by physical proximity. His Spirit dwells in us. Wherever we are, wherever we go, He is with us…always. He teaches us and guides us with his Word in Scripture. We feed on his very Body and Blood in the Eucharist. We feel his healing touch through our priests in Persona Christi in the Sacraments.

Our gospel passage today tells us that “every day [Jesus] was teaching in the temple area.” We too are temples, temples of his Holy Spirit. Jesus teaches us there, in the temple of our hearts, every day, if we but listen attentively, and “hang on his words” as we ponder his Word in our daily prayer time and participate in his Sacraments.

St. Cecelia, pray for us!

What keeps me or distracts me from listening attentively to the Lord's words to me in my prayer time?

Lord, thank you for making me a temple of your Holy Spirit. Grant me the grace to be more aware of your presence in me and to listen attentively to your voice in my heart, in your Word and in the Sacraments. Amen.