Beloved Dust

In the eyes of the lord I am a sinner and nothing but dust; 

I live by the mercy of Jesus.

Blessed John XXIII

The Still, Small Voice of Love

Many voices ask for our attention.
There is a voice that says,

"Prove that you are a good person."

Another voice says,

"You'd better be ashamed of yourself."

There also is a voice that says,

"Nobody really cares about you,"

and one that says,

"Be sure to become successful, popular, and powerful."

But underneath all these often very noisy voices is a still, small voice that says,

"You are my Beloved, my favor rests on you."

That's the voice we need most of all to hear.
To hear that voice, however, requires special effort; it requires solitude, silence, and a strong determination to listen.

That's what prayer is.
It is listening to the voice that calls us

"my Beloved."

Henry Nouwen

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