No Longer a Whisper

A Reflection on the First Reading for December 12th, 2021:
Third Sunday of Advent

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Zephaniah
3.14-18a

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love.
The Lord, your God, will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival.
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Most people know me as a typically quiet and soft-spoken individual. Admittedly, I’ve become more vocal in my adult years but, in my youth, I was especially shy and guarded. I hesitated to speak up, even when I had something important to share.


My self-consciousness, undeniably, impacted my participation in worship and liturgy. During Mass, I felt obliged to sing, yet I was afraid for others to hear my voice. I didn’t believe that I could sing well or that I could learn — I only mouthed the words to each song or psalm response. My heart was not invested in the slightest, as I was so fixated on myself and how others might perceive me.


Thankfully, my focus shifted as I grew in relationship with Christ. As a young adult, I was evangelized and accompanied in beautiful ways that helped me experience and know God’s love, personally. Friends introduced me to new forms of praise and, with time, I gained an authentic desire to express my thanksgiving and to acknowledge God’s love, presence, and goodness through song. The Holy Spirit led me to a place of wanting to sing, but it took additional time to build courage and surpass insecurities.


What allowed me to respond in song was the realization that God Himself was inviting me and desiring for me to participate in praise. There are countless examples in scripture where the Lord inspires the People of God to join together in worshipping Him in song, and in this passage from Zephaniah we hear straight away, “Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; Shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart …”


“Sing aloud” is a translation of the Hebrew word rānan. Its most common use in scripture is as a verb meaning “to [be] overcome” or “to cry out, shout for joy, give a ringing cry.” God compels us to raise our voices, celebrate, and express our joy in Him.


As I understood that the stirring in my heart was a calling and movement from the Holy Spirit, it was easier to orient myself to God and choose to participate in singing praise as a response to His love and mercy. I’ve learned that worshipping in song helps me become more united with God and others, and it bears beautiful fruit in prayer.


Worship offers us a glimpse of the beatific vision, of communion with God. When we have firsthand knowledge of who God is, it becomes impossible to whisper — we must respond with volume and vigour and exult Him to the highest place in our lives and hearts. When our eyes are fixed on Him, our minds won’t wander and wonder who else is listening — and He will delight in our attention and trust.




Kendra L.

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