Obey My Voice

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, June 18th, 2023:
​Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Exodus
19. 1-6a

On the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt they came to the wilderness of Sinai. They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.’
“These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

What is it about a voice that puts us at ease? Well, on a personal note a voice that I hear almost everyday is my Mum’s voice. Even though we live continents apart, I make sure that I give her a call almost, if not every, day. In this short interaction over the phone, we have only each other’s voices to go off of. And since my Mum is the only human who knows me well enough, there are times when she senses things just by hearing the tone of my voice. 

For those people who have and love their pets, have you ever thought about how much your voice means to your pet, especially when you get back home after a day of work or after a long trip? The pet’s world makes so much more sense after they hear your voice. The comfort they were lacking due to your absence is now obtained once they have heard your voice.

There are so many sounds and so many voices we, as human beings, hear on a daily basis. Not all of these voices are helpful to us. Have you ever done something you should not have done based on what someone told you? Learning to discern which voices come from God is a lifelong endeavour.

The reading from Exodus gives us a peek into how it must have been for Moses to hear the voice of God or Adonai. There is no denying that Moses had it so good. When some of us these days resort to saying “Hey Siri” or “Alexa” more than the number of times we say “Our Father”, we can look to Moses, who established that intimate connection with none other than the Lord God, Almighty. Moses’ devotion and dedication is what made it easier for him to not only call out to God but to also hear and discern God’s will. 

While at a ChristLife session last month, I was introduced to the image of how God uses us to cast a line to draw others to him. The image went so far as to say that we may be used as a worm by a fisherman. Moses, indeed, was the messenger or the worm used by God to tell the Israelities to “obey [His] voice and keep [His] covenant.” After all, the Christian life involves not only listening for God’s voice, but also speaking to Him in prayer. 


It is in establishing a regular prayer life that I can speak to God and raise my voice to Him, whether it be in participating in Praise and Worship in a church setting or singing a hymn to Him while pottering around in my apartment or uttering a heartfelt prayer when on the bus. And unlike Ariel in The Little Mermaid, I shall not have to lose my voice to be heard by my Father in Heaven, who is attuned to the unuttered prayers that I hesitate to bring onto my lips. Like with my mother, all I shall need to do is stay in touch with God who knows me better than even my mother. I need to communicate with him through regular prayer and obey His voice. Because like the Israelites, I am already His “treasured possession.”

Heavenly Father, draw me closer to you and create that hunger in me that will only be satisfied by you. Guide me in my everyday decisions and help me tune out all the voices that lead me away from you. Help me realize that all I need to do is ask, and it shall be given to me in Your time and in the way You will. Let not my will, but Yours be done. Amen.




Rebecca D'mello

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