“Speak Lord, Your Servant is Listening”

     A couple of weeks ago, I reflected on this saying, “Speak Lord, Your Servant is Listening.”   How often do we hear, but NOT actually take the time to listen?  There’s a big difference between the two. 

            When I entered the Theology Graduate program at Loyola Marymount back in 2006, the graduate chair had accepted me after hearing of my involvement in the Terri Schindler-Schiavo case.  Here’s some background- I became involved in the fight to save Terri when her situation drew many parallels to mine.  For those of you who do not know my story, here it is in a nutshell: in 1996, I lapsed into a 3-month coma after suffering a severe asthma attack.  Doctors were urging my parents to consider organ donation, for if I did survive, I’d be in a Persistent Vegetative State.  They were wrong!  But, that’s beside the point.

            Well, since I was so used to taking 15 units as an undergrad, I thought 12 units as a graduate student would be easy… boy was I wrong!  I needed to withdraw from 2 courses because the workload from just one class was so overwhelming.  I stayed in a class entitled, “Spiritual Discernment” exactly what I was looking for. 

            I entered the graduate program wanting to learn more on “WHY.”  Why was I given a second lease on life and what can I do to become a better person.  I also took the classes to thank God for giving me this second chance to serve Him.

            I continued taking courses that interested me, courses on Mary, Ethics & Social Welfare, Leading a Christian Moral Life, and Catholics & Politics.  Many times I wanted out of the program, but would look back at the road that I traveled to get here and would continue on.  Many professors would dismiss me without even getting to know me.  I recall a professor asking me to consider Bioethics over Theology, and my answer to him was, “I want to learn about my faith, not about science.”

            My call to the program did have its fair share of doubt, discernment and denial.  I never applied to LMU, it’s where God wanted me to be and come May 11, 2008, all the trials and tribulations will turn to joy and celebration when I receive my degree in Pastoral Theology.  How often we hear God’s Call, but fail to listen.  How it took a life threatening incident for me to heed God’s call and to open myself up to grow with Him spiritually.  “Here I am Lord, I come to do your Will.”

 

Throwing Stones

Fishing