The next chapter of Thomas à Kempis’s The Imitation of Christ is entitled “How Truth Speaks within Us without Noise of Words” (3,2).  The words above are in the closing section, repeating the first words of the chapter.  Kempis urges us to be like Samuel in the Old Testament who responds to the mysterious voice that he finally understands to be God calling him: “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3:9-10).  We are to invite the Lord to speak directly to our hearts the “words of eternal life.”

Today’s reading is an extended version of the reading from just two days ago.  It is the beginning of Jesus’ Last Supper Discourse in John (14:1-12).  Friday’s excerpt ended with the words above.  Today, Jesus goes on to explain the relationship between Himself and the Father to His apostles who lack understanding.  The Father is in Jesus and Jesus is doing the Father’s will.  Jesus will be returning to the Father so that the apostles can do even greater deeds than they witnessed Jesus performing.

Jesus, in today’s Gospel, gives us the perfect ground and program for relating to Him.  He is the way we must follow by accepting the truth of divine revelation (He is the Word) in order to attain eternal life.  Yes, we are to ask the Lord to speak to our hearts and then listen attentively to His message for us.  We listen at prayer, while reading Scripture, while studying the Faith, and while being advised by persons aligned with the Church.  So, Jesus speaks to us in various ways.  Let us always be attentive to the authentic voice of the savior so that we, like Samuel and Peter (see Jn 6:68), will never hesitate to confess (and live) the truth that Jesus is Lord and Savior who came to offer us everlasting life with the Trinity.