How do we commune with God? Does God refuse to answer?

[ethereality]

When I’m lonely, I would like to be with friends. If Jesus is my brother and friend, I would like to “hang out” with Him. Yet when I try talking to God, I find it impossible to have a conversation because God does not answer. Thoughts sometimes come to mind but I have no way of distinguishing whether they are mine or another’s, and so reason dictates that I assume they are mine. This assumption appears supported by the fact that when I ask God questions to which I cannot deduce an answer, no idea comes to mind, and I’m left feeling like I’m only talking to myself – even when I’m sitting before the Tabernacle.

I’ve tried reading the Bible and regarding it as God’s word, e.g. the Lectionary, but it’s usually not relevant to me, and the USCCB instructs us through the NABRE prefaces and footnotes that it’s religious propaganda written after the fact, and that we must focus on what the author wanted to tell his community historically, rather than interpret it as if it applied to us personally.

Is our situation that the Father and Jesus are in a heavenly domain, not here on Earth, and the Holy Spirit prefers silence, and that is why God does not speak to us and sends messengers instead? Or is it that the Church is wrong about God? Due to suffering I am inclined to conclude the latter.

 

[Clevus]

When I’m lonely, I would like to be with friends. If Jesus is my brother and friend, I would like to “hang out” with Him. Yet when I try talking to God, I find it impossible to have a conversation because God does not answer. Thoughts sometimes come to mind but I have no way of distinguishing whether they are mine or another’s, and so reason dictates that I assume they are mine. This assumption appears supported by the fact that when I ask God questions to which I cannot deduce an answer, no idea comes to mind, and I’m left feeling like I’m only talking to myself – even when I’m sitting before the Tabernacle.

I’ve tried reading the Bible and regarding it as God’s word, e.g. the Lectionary, but it’s usually not relevant to me, and the USCCB instructs us through the NABRE prefaces and footnotes that it’s religious propaganda written after the fact, and that we must focus on what the author wanted to tell his community historically, rather than interpret it as if it applied to us personally.

Is our situation that the Father and Jesus are in a heavenly domain, not here on Earth, and the Holy Spirit prefers silence, and that is why God does not speak to us and sends messengers instead? Or is it that the Church is wrong about God? Due to suffering I am inclined to conclude the latter.

Our prayers are heard, that is a De Fide article of Faith. But look at the immense scale that God deals with. When a request is made, and our Lord acts on it or not, it may be out of consideration of the common good. He also may not follow through with the request because the chain of events that would result would cause you greater harm. Perhaps he desires that we must resolve some issue first, and here we rely on the advice and fruits of the Church. Examination of conscience is important. But we should be cautious of the exchange attitude, ‘I do this, which should result in this’.

But the key attitude is simply to ask and leave it, but I try to do this in a state of grace. Prayers for betterment are always welcome. St. John of the Cross suggests that we don’t barrage God with requests. He heard us, and that suffices. This is hard to do because some requests seem as a natural urgency for us. The wait tempers our Faith, and even the saints became more confident as time of devotion went by.

My requests are conveyed in a more of ‘a matter of fact’ manner, and that is true. God knows what we want before we do. It’s a ‘by the way’ sort of thing. For serious help, and to be less intrusive as I can, I may plead to the Blessed Mother or St. Joseph. The Rosary has me praying for the joy of it, so it comes natural, but on occasion or out of duty to my Fraternity would say a few decades. Don’t forget to request help from the saints who are there to help us.

So in closing I would say to simply speak to God, be yourself, and he will listen and be beside you. Terminate as would good friends would do. Have Faith that he will help if he can do so. Then let go. If that negative feeling comes over you because you feel unheard, then have joy that he was there for someone else and praise him for it. We also share in his work.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

God is generally subtle and we need inner quiet and patience to begin to sense the divine movement in our hearts. That is why atheist dont even believe. There is no strong voice or concrete verifiable evidence for them.

 

[St_Francis]

God speaks to me, but usually very softly. It’s like being brushed with a feather, but mentally, of course.

So I felt a lot of pain once because a good friend was bashing the Church and the teaching on birth control. I prayed about this before Mass.

Then, on my way home, the idea that I was suffring in the same way Christ had suffered (on a much smaller scale!) just floated like a bit of mist across my mind, but in such a way that was more comprehensive than I can express.

Other times I am just talking on and on to God, generally when I am upset , and then suddenly I say something myself that “clicks,” and I have a new understanding. And feel less upset

HTH

 

[Crusaderbear]

Usually its through emotions with me…things will ‘feel right’, or I’ll feel ‘at peace’ . He only hit me with a voice when I returned to the church a few years back and he said ‘Welcome Home’.

I think many of us have an answer we hope to heare, but God is all about telling us what we NEED to hear.

 

[pianistclare]

Can you talk to your priest about this? There is so much to address in your post, I hesitate to just jump in. You really should get a spiritual director. One liner answers aren’t going to help you and that’s likely what you receive on a forum.

From my personal perspective, thank goodness God is not nearly as impatient with me as I tend to be with him. I will pray for your peace.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Can you talk to your priest about this? There is so much to address in your post, I hesitate to just jump in. You really should get a spiritual director. One liner answers aren’t going to help you and that’s likely what you receive on a forum.

From my personal perspective, thank goodness God is not nearly as impatient with me as I tend to be with him. I will pray for your peace.

That is right. These are spiritual direction issues but qualified spiritual directors are hard to find. Even clergy are often not trained or are too busy.

 

[pianistclare]

That is right. These are spiritual direction issues but qualified spiritual directors are hard to find. Even clergy are often not trained or are too busy.

Try Ignatian retreat centers or any Monastery. Sometimes people don’t really want to confide in their pastor.

OP, Your local Chancery also has a listing of certified Spiritual Directors.

 

[Dorothy]

I very much like this quote of St. John of the Cross:

“The Father spoke one Word, which Word was His Son; this Word He speaks ever in eternal silence, and in silence must it be heard by the soul.”

I heard it said that God’s first language is silence.

We need to learn silence in order to hear God speak to us. And, you most likely will not hear a voice, but will begin to understand how He speaks to us.

The book “The Power of Silence” ----Against the Dictatorship of Noise (subtitle), by Robert Cardinal Sarah is an excellent book about the need for silence.

I am convinced that silence is something that needs to be learned in our culture. Without pursuing a deep silence in our lives, we get trampled by the noise.

 

[Arizona_Fat_Gir]

God does speak. On one occasion I asked Him if I should get another pet lizard since mine died. I went into details; I just love lizards and of course, other animals as well. I went on to say I find it harder to keep them alive, however, because their food has to be monitored closely. If they eat something too big, like a cricket that is fairly large, it can cause an intestinal blockage.

I had considered going over to Petsmart, but when I opened my car door and got out, I found a lizard on the ground. He was a toy, but he looked real. I thought that was great. God apparently said I should just be happy with the toy and let our geckos and collared lizards take care of themselves. They do a much better job caring for themselves. I have spoken to God many different times in all sincerity and about many different things. He never fails to answer.

(Lizards can sell insurance nowadays, lol).

 

[utunumsint]

I’ve tried reading the Bible and regarding it as God’s word, e.g. the Lectionary, but it’s usually not relevant to me, and the USCCB instructs us through the NABRE prefaces and footnotes that it’s religious propaganda written after the fact, and that we must focus on what the author wanted to tell his community historically, rather than interpret it as if it applied to us personally.

LOL - Where did you read this? Can you provide a link?

Have you looked at the CCC on how to read scripture? You wont find anything like what you mentioned.

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm

And of course it applies to you personally - it involves the salvation of your immortal soul.

God bless,
Ut

 

[St_Francis]

Can you talk to your priest about this? There is so much to address in your post, I hesitate to just jump in. You really should get a spiritual director. One liner answers aren’t going to help you and that’s likely what you receive on a forum.

From my personal perspective, thank goodness God is not nearly as impatient with me as I tend to be with him. I will pray for your peace.

That is right. These are spiritual direction issues but qualified spiritual directors are hard to find. Even clergy are often not trained or are too busy.

Try Ignatian retreat centers or any Monastery. Sometimes people don’t really want to confide in their pastor.

OP, Your local Chancery also has a listing of certified Spiritual Directors.

I believe the OP is in another country, where Catholic priests are few and far between. In addition, there is a bit of a language problem between his own priest and himself.

 

[ethereality]

Try Ignatian retreat centers or any Monastery. Sometimes people don’t really want to confide in their pastor.

OP, Your local Chancery also has a listing of certified Spiritual Directors.

Amazing … The geographical divide between rich and poor is not only material.

I can ask, but I’m pretty sure here in Japan we have no chancery per se, and only two priests to cover about 5,000 square kilometers (about 1950 square miles). We don’t have Mass every day; some places only have Mass once a month. I might be able to speak again with a Filipino Sister, and I may be able to schedule an appointment with my pastor (a French missionary), but I have found conversation with neither to be helpful. For example, when I asked my pastor how he knew what he believed was true, his answer was basically just a happy feeling, no evidence or sound argument. The Sister’s best advice was simply “Just be patient, God loves you,” and bare repetitions of assertions I’ve already heard (for years) are not reassuring.

Edit: Thanks for the intercession, St Francis.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

When I’m lonely, I would like to be with friends. If Jesus is my brother and friend, I would like to “hang out” with Him. Yet when I try talking to God, I find it impossible to have a conversation because God does not answer.

.

What would you like to hear God say to you?

 

[ethereality]

Where did you read this? Can you provide a link?

I tried discussing this half a year ago: You can read my comments there for multiple examples of ‘scholarship’ hosted by the USCCB that is essentially “predicts this, therefore written afterward” and “what the author wanted God to say”. Follow the Coming Home Network’s Bible-in-a-year schedule reading the NABRE on the USCCB webpage including introduction and footnotes and you’ll see multiple examples throughout the year. Here is another example regarding Judith I posted while doing so.

If you do, you may be scandalized at the end of the year, no longer sure what is fact and what is ‘figurative advice to live well and preserve the social order’.

 

[ethereality]

What would you like to hear God say to you?

Basically anything, but especially something regarding suffering and healing.

I’m not sure you really understood the main point here, which is that many people say we’re supposed to “have a relationship with God” but God doesn’t say anything at all to us, and doesn’t appear in any way to us (except as bread?) so it’s like having a relationship with nothing (or with a wafer on Sundays). A one-way relationship isn’t a relationship. A relationship is ‘a two-way street’ where both parties interact with each other.

Sure, we can be “obedient subjects” if we regard the Bible as the King’s Rulebook, the King in a far removed land doing we-have-no-idea-what, but you can’t call that a relationship. We have more a relationship with President Trump than God, because at least there’s a likelihood of getting a response from him on Twitter …

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Basically anything, but especially something regarding suffering and healing.

I’m not sure you really understood the main point here, which is that many people say we’re supposed to “have a relationship with God” but God doesn’t say anything at all to us, and doesn’t appear in any way to us (except as bread?) so it’s like having a relationship with nothing (or with a wafer on Sundays). A one-way relationship isn’t a relationship. A relationship is ‘a two-way street’ where both parties interact with each other.

Sure, we can be “obedient subjects” if we regard the Bible as the King’s Rulebook, the King in a far removed land doing we-have-no-idea-what, but you can’t call that a relationship. We have more a relationship with President Trump than God, because at least there’s a likelihood of getting a response from him on Twitter …

Ok. but I believe it actually is a two way relationship but God’s communication is very different from our usual experience with each other and often not what we expect or hope for. So it does often seem like a relationship with nothing. That is the strongest argument from atheists. But that is only because we expect everything to be in our rational terms. God is above rational limits. In fact, so are we but we do not often exercise our higher faculties. I am talking about or ability to know through love. Take an infant. We cannot communicate with him or her at a rational, intellectual level. But we can express love and that infant knows it. God is subtle. We are not used to being sensitive and responsive to the Holy Spirit. It is a life long journey. For sure, seldom seem to be black and white, definite communications with God. Everything requires discernment, prayer, meditation, contemplation, conversation with others.

 

[utunumsint]

I tried discussing this half a year ago: You can read my comments there for multiple examples of ‘scholarship’ hosted by the USCCB that is essentially “predicts this, therefore written afterward” and “what the author wanted God to say”. Follow the Coming Home Network’s Bible-in-a-year schedule reading the NABRE on the USCCB webpage including introduction and footnotes and you’ll see multiple examples throughout the year. Here is another example regarding Judith I posted while doing so.

If you do, you may be scandalized at the end of the year, no longer sure what is fact and what is ‘figurative advice to live well and preserve the social order’.

Hi ethereality,

My undergrad degree was in comparative religions and classical studies. I spent a lot of time looking into the historical critical method on my own time and compared this methodology with how history was taught in my classical studies classes. And it seemed to me that the Bible was being unfairly treated. I found Cardinal Ratzinger to be a great guide in forming my judgements about this modern method of biblical interpretation. He called for a self-criticism of historical criticism. Specifically, a self evaluation of its so-called-scientific principles.

This is a good article from the Cardinal’s 1988 Erasmus lecture.

Anyway, I too was very disturbed by the modern historical critical methods as a student. I bought books by Fr. Raymond Brown and Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and I found that what they had to say never got me into any kind of relation to my broader catholic dogmatic tradition. As I began to read Cardinal Ratzinger’s works, and later on, Pope Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth series (which I highly recommend), I began to see where these talented men went wrong.

I would trust Ratzinger to set you onto a better path when it comes to these issues.

On another note, I also believe that there are many genres of writing in the Bible, and we need not be scandalized to find some historical fiction. Although there is much recorded history in the Bible as well, such standalone stories such as Tobit, Judith, and Job need not be in that category to retain their authority. The messages they want to convey do not stand or fall on the historicity of the stories, unlike other parts of the Bible, such as the Gospels, the book of Acts, and the Exodus, to name a few examples.

Having said that, I have enough skepticism in the historical critical approach, that I would not be shocked to find that there is a real historical source that dwells at the roots of each of these works. For example, even before Pope Benedict published his book on the Nativity of Christ, I felt sure that the nativity stories must have their source in the virgin Mary, and that, although the events had received a thorough theological working over by the gospel writers, they still remained true to the events as reported by Mary. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Pope saying the very same thing in his book.

I would suggest trying to perform a self-criticism of your own exegetical approach and what might be at the root of the problem. I sense a lot of fear and distrust in your posts. You don’t want to be wrong about such an important issue. I get it. But there comes a time when everyone must make a choice and live with the consequences. I made my choice years ago to treat the Bible as the word of God, with each book linked together by an inner telos with God as the first cause and last end of the entire book.

I could be wrong, and who I am relating to in my readings of scripture and in my prayers is nothing more than an imaginary friend. But I have placed my bet, and I will live out my life trying to make that choice into the most positive thing for myself and for the world around me as I can. May it bring glory to God and, by his mercyful love, may it make the world a better place.

I hope this helps.

God bless,
Ut

P.S. It is the feast day of doubting Saint Thomas! I will ask for his intercession for you today - that he will help put your doubts to rest.