Skip to main content
ArchiveOthers

A Still Small Voice

by Janine Gobeil

By March 28, 2022November 23rd, 2023No Comments

This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant

Here are some more words that Janine received along her journey to God.

***

Oh, Hurry Up!

It was Shrove Tuesday, and on that day, we always have a wonderful pancake supper with butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, and fruit. I was really looking forward to it.

We have our Mass before supper, and this particular day was just like any other except for one thing. Our celebrant just happened to be in a teaching mode.

He explained what fasting is and what it isn’t, what Lent is all about, the history behind our different Lenten practices, etc., etc.

I was getting tired of listening and began grumbling inside, saying, “We know all this. You don’t need to go into the details. …” I went on and on.

When the priest passed the 23-minute mark in his homily, I sent him a subliminal message from my mind to his: “Just stop. We have pancakes tonight!”

It was then that I heard a voice inside: “Janine, you are in really good company. The Scribes and Pharisees also got tired to listening to me teach them.”

Relating to Mary

My relationship with Mary had always been sort of a quiet affair. She was always around and I would pray the rosary. I would visit our statue of Our Lady of Combermere, going to her just to say hello or to bring her my petitions. It was a comfortable relationship.

There came a point, though, when I began to think that I really didn’t know how to connect with her on some level. She seemed to be so out of reach, and I didn’t like to feel that.

One day I asked her, “Mary, tell me how I can connect with you, how to understand you, and tell me how I can relate with you.”

Then, I heard in my heart, “Well, Janine, I wasn’t expecting an angel that day.”

“Wow!” I thought. “She was probably just going about her day doing ordinary little things just like I do.”

Get a New One

At one point in my life, I was often at odds with people. I was easily hurt and when that happened, I would retreat into myself and lick my wounds. Inevitably, I would begin to cry, which would lead to self-pity.

I got so impatient with myself thinking I should be able to rise above these situations.

Then, at one point, I began crying to the Lord instead of just in my hanky and telling him that I was really tired of always losing my composure. I told him I couldn’t continue living like this.

Then I heard the words, “You keep losing your composure? Good! Let it go and get a new one.”

I said, “Get a new one? What does that mean?”

The answer came: “Get a new composure that is based on my love for you, my healing of you, my trust of you and your trust in me.”

to be continued