A Letter From Father: "Hearts Singing In The Ears Of God”

Dear Family,

"Not a voice, but a desire — not a clamor, but love — not instruments, but hearts singing in the ears of God.” This inscription is carved into a wooden chair, dating from 1504, recalling the “essence of prayer.” The chair is in the Church of San Damiano in Assisi, Italy.

San Damiano is the little church where St. Francis of Assisi prayed often to know the will of God for his life. With a sincere desire and filled with the love of God, he often prayed, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” In answer to his prayers, he distinctly heard the voice of the Lord command him, “Francis, go and repair my house, which, as you can see, is falling into ruin.” Francis found his mission and an answer to his prayer. That was in the year 1206. The rest of the story is an amazing response on the part of Francis to the Lord’s answer to his prayer.

There are many ways to describe prayer, while a favorite of mine has been the quote from St. John Henry Newman: prayer is heart speaking to heart. I deeply treasure the opening quote from St. Francis, I have been graced to visit Assisi twice and even celebrated Mass in the Basilica of St. Francis and that of St. Clare. This sense of prayer from that beautiful quote is palpable; the quiet hidden prayer of religious and the silent and fervent prayer of the countless pilgrims rise up, and one’s soul can feel, more than hear, the song being sung to God.

Prayer is one of the essential pillars of living stewardship as faithful disciples, and one that Francis practiced following the conversion he experienced in San Damiano. He desired to love and sing the praises of God. It was in this small chapel where he composed the “Canticle of the Creatures,” a hymn of gratitude, fraternity and peace — none of which could have happened unless prayer had preceded it. To pray with “not a voice, but a desire — not a clamor, but love — not instruments, but hearts singing in the ears of God” gave Francis the direction to live a life faithful to the Gospel. Could it not do as much for us?

The “essence of prayer,” distilled from this beautiful quote, drives our efforts at evangelizing the stewardship way of life: which uses prayer as communication, action born of our desire to love with a love that comes straight from the heart. What better way to describe our conversion in choosing to live as Christian stewards? There is something very appealing about how the prayer of the heart is a song, singing to the “ears of God.” Could or should anyone ask for more in their prayer? St. Francis got it right, and it inspired St. Clare and countless others to get it right; for centuries, their prayer and spirituality have inspired others to live life the same way. Many have, and hopefully, many more will continue to do so.

My prayer is that, in choosing to live as a Christian steward, we will all pray in a way that is “not a voice, but a desire — not a clamor, but love — not instruments, but hearts singing in the ears of God.” With all my love,

Your Father in Christ,

Fr. Estrella, Parochial Administrator

Fr. Estrella, Parochial Administrator