My new iPhone 6 has been acting up a bit lately. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the phone, and yet…I’m a little hesitant to say that I think Jesus is sending me messages.
I know. I know. I just drifted into that weird place occupied by church ladies and crazed wingnuts on TV.
It isn’t like that. Really. And I don’t think I’m crazy. It’s just…I realize that God can use everything, everywhere, at his disposal to shake me up. To speak to me.
It has been my prayer, to hear what He has to say. And now that I seem to have a direct line, well…I’m kind of stepping back and discounting it.
For years I’ve heard people say how they hear the Lord speak to them. I’ve often said the same thing, not because I heard the words, but because circumstances have lined up in such a way that I was able to discern meaning from it. Perhaps that’s because I don’t really think in words, but in pictures. I tend to sense rather that see/hear communication. In fact, I’d rather have a warm hug than hear the words “I love you.” Ok, I’ll take both, but my default setting is for the hug.
So, it’s always made sense to me that God’s voice was probably not going to come on over the PA system.
And yet…I’ve told Him on more than one occasion that I’d like a memo detailing what He wants me to do. Recently, sitting before the Blessed Sacrament during a much needed break in my busy week, I realized that I could talk to Jesus, should talk to Jesus, about as often as I sent a text message in my day. Or played Words with Friends.
It was a funny thought, but I ran with it. I actually think it’s a pretty sound approach to spontaneous prayer. Why not reach out to Him with a little love note in the day. A request for an intention. A note to just say hi.
Why not indeed? I do it all the time with my friends and family. I’ll send a random note with a smile to just say hello or I’m thinking of you. I’ve sent out an S.O.S. in this way, too. Or just taken a break in my schedule to connect with someone who is far away.
So I started to do this. I started to text with Jesus.
I was not prepared to have Him respond. Literally.
Since switching over to my new phone, an app I purchased a while ago has randomly opened. What the name of the app? Words with Jesus. I kid you not. In fact, here’s today’s entry:
That popped open in my pocket while I was walking across campus. Seriously.
Last week, on a busy day that was getting busier by the minute, I thought I heard a voice and pulled my phone out of my pocket. It was Fr. Gaitley’s voice, reciting the Rosary. I hadn’t prayed the Rosary that day.
Yesterday, my phone was sitting on my desk as I worked, and the screen opened up to reveal yesterday’s Gospel. It’s not easy for Laudate to just open to the Gospel reading. The reading blew me away a little, too.
Look. I don’t know what to make of this. It could just be a series of coincidences. I have the Words with Jesus app set to send me the entry at a specific time. I use the Marian’s Rosary app almost every day on my commute. Laudate is one of my go to apps in the morning. There’s a logical explanation, probably stemming from the fact that I never, ever, close out my apps until one of my kids grabs my phone and does it, accompanied by their judgy shaking heads. So. Technology.
But I’d rather think I’m texting with Jesus, and He texts back.