Meeting Notes - Listening in Silence and Holding to Hope
- Marcelo Bastos
- Sep 26
- 3 min read
Date: Saturday, 20th September 2025
Location: St Joseph’s SMA Church, Blackrock, Cork
Context
We continue to gather at St Joseph’s SMA Church. While the church itself is closed for works, the parish kindly arranged Mass in the church kitchen. Chairs were lined up, creating an intimate setting where we were close to both priest and assembly.
The Gospel of the day was the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4–15) source: Vatican News. It speaks about the Word of God falling on different types of soil, each representing the openness of human hearts. Providentially, this connected very well with our chosen reflection on discerning the voice of God.
Reflection Reading
Book: LEAD: The Four Marks of Fatherly Greatness by Devin Schadt
Pillar I: Listening to Discern Your Mission [Embracing Silence]
Reading 39: Good vs. Greatest
The text highlights how difficult it has become today to preserve silence and space for prayer. Just as enemies once tried to enter a city by breaching its walls, so too the devil seeks to invade our souls by breaking down our resistance. We are constantly surrounded by news, noise, and distractions—even good intentions like “staying informed” can keep us away from listening to God.
Call to Action: Even when prayer seems hard and distractions come, we should lift our minds to God and ask Him to breathe His guidance into our lives.
Reflection Question (p. 444):
How many times a day do I place myself in silence and stillness before God?
Shared Thoughts from the Group
We often strive to know more—about the Church, history, and current events. This is good, but if it consumes us, it can prevent us from receiving the greatest: God’s presence. A busy mind leaves no room for Him.
With so much information available, it is easy to become overwhelmed by troubling news about the world. We must be careful not to lose hope.
Hope is one of the three theological virtues, together with faith and charity. It is fundamental to Christian life.
A father reminded us that the first three Hail Marys in the Rosary are traditionally prayed for an increase in faith, hope, and charity (Rosary Center Guide). This was a helpful reminder, as many of us had forgotten it.
Personal Reflections & Final Thought
This reflection spoke to me personally. Balancing work, study, and family, I often feel drawn to search for knowledge—whether in history, philosophy, psychology, or, in recent years, the Church. At times, this pursuit consumes me. Rediscovering the richness of the Catholic faith has deeply changed my outlook. Yet, I sometimes fear seeking truth too eagerly, lest I fall into old patterns of being “conditioned” by ideas.
During prayer, I am reminded that it was not knowledge that transformed my life, but God’s invitation. His grace drew me closer to Him. My drive for knowledge can sometimes mask a lack of trust—an attempt to control my destiny rather than allowing God, the Author of life, to guide me. I pray for the grace to live fully in that trust.
Our discussion on hope was also powerful. Dwelling on the dark history of mankind or the daily news can weigh heavily on the soul. This meeting reminded me that I had been letting my hope fade. While it is good to know the truth of our world, we must guard against despair.
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