# God Is Talking to Us—Are We Listening?
*2016-10-17*

> Bill Young reflects on how prayer, faith, and listening to God’s voice are essential, especially in times of crisis, using examples from Hurricane Matthew, the death of José Fernández, and current global threats.

## The Power of Asking and Believing

St. Luke, whose feast we celebrate today, reminds us that Jesus prayed before every major event. That same principle underlies our main theme: God is speaking to us, but we must first ask and then believe. I shared a story of a man who asked me to pray for a fire on his island. I explained that miracles require two ingredients—faith and prayer. Scripture tells us, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened.” When two or more pray together, Christ promises, “I am with you.”

## Prayer in Action: Hurricane Matthew

When Hurricane Matthew threatened South Florida, many of us used the hashtag #PrayForFlorida. I prayed that the storm would spare our homes, and God answered: the eye passed just east of the state, leaving us with only minor flooding. I was not praying alone; countless others joined in. This experience shows that prayer, combined with God’s will, can bring real protection.

## Listening to God’s Warning

Tragedies like the death of José Fernández remind us that warnings are often ignored. Friends urged him not to go out that night, yet he did not listen. Similarly, before 9/11 there were warnings that went unheeded. These events illustrate that God often speaks through signs and conscience, but we must be attentive.

## Praying for the World’s Crises

Today we face threats of cyber‑attacks and even nuclear conflict. History, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, shows that prayer and divine help can avert disaster. We must pray for peace in America, for our allies, and even for our enemies, that they may act with wisdom.

## A Marian Prayer for Peace

We concluded with a traditional Marian prayer, asking Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and Earth, to intercede for us, to obtain forgiveness, grace at the hour of death, and ultimately to lead us to paradise. We invoked the saints—St. Francis, St. Mother Teresa, St. John Paul II, St. Theresa of the Little Flower, St. Michael—and asked them to pray for peace in the world.

*God constantly speaks; when we listen, pray, and trust His will, He answers.*