"prick up the ears of your heart"

"The conversion of souls is the working of the divine, not the human voice... It is from him alone that we must hope for results. We must ask him for it, so that our voice may be in harmony with the voice of majesty. May I suggest then that you prick up the ears of your heart in order to hear this inner voice and that you make an effort to hear God speaking within rather than the man speaking without... Nor do we have much difficulty in hearing this voice; the difficulty is rather in stopping our ears from hearing it. For that voice offers itself, presents itself, and never ceases to knock at the door of each one of us."

~St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Ave Maria!  Upon reading the above gem from St. Bernard that appeared in my email box this morning, I immediately thought of our dear Blessed Mother Mary.  Ave Maria!  She is the one par excellence who pricked up the ears of her heart to hear that inner voice of which St. Bernard speaks.  When the Voice of Majesty knocked at her door, Our Lady not only heard and opened her heart but also was in such complete harmony with the Divine Voice that the Word became flesh and made its home within her (John 1:4).  Ave Maria! 

Dear Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word, help me to humbly welcome as you did the engrafted Word, which is able to save our souls (James 1:21).