But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!” But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?”  Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:14–17)

Today, we must recognize a profound truth: we no longer belong to ourselves. We belong to Jesus Christ, who redeemed us at a heavy price. Since we were created for a divine purpose, we cannot live merely for ourselves. We must take responsibility by no longer viewing our time, talents, and money as “our own,” but as resources entrusted to us by God—temporarily lent to accomplish His higher and greater purposes.

We are called to imitate St. John the Baptist. The prophet Isaiah foretold him as “a voice crying out in the wilderness” (cf. Isaiah 40:3–5), preparing the way of the Lord. Jesus Himself described John the Baptist as “a burning and shining lamp” (John 5:35), bearing witness to the truth.

To become such a lamp today, we must continually listen to God’s voice, so that we may become instruments through which God speaks to others and to the world. If we truly desire to serve God, receiving direction from Him is not optional—it is absolutely essential. Consider Jesus in the Gospel of John: He repeatedly emphasizes that He does not speak on His own.

He says, “The word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me” (John 14:24), and again, “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works” (John 14:10). If even Jesus depended entirely on the Father’s voice, how much more must we?

We must be courageous in speaking for the Lord and not suppress our witness, for the prophetic role is increasingly important in our time. God needs you to be His voice! Therefore, we must “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16).

To live this out, in addition to God’s Word, we desperately need the Holy Spirit.

Jesus instructed His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, who will teach us all things, enlighten us to understand God’s Word, and give us the strength to carry out Jesus’ teachings.

The Holy Spirit helps us discern God’s will, examine our hearts, maintain spiritual sensitivity, and remain childlike before the Lord—living in complete dependence on God rather than acting independently.

However, words without action are dead. We must learn from Mother Mary, who both treasured God’s Word in her heart and acted upon it with the obedience of faith. In this way, we ensure that God’s Word does not return to Him empty!

Here is the “obedience key”: God often gives the next instruction only after we have carried out the previous one.

As the Psalm says, “Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when he delights in our way;” (Psalm 37:23).

As we read and meditate on God’s Word daily, it becomes our spiritual treasury. We store up the most precious riches, ready for times of trial, and we are equipped to share God’s love.

Ultimately, as we fall more deeply in love with God, we reach a point where—even when we cannot clearly hear His voice—we can instinctively understand His heart and His expectations for us.

We become like Jesus, praying with confidence: “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I knew that you always hear me” (John 11:41–42).

Looking back over these forty days,

the key to achieving the goal of this retreat can be summed up in the motto of St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

The essence of this journey is the continual diminishing of the ego—letting go of the illusion that we are in control—and learning to rely completely on God.

In this regard, no one lived this more radically than St. Francis of Assisi. When God called him to “repair His Church,” Francis embraced the Gospel in the most literal way. To declare his total dependence on God, he stripped off his own clothes in the public square, handing them back to his earthly father along with his inheritance. In that profound act of surrender, he declared that from then on he had only one Father in heaven.

By embracing absolute poverty and letting go of all worldly attachments, Francis emptied himself completely so that Christ might increase within him. In the end, he became “another Christ” (alter Christus), a living icon of Jesus.

As we conclude this retreat, let us fix our gaze on God’s dream: that His Kingdom will be firmly established in our hearts and solidly built in the world. We cannot accomplish this mission alone; we must carry it out in unity within the Church. Undeniably, the road ahead will bring many challenges and trials. Yet precisely because of our radical dependence on God, we choose to see His goodness even in adversity.

We anchor our hope not in changing external circumstances, but in God’s unchanging character. Hold fast to your faith, believe in miracles, and let your lamp burn brightly for this world!

Let us once again listen carefully to this Scripture passage and allow it to take deep root in our hearts, transforming our lives:

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!” But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?”  Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:14–17)

Reflection

Jesus did not speak on His own. In my daily life, how seriously do I listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit before I speak or make decisions?

How does Mother Mary’s example of pondering God’s Word and putting it into action challenge my current prayer life?

In what practical ways can I imitate St. Francis today by letting go of worldly attachments and becoming a “lamp that burns and shines”?

Today’s Prayer

Lord Jesus, as this forty-day journey of grace comes to an end, I thank You for Your boundless love. You have redeemed me at a high price, and today I declare: I belong entirely to You. Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon me, that I may clearly hear Your voice and faithfully live out Your Word with the obedience of faith. Help me to remember always: “Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.”

Grant me the courage of St. John the Baptist and the spirit of radical surrender of St. Francis of Assisi. May my ego decrease so that You may continually increase within me. May my life become a burning and shining lamp in this world, anchoring hope deeply in Your eternal and unchanging goodness.

Lord, use me to build Your Kingdom. May my life bear witness to Your Word, serving others and proclaiming the Gospel. Amen.

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Fundraising Appeal

Thank you for participating in this 40-day Lenten spiritual journey. We hope you have been inspired and have benefitted from it! For the spiritual benefit of all of you, Fountain of Love and Life devotes a lot of time and effort in producing various spiritual projects every year, and all our ministries are sustained by the generous donations of our supporters. We hope you will support us with prayers and donations. Please make an online donation using the button at the top of the website Lent.FLL.cc. Thank you very much for your support. God bless!

The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: How Not to Miss God’s Voice?” team, including FLL staff and volunteers.
Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Writer: Paul Yeung
Project Managers: Michael Lam, Rosa Tse
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English and Mandarin Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: “Leyton” – Murf.AI
Mandarin Narrator: “Natalie” – Murf.AI
Audio Editors: Cyan Cheung, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editor: Cyan Cheung
Graphics: Francis Lai, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Clara Chang, Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Long Distance” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Sea of Memory” by Aakash Gandhi https://www.youtube.com/@88keystoeuphoria