Willing to Listen

“Oh, that today you would hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps 95:7b-8a). These words from the psalm offer a doorway into this Sunday’s readings. It can be difficult to speak the truth to another person, but it can be equally difficult to hear the truth when it is spoken to us. Wemust be willing to listen.

In the Gospel (Mt 18:15-20), Jesus says, “If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.” That simple phrase, “if he listens,” asks something of all of us. There may be moments when the Spirit speaks through someone who loves us, challenges us, or helps us see something about ourselves that we would rather not see. Our first reaction may be to defend ourselves, explain ourselves, or dismiss what has been said. Yet sometimes grace begins when we become quietenough to ask, “Lord, is there something here I need to hear?”

In the second reading (Rom 13:8-10), Saint Paul reminds us that love must guide these encounters. If someone approaches us with genuine love and concern, perhaps we can receive their words in that same spirit. We do not have to agree with every criticism we receive, but neither should we automatically close our hearts to it. Sometimes love asks us to speak. At other times, love asks us to listen.

The spiritual life requires a listening heart. We listen to God in Scripture and prayer, but we can also encounter the Spirit through the people in our lives. 

Perhaps the question for us today is not, “Who needs to hear something from me?” Instead, we might quietly ask, “What do I need to hear in this season of my life?”

Faith Sharing Questions

1. Think for a moment of who the people are in your life whose words you trust? Do you have a relationship with any of these people that allows for you to hear correction from them? If so, how does that work?

2. What does the phrase “harden not your hearts” mean to you at this point in your life?

3. With all of the information/noise/disinformation swirling around you in today’s world, how do you discern the voice of the Spirit in the world today?

If you found this read enriching, you may also enjoy: Listening for Angels, The Voice in My Head, and A Place to Listen and to Be Heard.