Gospel Reflection 2020/2021

It is said that one of the biggest problems of our time is ‘we are not listening’. Most of the miscommunications, misunderstandings and conflicts are caused by us not listening. Every day, we ‘hear’ the words uttered by people around us. Yet, ‘hearing’ is not the same as ‘listening’.

The Oxford English dictionary defines the word ‘hear’ as ‘perceive with the ear the sound made by someone or something’, whereas the word ‘listen’ is defined as ‘make an effort to hear something; or be alert and ready to hear something’.

Some of us never listen.

Jesus admonishes our refusal to listen [Mt 13: 15], “ You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn – and I would heal them.”

How often have we closed our eyes, sealed our ears, and shut our minds to the Truth? We are afraid of the Truth. We do not listen because we do not want to know, we do not want to be challenged, we do not want to change our way of life, and we do not want to grow up.

We prefer to remain as ‘infant Catholics’ and play in ‘shallow water’, happily ever after. Yet, the Lord is constantly challenging us to ‘grow up to be like Him’ [Ep 4:15] and ‘put out into the deep (water)’ [Lk 5:4].

Some of us only listen to what we want to listen.

St Paul warns us [3 Tm 4: 3-4], “The time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.”

Every day, we are bombarded with news and information: some are lies; some are truths; some are half-truths, fabricated truths, and even distorted truths. We have often preferred the sugar-coated lies to the inconvenient truths. We find it more exciting to subscribe to (and spread) conspiracy theories, sensational rumours and unverified news. Sometimes, we even feed our minds and souls with the teachings of the false prophets of our times who are ravenous wolves coming to us in sheep clothing.

We need to exercise prudence and sieve through the news and information, lest we will be deceived. Only in the light of Jesus Christ and His Church, can we discern between the good and the bad, the good and the seemingly good, and the good and the greater good.

We need active and mindful listening.

Jesus tells us that [Jn 10: 27], “My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me.” We must also listen to the Apostolic Church, as Jesus declares [Lk 10: 16], “Whoever listens to you listens to Me, and whoever rejects you rejects Me, and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

In this chaotic and confused time, we need to listen attentively to Jesus and His Church. Let us discern and listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd, with the ear of our heart. His voice, we must know; His voice, we must listen to; His voice, we must follow. Only in Him we can find rest, peace and Truth.

“Let anyone with ears listen!” [Mt 11: 15]

“Ephphatha!” (Be opened.) As Jesus heals the deaf man who is having speech impediment this Sunday, Jesus also desires to open our ears and loosen our tongue. Only in Him, can we find rest, peace and Truth. May we always listen to the Truth, live the Truth, and profess the Truth.

Let our fervent prayer be:

“Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.” [1 Sm 3: 10]