Count all your relatives and co-workers who talk a lot. They do not listen. They are more than eager to start talking the moment you utter your first word to respond to the conversation.
Humans are very poor listeners.
Countless arguments, fights, hurt feelings and wars are the debris of not listening.
When I deliberately listen, I take the other person’s arguments and position into perspective. Listening does not mean that I give in to the other person’s position, but I accept that their arguments and concerns are authentic. We will disagree (that is healthy) but we will not throw the other person into the recycle bin.
Pope Francis has taken a very bold step in trying to move the Church into a lifestyle of sincere listening. He names it “synodality.” A big word which means that the people of the Church embrace the hard, but life-giving, process of sincere dialogue and humble listening to one another.
The Church is worldwide. The way they do Church in Africa is not identical to that of Europe. They way they do Church in India is not the same as the Church in the Philippines. There are so many bridges of understanding that must be built to live and function as the Church. Pope Francis is correct in trying to move the Church to become a listening (embracing the life and experience of the other) community. Our faith has not changed whatsoever, but our way of operating must become more receptive to the life and experience of the other.
To listen is to be humble. To listen does not mean that we dilute our truth and firmly held convictions but that we accept that the other is equally sincere, well thought-out and who also seeks the truth.
Stress the humble part of listening. We are living in a culture where it is all about power; use your mouth to try to destroy the opponent. The cultural air that we breath is anything but humble listening. In this culture too many people talk with their muscles.
There is no guarantee that the people of the Church will enter into dialogue and humble listening, but Pope Francis is leading in the right direction. Will the world-wide Church embrace a listening Church?
To live a life of humble listening will make many insecure and fearful. This not only means listening to our fellow believer but also listening to God. Where is the Spirit of God leading the Church? Your parish community?
There will be stumbles, misunderstandings but we must go forward. Be humble. Keep your mouth still and listen, take in the other, even when it makes us insecure. But in the end, listening will change us on both sides of any issue.
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