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Are you listening?

Oct 13, 20234 min read

https://youtu.be/kNqsdg5Jrw4?si=DrKVK85EJm_4WWQq En Comunidad (feat. Diana Gameros

'...My soul has been bound unto yours and you love me now as your own and I share with you all that I am and you tenderly lay on my chest...Together we are running the race, together we'll give out his grace, together embracing the lonely, and this is our kingdom story..."


Simple things are holy. However listening can be hard. I'll tell you a story...


I'm on the rota as a Duty Day Chaplain at Peterborough Cathedral and I count myself extremely fortunate. Meeting the most amazing people, and hearing the most incredible stories. It was whilst on duty on a recent Friday that I had one of those moments that are hard to forget. Spotting one of the ‘regulars’ and I was lucky enough to hear their story that was shared with me. Their language was difficult to understand but I had the privilege of time to sit and stop and listen really intently to what was being said. Afterwards I was left in awe, that a person who had lost so much came every day to give thanks to Jesus. I felt very very humbled by that encounter, my humility was made worse when that person thanked me for listening! Often it is the least that we do, which holds the most impact and sometimes that is indeed listening, listening in the quiet that opens up our own encounters with Jesus.


I had another encounter this week whilst listening to Lectio 365 regarding Luke 10:38-40 Jesus's meeting with Mary and Martha...


"...Mary Listens to Jesus

38 As they were traveling along, Jesus went into a village. A woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary. Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to him talk.

40 But Martha was upset about all the work she had to do. So she asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work all by myself? Tell her to help me.”

41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha! You worry and fuss about a lot of things. 42 There’s only one thing you need.[b] Mary has made the right choice, and that one thing will not be taken away from her...”


This familiar gospel encounter is one that many of us wrestle with, as we are often asked are we a Mary or a Martha and then the battle commences into the faith in action debate as of course we need both but we actually have to listen first to act - well that's my take on it! But it wasn't that that got me thinking but the time many years ago when I had to choose a confirmation name (reared as a Catholic) it was a requirement to choose a special name that you could identify with as a grown up (I was 8 at the time....and it was 1968). I really, really wanted to be Gabrielle. I loved the fact there was a Guardian and Archangel that would protect me. But I couldn't spell Gabrielle and was told by a nun that I had to pick something I could spell...I could barely spell my own name let alone Gabrielle and I could just about spell Mary so I was told that would be my confirmation name. I had actually been "Mary" in the school Nativity so it fitted into the mind of an 8 year old. I always assumed it was the Virgin Mary. But on thinking on this over the years I am beginning to wonder perhaps it was actually the listening Mary.


There are rather a lot of Mary's in the gospels, the Virgin, the Magdalene, the fragrant, the listener. I think that's the four Mary's, I haven't checked but I think that's them. Now all of the other Mary's did actually listen before they acted. The Virgin listened to God and Gabrielle imparted the message from God (see Gabrielle was right in there at the start and that's why I wanted an angel name!) The Magdalene had been drawn to Jesus by hearing stories of him and then listened to him herself. The fragrant one who is sometimes told as the Magdalene has listened and then poured her most precious gift she has to anoint Jesus with all that she had. The listener has put down all her tasks, as she has taken the decision to stop and listen as this may be a moment that never comes again. It is these moments that never come again when we are to learn so much. In the act of listening to the person who told me their story I had a renewed sense of thanksgiving within me. It is so easy to take for granted what we have and not say thank you.


These last few weeks have traditionally in our church calendar been times of harvest. The gathering in of what we have, to share and to sustain us over the coming year. We are thankful for all that we have safely gathered in and are happy to share what we have with others. In reality it might be that we have time to share with others, time to sit with them, time to hear and listen to what other have to say. Time to pray and time to say thank you for the gift of time to listen. Henri Nouwen wrote about the 'gift of the hospitality of listening'. I do think it is a rare gift if someone takes time out to listen to you, and I'm learning that in a swiftly upward learning curve. Hospitality comes in all shapes, and it might not be a full table, or a monetary gift, but Jesus got it and taught us it. In a nutshell - listen you may learn something.


Peace be with you friends <><



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