Listening with the Heart

HOMILY: Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) 

Mark 12:28-34

31 October 2021 

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

Although usually there are designated communities for the retired religious of the congregation in every country, our Assumption communities are always a mix of both old and young religious living together. This is to provide a healthy balance of wisdom and vitality in community life. It may not always be easy but it could be enriching at the same time. I lived with a few older religious priests when I was assigned in London. I enjoyed having them around because I learned a lot from them. I just needed to be very mindful though with what I say about them because they could be very sensitive at times. Our Superior in London used to warn us that the older brothers appeared to have hearing problems concerning most community matters but once they were the topic of conversation, they seemed to hear everything being said.  

The injunction “to hear” is found in both the passage from Deuteronomy and the gospel passage from Mark. Translated as “Shema” in Hebrew, this word begins the most significant prayer of the Israelite religion. We note that the whole Shema prayer is spoken daily in the Jewish tradition: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)This is a sort of reminder for them of what their priority is as God’s Chosen People. 

Sa Pilipino tila isa lang ang kataga para sa “hear” at “listen”. Pero sa Bibliya malinaw na ang “makinig” ay higit sa pagdinig sa pamamagitan ng tenga, kundi isang pakikinig sa pamamagitan ng isip at puso.

I have read that as is the case with all senses, hearing is an ability that is most intimate. “The ear catches the sound and carries it into the very core of the person. Hence, openness to sound carries the symbolic meaning of openness to God.” Ang pakikinig ay nangangahulugan din ng pagiging bukas sa pagtanggap sa utos ng Diyos. 

There are quite a good number of other Bible verses containing the invitation to hear God’s Word as well as to act upon what was heard. In today’s gospel passage, Jesus compliments the scribe who questioned Him about the greatest commandment for hearing Him accurately. “And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:34) This is quite a compliment because in humanity’s relationship with God, there has always been a struggle to hear and heed God’s message. The Israelites who first heard the Word of God did not immediately follow God’s commands. It took some time for them to truly understand God’s message for them. This is because of their hard-heartedness and hard-headedness.  

In our own faith journey, we also struggle to hear and to obey God’s will in our lives. Sa panahon natin, struggle pa rin ang making at sumunod sa kalooban ng Diyos. Matigas din ang ating ulo. Matigas ang ating mga puso. We do not give our full hearts to the Lord’s commands. As Christians, we must hear God out. We must be attentive to God and His invitation to a change of heart. Hearing God’s Word is a prerequisite to achieving a change of heart. We need to strive to hear God’s Word first, be attentive to it in order for us to listen to and act on it.

Very few seem to really endeavour to hear, and to listen to what is being put across … to what is being conveyed and shared these days. Just try reading through the comments of people in social media and there you would be amazed at some people’s lack of proper perspective and context in issues they try to share their opinions with. Basta lang maka-comment. Basta lang maka-react. Di naman alam ang buong kwento at kung ano talaga ang totoo. 

A mother of teenagers shared how offended she gets at times when her children critically fact-checks her responses to their questions. Not only do they seem to trust the internet more than their mother but also the opinions of other people from whom they get their desired validation. This is quite alarming knowing that public opinion and information online can be very unreliable and oftentimes misleading. As a result, many of our children these days are deemed misguided because they would rather believe online resources or influencers more than they would would listen to the wisdom of their parents. Some end up not knowing what they really want because they are easily swayed by what they gather online. Di nakikinig sa mga magulang o sa payo ng mga nakatatanda; di naniniwala sa mga credible media outlets pero paniwalang-paniwala sa Tiktok, Youtube, FB Videos, etc.

Jesus is telling us that it is only in hearing God’s Word that we would find ourselves empowered and inspired by the Spirit to act on it and make it alive and true in our lives. We have Jesus himself as our model of attentively hearing and obeying God’s will. Si Hesus man ay mataimtim na nakinig sa kanyang Ama. Jesus regularly left the crowds and went off alone to draw guidance and strength from the Father through prayer. It was in those moments of communion with the Father, of listening to the Father that He was able to draw strength and courage in fulfilling His mission.

Let us pray then for the grace that we will be most attentive to God’s Word. May we have ears and hearts that truly heed God’s Word in all our choices and actions in life and may we let it take root within us and allow it to bear good fruit.