Shh! Listen...
The St. Anthony Novena begins today! Be sure to check it out!
I love hearing. One of my favorite things is hearing certain people call my name. I like hearing kids giggling, horses chewing, scissors snipping, water dancing over the rocks, the wind blowing through tree leaves, and much more. I love listening to stories, my friends' laughter, and what is not said.
You see- I believe there is a B-I-G difference between hearing and listening. Hearing requires a small amount of care and ears. Listening requires heart, intuition, and sometimes ears. With that said, we can continue...
But, I'll have to admit, there is one thing I love most about ears: they don't get people into nearly as much trouble as a mouth can. See, your ears only take in information- they are unable to give out information. Yes, you can hear something you weren't supposed to, but that's as far as it goes. Your ears don't have the power that your tongue has to ruin your day, friendships, or life. Your ears don't have the strength to effect change the way your hands do. Your ears, along with your eyes, are main sources of intake in your life.
When participating in the Mass, all of our senses are used. Only one tells the Truth and that is our hearing. Our eyes deceive us by the appearance of bread and wine; our sense of smell deceives us because we do not smell flesh and blood. Also, our taste deceives us because we do not taste flesh and blood. Lastly, our touch deceives us because we do not feel flesh and blood. When we hear the words of the Consecration, our ears tell us the Truth.
Judy Garland, better known as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, said: "For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart." Voltaire, a famous French philosopher, had a similar thought: "The ear is the avenue to the heart."
Music is one of the most powerful ways the ears affect the heart. I love listening to really good music. The interesting thing about music is that it doesn't stop with our ears, but moves to our hearts. At least, that how it works for me. Sometimes, I'll close my eyes because music reminds, moves, invigorates, and calms me.
Has anyone ever told you something and asked you to forget it? Or have you ever seen a court case where the judge says, "I would like the jury to disregard that last comment and not consider it in determining guilt or innocence"? Yeah, right! It's impossible because what comes into your ears, for the most part, stays in your mind. Look at Job 13:1 "My eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it."
Proverbs 18:13 "He who answers before he hears- his is the folly and shame."
Proverbs 18:15 "The mind of the intelligent gains knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."
(you cannot gain knowlegde if you are speaking 24/7)
Proverbs 30:32-33 "If you have been foolish in exalting yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your
hand on your mouth. For the churning of milk produces butter, and pressing the tongue produces blood, so pressing anger produces strife."
Proverbs 21:23 "He who guards his mouth and tongue, guards his soul from troubles."
Questions:
Do you tend to hear instead of listen? What are some of the things you hear, but take for granted? How well do you guard your ears? What goes in tends to come out... Do you agree with Voltaire? If so, why? If not, why not? What are some ways you can use your ears to benefit others? Using your ears, how can you better yourself?
Comments
Post a Comment