Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent - April 2, 2022

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Jeremiah 11:18-20      John 7:40-53

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is in Galilee teaching in a synagogue during the Feast of Tabernacles. He has built a following in the past weeks as he has performed miracles and spoken the word of God along his journey. When he speaks to the crowd on the last day of the feast, however, there is “a division” among them, some proclaiming him the messiah, others doubting him and some even calling for his arrest.

This passage reminds us that listening with an open heart is crucial. Those who heard and accepted Jesus’ message in Galilee were open to his words and felt the presence of the Lord as he spoke. Those who were not, listened to him speak but did not hear what he was saying. They were cynical, convinced the messiah would not hail from such a backwater place as Galilee.  

I can’t help but to draw a corollary to our human experience today. We listen to each other’s words, but how often do we hear what others are trying to say? With the evolution of personalized social media and newsfeeds, political tribalism, and targeted marketing, it is easy to feel confident that we know the answer and are correct in our position. We close our hearts and minds, selectively listen, and slip into echo chambers that validate our own biases and beliefs. How often, though, do we push ourselves to truly hear, without cynicism or distrust, a different point of view, even—and especially—if it challenges our own? As we get older, how often do we seek out a different experience to learn something new?

I wonder how many times as an adult I’ve missed an important lesson or an opportunity to feel the Lord’s presence because I was cynical, unable to suspend disbelief or simply waiting to argue my point. We should challenge ourselves, each day, to quiet our minds and open our “generous and good heart[s]” (Luke 8:15) to each other and to the presence of God. 

Q: Whose voice have I refused to hear? Commit to simply listening – without responding – next time that person speaks.


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