This week’s gospel uses a curious word I always seem to skim over.
Jesus speaks of some kind of division between people and how we might seek reconciliation. And this process, which is mostly, go talk to the person and if that doesn’t work, get more people involved, doesn’t have agreement or punishment at its center. It has listening. If you go to the person who has wronged you and they listen, then you’re as siblings again. Which seems like a low bar, doesn’t it?
It seems to be saying call them up and if they answer, then you’re good. Which sounds almost too easy.
I know a lot of people use listen like they use the word mind: as in you kids need to mind your Ps and Qs. In this sense, to listen implies that they do what you ask.
How often is this the definition I hear on social media? He didn’t listen is what some say when they mean He didn’t agree with me.
But that doesn’t seem to be the point to me.
Listening is active and requires openness. When we listen, we are opening our ears, our posture, our mind, our bodies to receive. When we listen, we might hear something that changes us. And forces us to change our minds.
Perhaps this is what Jesus wants us to get at. That the point isn’t agreement or getting our own way. But that there be an opening of heart here. Like a first step. Like something is indeed melting and breaking free.