Once upon a time, a raven saw a hunter set up a trap under his tree. The hunter laid out a huge net on the ground and in the branches. Then the hunter scattered seeds liberally on the net so that when the birds came to eat the seeds, they would trip the net and the hunter would have his catch.
Soon, a flock of birds noticed the seeds. They circled and were ready to swoop down when the raven called out, “Caw, caw,” which translates to, “It’s a trap, it’s a trap.” The birds understood the warning but were suspicious of the raven, thinking he only wanted the seeds for himself. They ignored the warning, flew down to eat the seeds, tripped the net and were caught.
The birds then cried out to the raven, “We should have listened to you. Can you free us?
“Yes,” replied the raven, “but you must do exactly what I say.”
“First, stop your squawking. Be quiet! If each of you flies at the same time, you will be able to lift the net. Remember, you can’t do it by yourself, and you must work together. Then follow me, and I will take you to a safe field where the mice will eat the net and free you.”
“All of you, on the count of three, fly. Get ready, one, two, three, fly!”
They did exactly as the raven instructed them and flew to the safe field, where the mice ate the net and they were freed. The birds then asked, “What can we do to thank you?”
The raven said, “You can thank me by telling me what you have learned from this experience.”
One of the free birds responded, “We should have listened to your warning.”
Another said, “We should not have presumed your reasons for the warning.”
A third bird added, “Because we followed orders, we were saved.”
A fourth bird simply said, “We learned to work together.”
I have just shared a story or a parable with you. What did the story mean to you? It will be different for each of us.
Jesus preached using stories and parables. He would tell a parable and then allow the listeners to draw their own conclusions. The meaning of a parable is never too obvious; instead, parables challenge us to think more deeply.
Parables have different meanings for different people.
When Jesus was asked why He taught in parables, He made a clear distinction between those in the crowd who chose to believe in Him compared to those who did not. Some listened to Jesus and believed, while others refused to believe.
The parable in today’s gospel is one of the best-known parables in all of Sacred Scripture. It is titled “The Parable of the Sower,” but it could just as easily be called “The Parable of the Soils.”
Jesus begins by describing seeds that fall on several different types of soil. The emphasis, or focal point, of this parable is the type of soil in which the seed is planted.
Each of these soils describes how we listen to Sacred Scripture and our listening skills in general. I realize that I am made up of a mixture of these various soils.
The soil that has become a hardened path or road, so inflexible and compacted that even a jackhammer can’t penetrate it, reminds me of the times I don’t listen because I am bullheaded, opinionated or biased. When strangers come into the office asking for money, I have to pray for the grace not to immediately think “scam” or “rip-off.” The least I can do is to listen to their hardship story and offer a suitable solution, such as a referral to a local non-profit, a gas card or a motel voucher. Too often, I ignore the words of Sacred Scripture that say, “What you do for the least of my brothers or sisters you do to me.” I have hardened my heart, and there is no way the seeds of Sacred Scripture can take root.
Another soil condition, which depicts my listening skills is rocky soil with no depth. This is when I listen enthusiastically at first, but because there is no root system, I fail to follow through. I know the Scripture passage that says, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” But if this Scripture is not deeply rooted in my heart, I will not be willing to make the sacrifice to help another.
There is the shallowness or superficiality of hearing the Scriptures without being committed to living them. Here, my heart is not hardened, but it is distracted.
The soil filled with thorns or barbs reminds me of the times I listen with selective hearing, only hearing what I want to hear. Or I pretend to listen, and it goes in one ear and out the other. These are the times I am staring at a computer screen when someone is trying to talk to me. How rude of me. This sends the message that the work is more important than the person. This reflects a detached heart, where other things get in the way.
Fortunately, my field also has acres and acres of rich and fertile soil. This is when I try, as much as possible, to listen with openness, interest, sincerity, sensitivity and a genuine desire to understand what another is saying and feeling. In other words, I listen with my hopeful heart.
There is an essential distinction between hearing and listening:
Hearing is a function.
Hearing is with the ear and the mind.
Listening is an art.
Listening is with the heart.
To truly listen, you must:
Allowing Sacred Scripture to take root within us demands the right attitude, and attitude is everything. Motivational speakers often remind us that to succeed in life, we must have the right attitude.
Listening is not passive. You use your whole body to listen. Your posture reflects attentiveness, perhaps leaning forward or sitting on the edge of your chair. Eye contact matters. Constantly shifting your attention to your phone or computer is not attentive listening. That might be hearing, but it is not listening.
For your listening to resemble fertile soil, you must have the right attitude.
There is a story about a little boy who was following his mother around the kitchen, trying to get her attention and asking her to listen to him. She repeatedly responded, “But I am listening.”
Finally, the little boy wrapped his arms around her legs, held on tightly and said, “But I want you to listen to me with your eyes.”
Listening is an art, and it is done with the heart.
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