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  Love Letters - Readership

Are You Listening?

Fr. Bob McDonald, SM

I like to hear the Christmas songs, even when it is not the season. Sleigh Bells Ring, Are You Listening? is one of my favorites.

But there are times when I do not want to listen. Like hearing that I am not able to pre-sent a Weekend (at this time).

On our Weekend we looked at the obstacles to really listening to our spouse. We lis-tened to Jesus tell about seeds falling on different kinds of soil. But we were not able to explore much more. I would like to look at how I can listen in a new way.

Paying attention is Listening. Our Weekend offered us Five Tools for Keeping our Relationship a Priority. The first of these is: Constant Attention to our Communication.

We listen with our ears. But we also listen with our eyes.

Paying attention to our spouse, watching for body language, picking up on move-ments, facial signals, tone of voice, volume and pitch, trying to catch a look that re-veals what is going on in my spouse....that is as important as hearing with my ears.

I find myself doing more of this. And it draws me closer.

Saturday, the Team scheduled to present the Lewiston Weekend came to visit me. We attended the four o’clock Mass together. My people lit up with joy, all around us. The smiles spread. I have been hearing about it all week.

I continue to celebrate Mass, with my oxygen tank beside me. I see the concern in the faces of my people. As I tell them about Christ’s love for them, I see that nod that tells me they believe, and I feel glad. I assure them that our sufferings, when joined with Christ’s, have meaning, and make a difference in the lives of others. I read their love for me in the way they pay attention, and my love for them grows.

Constant attention to messages sent to us, and sending messages of love, is one way we Listen.

Live on, my Love!
Fr. Bob McDonald, SM

Click here for a printable version (PDF, 6KB)