Are you really listening?
27 October 2017
The Indigenous people of Australia have a deep relationship with the land. The connection that they have with the places where their ancestors walked is profound – they know what the land is “saying” to them.
We, too, develop a relationship with the world around us, particularly when we depend on the land for our livelihood. Farmers develop what seems like a “sixth sense” about the way that the weather will behave, because of their experience and the attention they give to the signs around them.
It seems that we pay enormous attention to what is necessary for our physical survival – but we can be very vague about other things, like the things necessary for our spiritual health.
Jesus takes his followers to task today because they have failed to recognise the “spiritual season” that they are in, which is the time of mercy. The person who is about to be dragged before the judge knows that he has a chance to make amends before the worst happens; he is motivated to make amends while mercy is still possible. What about us? Are we motivated to change for the better, to make the most of this time of God’s mercy? Or are we so complacent – “God is such a nice guy! He will forgive us for sure!” – that we are in danger of missing our opportunity?
Again, the Indigenous people of Australia can teach us something here. They have a practice called Dadirri, which means “deep listening”. It involves “tuning in” to the deepest realities – really listening to God, to myself, and to the spiritual seasons. We know we are in a time of great mercy, but what does this mean for you?
What do you need to give attention to?
Are you really listening?
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