Ears to Hear (Mt 13:13) by Jeff Grabosky

23 Jul Ears to Hear (Mt 13:13) by Jeff Grabosky

“This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.” ~ Mt 13:13 (full readings)
.
Jeff’s Reflections:  I was recently reading a book and realized that although I had read the words of a certain paragraph, my mind was elsewhere and I processed absolutely nothing I had read.  I think this has happened to everyone at some point.  This also occurs with the sense of hearing when we hear someone talking but do not actually listen to what they are saying.  God has given us an abundance of gifts in life.  The Gospel is just one of those beautiful gifts.  Today, we must ask ourselves are we really willing to listen, understand, and act upon the words of Christ?  If we are not willing to learn and act accordingly, then we miss out understanding the mysteries and on using the gifts God gave us.  If we are truly willing to listen and to be taught, He will lead us on the narrow path.  However, if we are willingly ignorant and refuse to fully open ourselves to Him, we will find things very difficult.  This is not an easy task, but one we are called to every day of our lives.  It will help our relationship with God, with our families, and may even give us the chance to show God’s love to those who may be hurting from a past abortion or to someone who is considering an abortion.  By truly opening our eyes and ears to the Gospel and to those around us, we may be graced with the opportunity to impact the lives of others.  In the process, we can make a difference in our own lives by letting Jesus into our hearts.
* Jeff Grabosky, his wife Mary, and children Luciana and Charlie live in Jefferson City, MO.  Jeff is the author of Running With God Across America, which details his prayerful run across the United States in 2011.  LIFE Runners co-founder Pat Castle met Jeff along that faith journey (daily bread story)..

Faith Challenge:   Find a chance today in conversation to consciously hold back your own thoughts, and instead ask a question to better understand the person you are speaking with.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, LifeNews, American Family, Vatican, Project Rachel..
.
Our Prayers: Pray LIFE Runners Creed to End Abortion.  Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, unceasingly. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
.
Feast Day:  St. Bridget of Sweden
.
Faith Quote:  “In prayer, more is accomplished by listening than by talking.” ~ St. Francis de Sales
.
Through Christ our Lord,
Jeff
1 Cor 9:24-27