HEARING ISN’T ENOUGH!
The title of my homily for this 27th Saturday in
Ordinary Time is, “Hearing Isn’t
Enough!”
That’s a basic theme we know and have heard many, many
times.
TODAY’S GOSPEL
Last night when I heard today’s short gospel, my first
reaction was, “Uh, not enough - not enough for a homily.”
So I read the gospel again - and the second time around the
word near the end of the gospel
intrigued me: “observe” - as opposed to just “hearing” the word of God.
This woman from a crowd of listeners to Jesus is grabbed or
fascinated with what Jesus is saying - so she praises his mother.
Isn’t that fascinating? Was she thinking of her own children
- wishing they could speak and teach and say the wise and wonderful things
Jesus was saying? Was she thinking: wow
his mother must be so proud of her son?
Jesus is not putting down his mother - nor this woman - but
he’s simply saying, “Hearing isn’t enough!” You have to do more than just
listen. You have to go beyond the hearing - to the next step - the next level. But how to describe that?
RESEARCH
I began trying to remember the different translations and
ways this message has been presented that I have heard down through the years.
In today’s gospel, Jesus replied to the admiring woman, “Rather,
blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
Instead of the word
“observe” - I’ve heard other English words,
“keep” or “obey” as well as “put it into practice.”
I looked up what the Greek word was that is used to
translate “observe” and found it to be “phulasso” - P H U L A S S O.
That Greek word is also used in Luke 2:28 - when the
shepherds - who come to Bethlehem to see the new born baby - those
shepherds are said to “P H U L A S S O” - the sheep -
translated usually “to watch over them, to keep watch, to protect the sheep.”
That certainly is more than just saying observe. “I watch over the sheep” or “I guard the sheep
- and Jesus will even say, “I’ll lay down my life for my sheep.” That’s more
than just observe.
AN OPENING
By that tiny bit of research this Gospel text opened up for
me. Then it hit me loud and clear that hearing is not enough.
We all know the person who is very noisy or they leave the
milk out or they don’t pick up after themselves or they never empty the
dishwasher and we voice our complaint to them. Then they say, “I hear you.” But
then they don’t do anything about it.
How many times has the always late person said, “I’m sorry!”
And the family or group complains or the other complains, “You’re always late
and you keep me or us waiting.” And they say, “I hear you.” Then they are late
the next time and the time after that and the time after that ad nauseam.
Hearing is not enough. An “I’m sorry” is not enough. A smile
is not enough.
CONCLUSION
Back to Mary - the woman who gave Jesus birth, milk, life
and wisdom, she hears the word of God - questions it - ponders it.
Then she says, “Yes - be it done to me according to your
word.”
Mary models the message of this homily - “Hearing is not
enough!” Mary becomes pregnant with it. Mary - when she hears her cousin
Elizabeth is pregnant and is older - Mary goes into the hill country - south - in
haste to help her cousin.
Hearing is not enough. Talk is easy. Words can demand work. Words
must become flesh. It’s the old song line: “Don’t talk about love. Show me.”
