To Listen and to Hear
February 1, 2004 (Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany)
by
The Rev. Linda Yeager,
Deacon
- Psalm 71:1-17 or 71:1-6,15-17
- 1 Corinthians 14:12b-20
- Luke 4:21-32
(From The Lectionary Page)
Willa Cather, who used the vast plains of the Midwest as the setting for many of her haunting stories, often deals with outsiders in her writings. In one of her most poignant short stories, "The Sculptor's Funeral," Cather writes of the gap that separates people. In this story, which is set in a small Kansas town, the body of a native son comes home for burial. This particular citizen left his hometown, went "east," and became a well-known sculptor. One of his protégés accompanies the sculptor's coffin on the long train ride home, and this young man sits with the body at the sculptor's wake and listens to the comments of those who come to view the body. "Harve never could have handled stock none," says one of the farmers. "Harve never was much account for anything practical," says another. After a time, the sculptor's father brushes the hair back gently from his son's forehead and says, "He was a good boy . . . always a good boy. He was ez gentle ez a child and the kindest of 'em all -- only we didn't none of us ever onderstand him."
" . . . we didn't none of us ever onderstand him."
Jesus encounters a similar situation in today's gospel reading. Speaking to a hometown crowd, Jesus knew the tough audience whom he was addressing. The congregation, amazed, first of all, that Joseph could be the father of a son who speaks so eloquently, became angry after listening to Jesus relate the stories of Elijah and Elisha. Both of these prophets reached out in ministry and message beyond their own people. Jesus was letting his listeners know that non-Jews as well as Jews would receive his witness. His Jewish audience, believing that the messiah was the fulfillment and redemption of the Jews only, became incensed at the nerve of this local boy who recognized Gentiles as people worthy of redemption.
As long as Jesus was quoting from familiar, comfortable scripture, the people were willing to listen, to be gracious. But when Jesus confronted them with ideas that weren't safe and reasonable to their ears, with ideas that they didn't comprehend, they turned on him.
" . . . we didn't none of us ever onderstand him."
Communication. Recently, I was talking to a couple contemplating marriage. We discussed their backgrounds, their ideas about marriage, their need for a faith-based marriage, and other concepts of married life. All are important indeed, but no couple will have a successful marriage without communication. And, of course, one-half of communication is listening. So, in marriage and in life, we share our own thoughts and we listen to the thoughts of others.
Jeremiah, in our Old Testament lesson, is commissioned by God to be a prophet, a communicator. Even though Jeremiah protests that he is just a boy and doesn't know how to speak, God insists and, in fact, puts His words in Jeremiah's mouth. And poor Jeremiah did indeed get into trouble with his outbursts. When he addressed the worshippers in the courtyard of the Temple, he shocked them by a word attack in which he swore that if they did not mend their ways, God would destroy the very sanctuary itself. For this Jeremiah was seized and beaten.
". . . we didn't none of us ever onderstand him."
Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, speaks also of communication, of the two parts of communication, in fact, both the telling and the listening. Paul knew that not everyone listening to the messages were Jewish, and he wanted to make sure that all could hear the good news. He says that a declaration in tongues is ecstatic and unintelligible and requires interpretation. As a mode of prayer, it can glorify God and "build up" the one who prays, but the church is not built up by it. Prophecy, in contrast, is a rational mode of speech that, even when in revelation, is intelligible to all by the way it addresses the community. Paul prefers prophecy because if engages the mind and enlightens the community.
". . . we didn't none of us ever onderstand him."
So what do we make of all this emphasis on communication and understanding -- or misunderstanding as the case may be. Perhaps the strongest message here is that both hearer and listener must be sensitive and patient to the words that are being spoken, to the feelings being conveyed, and to the responses being revealed.
Once when we lived in a small town and my husband was in the banking business, a rumor circulated that we were moving away. One after another people confronted us with the frustration that each felt because we were deserting the community, that we hadn't told anyone, that we were keeping secrets. The biggest secret to us was that we were moving away! We did, however, finally track down the origin of the rumor. At that time, the bank was being redecorated, and Jon's office was being relocated. Someone overheard a bank customer commenting that Jon was "moving," that is, that his office would now be in another location within the bank.
". . . we didn't none of us ever onderstand him."
Well, here we are, in the midst of change within our own parish. Once again, we are on our own, one might say. During this time, accurate and informative communication will be extremely vital to our health. The Dean's Selection Committee has been diligent in communicating their progress. Our senior warden has consistently informed us of vestry decisions and employment changes. Ben and the other clergy are working to effectively explain office situations and worship opportunities. In order for this next phase of our mutual life to go smoothly, it will take each one of us--each one of us--to be effective communicators, both in speaking and in listening. All of us seek the same goals: to serve God in worship and works, to share meaningful experiences in this holy place, and to reach out to all God's children in response to their needs. Will we always succeed? Of course not. But with the caring hearts of this congregation, we will pursue our goals with love and hope.
Many of us are hurting for one reason or another, sometimes from lack of understanding or from communication that has resulted in misunderstanding. As we try to do quarterly, we will offer healing at the altar rail today during the service. When you are invited to come for healing, please let God's holy touch soothe your hurts, whatever they are. Let God take the anger, the disappointment, the bitterness, the pain from your heart and let God grant you peace. We may never totally understand one another, but we can listen and share with love.
And may God's peace be with us all as we go forward in love and hope.