“Take Heed What You Hear” (Mark 4:24)

“Take Heed What You Hear” (Mark 4:24)

Jesus often used the expressions, “Take heed what you hear,” or “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Thus, our Lord demonstrated the importance of this vital sense provided to us by the Creator; a sense that God Himself has as He hears us and listens to us: “I called upon the Lord…and He heard me” (Psalm 18:6) 

Of all five senses, hearing is the last one to escape us before death. Sight, touch, taste, and smell all fade, but our hearing stays with us until the very end. This is why I am so saddened when I visit the dying and all the family are simply sitting in the room quietly – almost afraid to utter a sound. Yet, the loved one who lays before them is longing for conversation and contact, even if it is “one-sided.” They crave prayers, words of comfort, words of love. Thus, being around a dying person is a time of stories, remembrances, and telling them how much you love them, and how much they mean to you.

However, there is a vast difference between “hearing” and “listening.” Hearing is a passive act, while listening takes effort; it means being open, receptive, and willing to understand. 

Therefore, truly hearing the Word of God means one also truly longs to comprehend it by being spiritually attentive; listening not only with active ears, but also with an active heart. And the more we engage by listening to this Word, the more we come to understand it and allow it to bear fruit. Conversely, however, if we only hear with ears that are spiritually dead, no matter how good the Good News of the Gospel is, it will be of no benefit.  

Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.

Fr. John