Chapter 14 "Paying Attention"

“Being attentive” is a gift we all have, but one that needs to be recognized and developed.  Anyone in long term family relationships know the importance of “being attentive” to the other in order to keep alive the love that is present in those relationships.  The first signs of difficulties in family relationships can usually be contributed to our lack of attention to those we love.
Fr. Laurence Freeman

This morning, I was reflecting on the scripture reading from Luke Chapter 10 about Mary and Martha offering hospitality to Jesus and the twelve apostles during a visit they made to their home.  We all know the story.  Upon their arrival, Martha becomes very busy and distracted with all the household tasks to be done in providing for her guests:  preparing food, setting the table etc., while her younger sister Mary is just spending time with their guests, particularly Jesus.  When Martha complains to Jesus about Mary not doing her share, Jesus’ response is:  “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things.  There is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her”.

I’ve recently read a posting on twitter which speaks to this situation.  It reads:  Are you really present and actively listening to your partner, friend, mate? Listening attentively is a gift to you both!

This tweet made me aware of the importance of “being attentive”, being present to those we love.  In fact, this “being attentive” may be much more important than all the activities and plans that are constantly competing for our attention, even when they involve the very people we are closest too. 

As I spent some time this morning meditating, I became more aware that this form of prayer is really only a discipline in “paying attention”, in this case, “paying attention” to God.  The discipline of meditation is not only to stop all physical activity, our outward movement and motion, but to create an inner stillness so that we can give our full attention to God.  In doing so, we are also giving our full attention to “self”; we are loving “self” because God and “self” become one.  The same is true when we give our full attention by listening to the ones we love.  We become one. 

So the tweet that caught my attention is correct: “Listening attentively is a gift to you both”. 

There are times, and they are many, when we have to be about our activities.  And most activities have to be planned and scheduled.  However, we cannot forget that the cement that holds the building blocks of a relationship together will only be found in our listening, our paying attention, not only to God, but to “self” and to those we love. “Paying attention” and listening is a gift to both of us.