This week the Dallas Morning News
ran a wonderful article about the Rev. Matthew Crownover, Presbyterian pastor
and chaplain at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. The article talks about Matthew’s work as a
chaplain in combination with one of his passions: ultra running. That means running 100 miles up and down
trails, in and out of forests, often through the night. He says that running is like a microcosm of
life with the obstacles he runs into on trails being like obstacles in
life. When he runs, he thinks about
prayer and joy and gratitude. The
article was in the Life and Arts section on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 (Section
E).
One of the things Matthew speaks
about is the 80-20 rule. When he’s with
patients, he tries to listen 80 percent of the time and talk 20 percent of the
time. I like that ratio. It fits with sitting with God often in quiet
prayer and taking that quiet center out into the world. Morton Kelsey says, “We can love only those
human beings to whom we listen, and love is the heart of the spiritual way. No
one can ever learn to listen to God who has not first learned to listen to
human beings. The one who cannot listen cannot love either another or God”
(from Through Defeat to Victory).
Coming off a retreat at the Christ
in the Desert Monastery where my husband, David, and I experienced prayer and
silence in extended periods, it is hard to come back to the din of the
world. Now, even at gas pumps, we have
someone talking to us on a screen. It’s
hard to hold on to those mountain top encounters.
That is why the monks, mystics, and
worshiping Christians throughout the world teach us that the most important
part of practicing spiritual disciplines is the “practice” part. We forget as human beings. We have to be reminded that God is connected
to us all the time, even when we feel separation. If we sit long enough, we usually find out
that it was us that had separated from God and not the other direction.
There are many instances when Jesus
says, “Listen.”
“For those who have
ears, listen.”
“Listen to me, all of
you, and understand.”
“Listen! A sower went out to sow…”
And from God as Jesus came out of the
baptismal waters, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased;
listen to him!”
This week I am working at being
especially mindful of listening. I
invite you to do the same. Listen to
God. Listen to Jesus. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Listen to the “still small voice.” Listen to your beloveds. Listen to your neighbors. Listen to your co-workers. Listen to strangers. Remind yourself to stop and listen.
Grace in Christ,
Anne
Clifton Hébert
