January 17: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Posted by Campus Ministry on Sunday, January 17, 2021 at 9:00 AM PST
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As I reflect on this week's readings and what's been said in my numerous zoom meetings, I can't help but be drawn to the act of listening.
Who am I listening to? Professors, peers, and my parents. What am I listening to? Podcasts, music, and occasionally the sound of my computer fan. You might be wondering why I'm highlighting these sounds in particular. Well, much like how my own desk is littered with books, post-its, and pens, my surroundings are filled with so much noise. I can't sit in silence while I do work, so I always have something on, whether that's a song or the background chatter of my peers trying to keep me accountable.
I hardly enjoy the rare quiet moments in between zoom classes, early in the morning, or late at night. Even when it's quiet around me, my mind is filled with assignments I've yet to do and readings I haven't done. With so much clutter closing in on me, how do I listen?
Since the start of the winter quarter, I haven't had much time to listen to myself and my own needs, whether that be bodily or spiritually. And given recent major events, I wonder where God's presence is in my life: but am I really listening for it? I hear, but I am not listening, not with the care or attentiveness that I would have during virtual campus ministry events. But I suppose it's easier to hear what God is saying through others in my community rather than opening up my ears in spaces where I assume God is not. As I sit with this revelation, I wonder what it would mean for me to practice active listening in spaces where I'm inclined to let what's being said go in one ear and out the other. Can I listen well in all spaces, believing God is present?
As this reflection comes to an end, I ask us all to ponder where God is calling us to be present? To listen with open ears and hearts?
And I pray with the lyrics of this song, Open My Eyes, by Jesse Manibussan:
Open my ears, Lord
Help me to hear your voice
Open my ears, Lord
Help me to hear
~ Gelsey Manipon, B.A. in Humanities for Teaching with a Specialization in Elem. Edu., Class of 2022