Transforming a social narrative by listening
Someone once said, “Being listened to is so close to being loved, most people can’t tell the difference.”
The outrage across the nation and the church around the issue of Indian Residential Schools and unmarked graves, has become a heavy social narrative that has in some ways, taken on a life of its own beyond anyone’s power to manage. This very painful situation leaves many of us wondering what we can do, how can we best respond to the anger, lashing out, blaming, and sometimes acts of violence?
As simple as it may seem, I believe listening from the heart to the voices of those hurting the most, until we “get it,” is the best response.
The first reading from 1 Samuel, Tuesday, January 11th, about Hannah’s desperate prayer for a child, sparked this reflection by Betty Stome, an Oblate of St. Benedict, in the publication Give Us This Day that she edits:
“Hannah’s voice could not be heard. Granted, that’s her choice when she enters the temple, so intimate is her prayer to God. Eli the priest, for his part, keeps his eye on Hannah, and thinks he has her figured out. He’s so close yet so far, and assumes the worst of that woman. Hannah is truly not fit for the temple, and it’s his duty to tell her so: ‘Sober up or ship out, sister.’ You couldn’t blame Hannah if she’d have left in silence, ashamed or outraged after Eli upbraided her. Thank God she stays and speaks her painful truth. And thank God that Eli listens to her and offers such a gentle and moving response: ‘Go in peace, and may God grant what you have asked.’”
Stome continues, “Can you imagine? Hannah’s prayer became the priest’s prayer. And when her son was born, Hannah’s full-throated song became the song of all her people. Generations later, it became Mary’s song, the Magnificat, the Church’s song. A song that reminds us of all the great things God does for us. Among these great things: God lifts up the lowly and feeds the hungry. God scatters the proud and casts down the mighty. Can you imagine? A listening Church. A prayerful church. A servant Church. A humble Church. May God grant what we have asked.”
Could it be possible that God is doing something great in a way that we would never have imagined – leading us as a Church to the bottom of this social narrative, away from domination, power and control, from any stance of superiority, to more closely identify with the Jesus of the gospels, born a helpless child, living in poverty and simplicity, placed between two criminals, and dying powerless on the cross?
Perhaps the media has sensationalized the news, some extremists may have over-reacted, others may have exaggerated the stories over time – that is all actually secondary. What matters is that we follow the master, let go of any self-righteousness, and truly listen from the heart to the genuine pain of those who did suffer terrible abuse within a very flawed colonial system of assimilation tinged with genocide, allowing their voices to be heard. Through this darkness, listening from the heart, until we truly “get it,” is the way to shine some light on a very dark time, and eventually heal this social narrative.
As Betty asks, can we imagine? A listening Church. A prayerful Church. A servant Church. A humble Church. May God grant what we have asked.
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The following video link, as part of this article, provides an opportunity to listen from the heart, and learn: https://www.everythingisconnected.ca/film/
By Archbishop Emeritus Sylvain Lavoie, OMI
