community and the banquet

Luke speaks about a banquet, and the invitation to the banquet
and how although originally accepting the invitation to attend, when the meal was ready, everyone found an excuse and did not show up …. the excuses were based upon people, position and possessions …….
and I am struck by the similarities between community and the banquet ..
it is the desire of the that Lord we live in community … he invites us to do so …
just as food and drink are served at a banquet, food and drink that feed the body,
there is food and drink that feed the soul to be found in community …
community living can be messy and it can be hard … it certainly necessitates replacing the I with we …
and yet, when there is a need within the community, too often no one shows up …
the invitation to live in community has been accepted …...but the excuses arise when it is time to come together, to sit at the same table, whether it be a table of suffering, or loss, or pain or ……
and the excuses interestingly are the same …
people, position and possessions ……

the art of listening

I have noted over the past few years how few people listen …..
another’s story is precious, part of the fabric of their lives,
and when they choose to share it, the whole or simply some moments,
care must be taken to listen, to be fully present while listening, 
eyes focussed on the story teller, not looking elsewhere, over their shoulder, around the room …
so important not to interject moments of our own story or cast doubt or judgement or attempt to wrap the teller in a cloak of shame ….. why has it become so hard to keep our hearts open and our mouths firmly closed while another speaks …. there is an art to listening that often is missing that we need to rediscover so as to honor one another’s story …...