The Gift of Compassionate Listening
Wednesday Wisdom. Compassionate Listening.
As part of my practice as a spiritual director, I engage in compassionate listening and in being a compassionate presence for others. The source of compassionate listening is the fountain of Love, and more and more I am becoming attentive to how much God is a compassionate listener, listening to me with Love.
There are so many ways that the Divine listens to us, responds to us, takes care of us. Just this morning, when I was reading the morning prayer from the “The Liturgy of the Hours,” this psalm reminded me that God is always available. (I love what my mother always says: God is available to us twenty-four hours a day; we don’t need an appointment.)
Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am faithful:
save the servant who trusts in you.
—from Psalm 86 (Read all of psalm 86 below)
Throughout our busy days, preoccupied and distracted at times, we need to find ways to restore ourselves. As I sat in prayer this morning, I was grateful for how restorative and restful prayer can be when we bring an attitude of compassionate listening.
As I read the first lines of psalm 86, Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy, I felt my deep need for compassionate listening. I was thirsty for it, and needed it as much as a drink of fresh water.
Although my mind was fluctuating with thoughts, I had faith that my soul was absorbing all the Love, Patience, and Mercy being poured into me, as I offered myself in prayer. I didn’t need to “get” something from my prayer time; or “realize” something; or anything. I just allowed myself to receive the gift of compassionate listening, with gratitude.
I am received. I am seen. I am heard. As we receive God’s compassionate listening, we become God’s compassionate listening.
I really appreciate what Father Matthew Ian writes in his book, The Impact of God.
Survival demands a certain scepticism. We are trained to cope as social beings by keeping our desires within realistic limits. But where God is concerned, the problem lies in our desiring too little, and growing means expanding our expectations; or rather, making his generosity, not our poverty, the measure of our expectations.” (pg. 33).
So we don’t stop at ‘For I am poor and needy,’ which is only a doorway into God’s great generosity. Can we allow ourselves to live more and more in this Generosity, and in this gift of compassionate listening?
Practice:
- Pray with Psalm 86, and allow yourself to receive God’s offering of compassionate listening
Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am faithful:
save the servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
for I cry to you all day long.
Give joy to your servant, O Lord,
for to you I lift up my soul.
O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call.
Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my voice.
In the day of distress I will call
and surely you will reply.
Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord;
nor work to compare with yours.
All the nations shall come to adore you
and glorify your name, O Lord:
for you are great and do marvellous deeds,
you who alone are God.
Show me, Lord, your way
so that I may walk in your truth.
Guide my heart to fear your name.
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart
and glorify your name for ever;
for your love to me has been great:
you have saved me from the depths of the grave.
The proud have risen against me;
ruthless men seek my life:
to you they pay no heed.
But you, God of mercy and compassion,
slow to anger, O Lord,
abounding in love and truth,
turn and take pity on me.
O give your strength to your servant
and save your handmaid’s son.
Show me a sign of your favor
that my foes may see to their shame
that you console me and give me your help.