Listening

Today I listened. I know, sounds like I brought home a report card from kindergarten with a little gold star next to "listened well." However, as others have suggested, kindergarten teaches us what we really need to know about life. There's so much noise around us, literal and figuratively, that listening becomes difficult. Jesus listened to those that came to him. He even listened to those that came to attack him. So isn't this one of those things where we can't really deny the fact that we're called to be imitators of him?

Here's my day - as part of our writing the next 5 year pastoral plan for our parish, each ministry is going out to other churches (of various denominations) to look at their ministries and talk with the relevant staff. Today I met with a wonderful youth pastor from a vibrant Presbyterian community. As a veteran youth minister of over 30 years, it was wonderful hearing his words of wisdom, honesty, and very powerful words of where they are still struggling and growing. Obviously we covered the topics and issues related to the pastoral planning process. However, it was the give and take of the conversation that I found refreshing - hearing his narrative on what he views as indispensable to the youth ministry, the ideas on ministering to the volunteers, the unique perspective on faith and ministry that he brought to the table that all made me stretch my understanding and get me thinking and reflecting.

I'm curious to speak with the others who attended this meeting - a pastoral council member and two young adult leaders active in the youth ministry and young adult ministry.

This has made me decide to add something to my plate. I try to daily read things that will help my work in ministry. Magazines, online resources, books, and blogs are all part of that daily routine. Some are directly related while others are a bit more tangential. However, they all provide ideas and formation to help me grow as my calling to a minister. Now, I want to add that every month or two I'll call up another youth minister in the area, or one on the way to wherever I might be traveling (driving to my folks' place a couple states away is a great opportunity), to spend an hour or two taking them for coffee and chatting about ministry. Yes, our region's Catholic youth ministers get together monthly, but I would like to stretch myself further. We shall see how this all plays out now.

I'd like to sign off by challenging you, whether you are a minister or someone who got lost in the blogosphere and wandered across this post, to really listen. Wisdom is found all around you. Take the time to stop, put aside all the distractions, and really listen to what is being said.