Are We Listening?

Noise, distractions, busyness, and biases block our ears from hearing God's Word, which so often comes to us through the Liturgy, our personal prayer, something we read or hear, the constant summer singing of the birds outside our windows, or the beauty of a garden full of colorful splendor.  Ezekiel was sent to a people "hard of face and obstinate of heart."  (Ez 2: 4). We can be like that with our stubborn prejudices and opinions.  Or worse:  the people in Jesus's own village of Nazareth, who offered him no welcome, but greeted him with skepticism and disbelief might be US when we hear something with which we don't agree from the Bishops or the Pope.  It seems that daily Pope Francis is making a startling statement or doing something people deem "un-Popish",  and causing reactions similar to those of the people of Nazareth when Jesus first returned home to preach. The people thought they knew him...they had him in the "carpenter box", knew his family, and that was it.  They took offense at him, questioning the origin of his "wisdom" and because of their lack of faith, prevented Jesus from performing any mighty miracles there, except for curing a few sick people. (cf. Mk 6: 6a), 
The question for our Sabbath pondering today is: ARE WE LISTENING?   Or do we have preconceived ideas, that block us from learning something new? Lord, open my ears that I may hear clearly what you are trying to teach me.
Bro. Rene