“Have you ever talked to someone who was looking at you the whole time, nodding his head, even saying, “Yes, yes,” but deep inside you knew he was not listening?

Maybe it was your husband. Maybe your wife. Maybe your teenager. Or perhaps… it was you!

There is a big difference between hearing and listening. That is exactly what Jesus is talking about in today’s Gospel. He says, “They look but do not see. They hear but do not listen or understand.” Jesus is not speaking about the ears. He is speaking about the heart.

Today, allow me to share three simple thoughts.

First, do not merely hear God’s Word. Listen with your heart.

We are living in a noisy world. From the moment we wake up, our phones begin talking to us. News, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, messages, emails—everyone has something to say.

The problem is not that we have too many voices. The problem is that we have become so busy listening to everyone else that we hardly listen to God anymore.

Many of us know the Gospel by memory. We have attended Mass for years. We know the prayers. But the important question is not, “Did I hear the Gospel today?” The real question is, “Did the Gospel enter my heart today?”

The Word of God is not meant only to inform us. It is meant to transform us. Every Mass should leave us a little kinder. A little more forgiving. A little more patient. A little more like Jesus.

If nothing changes after listening to God’s Word, then perhaps we have heard it, but we have not really listened.

Second, keep your heart soft.

Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah: “This people’s heart has grown dull.”

A hard heart does not happen overnight. It happens slowly. Every time we ignore our conscience. Every time we refuse to forgive. Every time we become too busy to pray. Every time we become indifferent to someone else’s pain. Little by little, the heart loses its sensitivity.

One of the saddest things that can happen is not that we become bad people, but that we no longer notice when we are becoming bad.

That is why we should pray every day, “Lord, never let my heart become hard. Keep me compassionate. Keep me humble. Keep me able to cry with those who cry and rejoice with those who rejoice.”

A soft heart is a beautiful heart.

Third, never take your faith for granted.

Jesus tells His disciples, “Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”

Faith is a gift. Not everyone has received it. Not everyone has parents who taught them to pray. Not everyone has the freedom to attend Mass. Not everyone has discovered the joy of knowing Christ.

Sometimes we complain because the homily is too long. Imagine those who would give anything just to hear one Mass.

Sometimes we complain because we are asked to serve in the parish. Imagine those who wish they had a church nearby.

Faith is one of God’s greatest gifts. Treasure it. Protect it. Share it.

Final Thoughts

Let me end with a story.

An elderly grandfather had begun to lose his eyesight. One Sunday, his grandson asked him, “Lolo, why do you still go to Mass every week? You can hardly see the priest anymore.”

The grandfather smiled and replied, “That is true. My eyes are no longer as good as they used to be. But every Sunday, I ask the Lord to help me see Him with my heart.”

Then he gently held his grandson’s hand and said, “Remember this. The most important things in life are never seen clearly with the eyes. They are seen with the heart.”

That is exactly what Jesus wants from us today. Not sharper eyes. Not better ears. But a heart that is open to Him.”