The first word in The Rule of St. Benedict is…listen. This is the key to the whole spiritual life of a Christian…the process of listening to God, “inclining the ear of the heart”, as the Rule says. The ear of the heart is intuitive spring from the very core of our being where we are most ope to God and most receptive to the word he speaks. It takes us to learn how to be very quiet and still within ourselves and very alert and attentive.
Listen carefully, my children, to the master’s instructions, and attention to them with the ear of your heart.
~RB Prologue:1
Listening is an act of willful obedience. It moves us from our contemporary obsession with ourselves and towards others. Are we doing what we think is right for ourselves or do we willing listen to the guidance of others inspiring us to go in a different direction. It can be a struggle. I can be disappointing. It can also be a blessing.