Learning to Listen with the Heart of Christ - Homily 13th February 2026

In today’s fast-paced world, many people feel unheard, the elderly, the young, even those closest to us. In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals the deaf man not with a distant command, but with personal care. He takes him aside, touches him, sighs in prayer, and says, “Ephphatha.”

Jesus shows us that true healing begins with sensitivity and respect. In contrast, the division of the kingdom after Rehoboam refused to listen to his people reminds us that when leaders fail to hear the cries of those entrusted to them, relationships fracture and communities break apart.

Whether it is the elderly repeating their stories, the young struggling to articulate their fears, or colleagues nursing silent frustrations, unheeded pain does not disappear, it deepens. To listen is not a waste of time; it is an act of restoration. It is how Christ continues to heal hearts through us.

Reflection Question: Whom in my life might the Lord be inviting me to truly “take aside” and listen to with patience and compassion this week?