This week, Carolyn Hebenstreit looks to the upcoming Advent Season with the first in a series of reflections by the MMOC Contemplative Core Team on Pope Francis’s September 5 2021 Angelus address. A link to the full address can be found on our webpage at https://marymother.org/contemplative-prayer: Listening for the Hope of Advent During the Angelus in September of 2021 Pope Francis shared his thoughts on “interior deafness.” I found this piece eye opening. I felt like it was speaking to me personally. Things in life frustrate me – people fail to do what they say they are going to do, or they make choices that have far reaching consequences and are angry about how things are turning out, or can’t find the positives in the many blessings they have because they expected things to be different. Expectations are truly a great burden for many including myself. I pray for healing for people who cross my path but I don’t see how “to make it happen.” I expect I should be able to do something. Things might seem hopeless in some cases and then I start to lose hope. I am forgetting that I am not the Maker. I am the listener - the student listening at the feet of the Teacher. Patient listening can bring hope to people. Patient listening can help people them feel heard. My silent sharing with God in centering prayer heals my heart – when I patiently listen to the people God puts in my life it can help them move forward on their journey of restoration. Pope Francis says, “The healing of the heart begins with listening.” This week I will try and listen with an attentive heart, without interrupting, and then respond. If you feel called read the whole article from Pope Francis though the link on the Contemplative page on our MMOC website and send an email to [email protected] with your thoughts.