Daily Reflections- February 21, 2012

READING BETWEEN THE LINES

 

The story in today’s Gospel reflects a gap of communication between Jesus and the disciples. While Jesus was sharing with the disciples His prediction about His impending passion and death in Jerusalem for the second time, the disciples did not quite know what to make out of His words. But no one dared to ask Jesus about this. As a greater consequence, the disciples failed to relate with Jesus’ solemn words. They were discussing among themselves the issue of worldly greatness and ambitions at a time when Our Lord had His heart and mind set on suffering and death.

While we live in a time of more sophisticated and efficient communication, our Gospel underscores the fact that communication involves more than words and exchange of ideas. Communication is an interpersonal experience. Beyond and behind each word are emotions and feelings. To communicate is to read between the lines and feel what the other is trying to let you feel with his words. Besides understanding, authentic communication brings about empathy.

Empathy makes us feel what the other person is revealing deeply about himself and his experience. As we listen, we bracket ourselves and enter into the world of the other. From this empathy flows genuine compassion, and oneness of heart and soul.

In line with the call for Christians to be communicators of Good News through true understanding and compassion, Pope Benedict XVI teaches during the 2011 World Day of Communication that Christians have practical challenges in today’s digital age when the Internet has become a venue for new friendships. He sustained that Christians should be engaged in Internet and social networks not simply because of the desire to be present, but because these have become integral realities of life. Christians in the digital age should not succumb to the trend of making illusory avatars. But they should maintain real and authentic digital profiles that would enable truthful human exchanges of goodness of thoughts and sentiments. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What are your own standards in communicating with others? Do you communicate to impress or to express? Have you been “Christian” in your motives and attitudes in your participation in social networks through the Internet?

 

Lord Jesus, more than communicating myself to others, help me to communicate You to them.