God listens to us as Masai do
Erlin Pérez completed his second year of theology in Nairobi (Kenya). Born in El Salvador, he is a seminarian for the FMS. |
God listens as a Masai does. This is what I discovered in a few visits to rural communities, and also some of my classmates did the same reference of how the Masai speak and listen.
You are wondering who is a Masai? Well, I tell you that in our Parish in Namanga (In the Kenyan border with Tanzania), there are many tribes, but one of the tribes in the area is the Masai tribe.
The Masai tribe is a nomadic tribe, which is characterized in the care of the cows and goats. The Masai are a tribe of shepherds, where the development of their community depends on the care of animals.
And when the dry season arrives or when it does not rain a lot, they move to seek better pastures and water for their grazing animals.
This attitude also can be found from ancient times. Even in the Bible, Psalm 23 (22), compared God to a Pastor: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures you let me graze; to safe water you lead me; you restore my strength...
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Well, I do not speak Masai language, just a few words for greetings and nothing more. What I discovered is the way of listening. That impressed me so much when they talk. I can see that while one is talking, everyone listens carefully and they will not open their mouth until the other has finished saying what he wanted. In their conversation, when one talks the other listens.
It is the opposite while we are talking among us, right? We do not let the other person finish speaking when we are already talking. We are speaking at the same time. At the end we do not understand each other. I think we are more like machines that have the immediate answer to all things; we do not enjoy the pleasure of listening and being heard.
How do you feel when you perceive that a person is fully listening to you without questioning, judging or interrupting you? Have you experimented that?
If the answer is no, I invite you to listen to someone completely and then to have the experience of being heard.
Some of my experiences with God have been like that. God has heard me many prayers of thanksgiving, praise, supplication and even when I have been disappointed with some things. God has listened to me as a Masai, without judging, doing nothing more than listening to me, but then there is also time in which I have to put myself in an attitude of listening to God, to know what God wants from me and for my life.
During all these years I have had to learn to listen and interpret the signs of God in my life as Masai people listen to and interpret the signs of nature. Sometimes, I feel God is challenging me, but I've discovered that what he wants from me, through this experience that I have had with Masai people, is to learn to listen as they do. And this will be much better.
I feel God wants to empower me to listen to his voice and to the people whom I am in relation with because He is preparing me to be one of his pastors, and pastors are those who listen to their flock.
I think one of the most important aspects of the ministry of priesthood is to learn how to listen to the flock God has entrusted them in order to shepherd them as the Good Pastor and also allow God to speak through them.
However, how is the priest going to transmit the Word of God if he does not hear it too? The priest, and us who are preparing ourselves to become priests, must listen to what God says and what people tell us in order to offer it as a source for our prayer to God and the People who we are serving to.
“God our Father, you had sent your Son to be your witness of your Word and to be the model of a pastor and make us to learn how to listen in everyday life to our brothers and sisters as you listen to each one of us. Teach us to be a Masai, a pastor, a people who listen to your Word as Masai people do. In this way, having into consideration their example of life, we can proclaim your Kingdom of peace and Justice.”
Erlin Pérez.
Kenia, África del Este.
Erlin Pérez.
Kenia, África del Este.