The Apostolate of the Ear

As part of the formation process of a Dominican Friar in the Province of St. Martin de Porres, the brothers are sent to do social justice ministry. This past summer I was sent to New Orleans, LA, to minister to the poor at the St. Jude Community Center. Among other services, the St. Jude Community Center provides two meals a day for those in need. In between breakfast and lunch, a food bank is open to low-income individuals and families. They come once or twice a month to receive a box with a variety of groceries, some of which are donated. This summer was a time of learning as I joined this team that serves the poor.

Two recurring themes summarize my two months at the St. Jude Community Center, patience and listening. I quickly realized that patience was necessary because some of the people we served have a particular need, often involving our listening ear. I frequently remembered Pope Francis’ emphasis on the “apostolate of the ear” because what people need is for someone to take time to listen to them, to their difficulties in life and to confirm God’s presence in their lives. [1] What I did not realize until this summer is that this “apostolate of the ear” serves a two-fold purpose. Listening to the poor was not limited to finding a spiritual insight I could share with them. Rather, it was more about listening to the witness of their faith in God amid adversity in their lives. As I was having a conversation with a Hispanic man, he was asking me about my vocation of being preacher and a priest until another man who was also eating overheard our conversation and asked, “Do you think that this food was made possible because of preaching?” The Hispanic man replied, “God is first, then the labor of the workers that made this food possible.” He was not afraid of sharing his faith any time I saw him. Like him, several people taught me by their example to be faithful, regardless of the situation.

Listening required patience because there were moments when it was easier to judge someone by their looks. There was another man who came in one day for lunch whom I had not seen there before. We had started wiping the tables, and some people were still eating when he came up to me, offering to help me. I told him that he should eat his meal before it got cold. He replied, “I want to change,” and sat down, but that was only the beginning of a lengthier conversation. He admitted the wrong he had done, accepted his addiction to drugs, and even saw that the people he relates to are not true friends. Additionally, he recalled that he was raised in a family of faith and reading the Scriptures, so he recognized the story of The Prodigal Son and the mercy of God. I was amazed by his sincerity. He expressed his desire to return to the Church; then, he asked if I could pray for him. I prayed for wisdom and guidance to follow the way that our Lord wants him to follow God more faithfully. After the prayer, he said this phrase most sincerely, “Thank you for acknowledging me.” I shared that I am also a sinner. I was stunned because I had just witnessed corporal and spiritual works of mercy at work: feeding the hungry, counseling the doubtful, and praying for the living. These verses from Psalm 53 came to my mind at that moment: “God looks out from the heavens… To see if there is a discerning person who is seeking God.” There he was, a discerning, loving, and repentant person who is seeking God.

Ultimately, my summer experience was one in which preaching took a different form, often one of prayer and presence. From the beginning of the summer to the end of my time in New Orleans, I grew in patience and listening; these aspects will be beneficial as they are significant and necessary for ministry. I continue to understand more clearly how these aspects come together in the formation of a friar preacher. I ask that you continue to support us who continue in the formation process by your prayers and financial contributions.