Hearing fake news

     There was some research done not too long ago into how people listen.  There is a part of our brain that will apparently interpret data based on what we already believe or perceive. This is especially important now with the opposing political chasm that seems to exist. News is not news but "fake news". The same information that each of us hears and even see, is interpreted in wholly different ways. We each view the information as supporting our own positions. It is a fascinating and sad dynamic.

     If it makes you feel any better that this type of self fulfilling news is not new at all, we can then take small solace in what the scribes and elders were doing to Jesus in today's Scripture passage.  Jesus could have said "boo" and that would have been viewed as clear evidence of His possession by evil spirits. The fix was in then and in so many ways I think the fix may be in now. How do we move forward in love from our own pre-conceived notions and beliefs?

      When I was taking a series of classes called the Pastoral Formation Institute, one section was based on how we listen. So often we ask questions we really do not what an answer to. At other times we ask questions and have already developed the answers we want to hear in our heads. Someone might ask "how are you today?" and the answer you give might be "pretty bad, my mom died yesterday". The person who is not really listening might respond, "that's nice". Yikes!  Sometimes when I ask "how are you" the rote response that comes back is "fine".  So I ask a second question to throw them off a bit and bring them into the present moment with "are you sure?". That's a small technique of my own. It does not begin to scratch the surface of all the ways we can but fail to listen well.

      When we are more interesting in moving forward with our day and more interesting in keeping the status quo as we see it or want it, we have a grand propensity to listen in a very half hearted way. I don't think that is very conducive to love and concern for our brothers and sisters.  Real listening requires some time, requires we are truly present in the moment and perhaps most importantly, we are open to an answer that might not be what we were expecting or even wanted to hear.  To people who want boring, straight and narrow, uneventful lives, such listening might make each day like a new ride on a roller coaster. How exciting!  Being truly present in the moment makes you alive and allows us to hear new things all the time. It allows us to really listen and hear what is going on in life and in peoples lives.  Seems like a novel approach these days. 

        In today's passage we give witness to the evil of not listening and putting forth an unerring agenda like the scribes and elders did.  Of course they said 'what more proof do we need', the judgment had already been in their heads and they had in fact never, ever really listened to any of the words of Jesus. 

They heard words but never listened.  How about us?

Matthew 26:57-68

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, in whose house the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and going inside, he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end.Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.” ’ The high priest stood up and said, ‘Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?’ But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, ‘I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you,
From now on you will see the Son of Man
   seated at the right hand of Power
   and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ 
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?’ They answered, ‘He deserves death.’ Then they spat in his face and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who is it that struck you?’