This week we see that a a God-lived life is A Life of Listening to the Word. Is there a difference between hearing and listening? Three children are playing video games. Their mother says, “It’s time to turn off the television and go clean your room.” The first child just keeps playing. The second child says, “Yes, mother,” and goes to clean his room thinking, “When I do this, then she’ll owe me.” The third child goes and cleans his room because he loves his mother and enjoys doing what makes her happy. All three children heard their mother. Who actually listened?

This week we see that the life of a disciple finds its basis and motivation in the precious gospel message of God’s gifts to us. For the disciple, God’s precious gifts do not merely lead to a life of hearing God’s Word, but to a life of listening to God’s Word. This listening includes joyfully living life according to it.