Let’s Lend Our Brethren A Listening Ear

Let’s Lend Our Brethren A Listening Ear

Deacon Alex Kwok

It is easier to visually identify people with physical disabilities. When you speak with Deacon Alex, you’ll easily see the hearing aids he wears. No wonder he is able to make announcements loudly in mass without using the microphone! As for people with emotional and even mental disabilities, it is harder to identify even though these days, more and more people are suffering from emotional and/or mental distresses in the aftermath of COVID and social unrests in the past few years. Chances are that we’ll encounter one in ten people we meet everyday. As of November 2023, student suicide cases tallied 37 deaths and 269 failed attempts¹. This is alarming because such figures are obviously the tip of an iceberg!

We have hundreds of parishioners attending Church on Sundays. Chances are that we’ll chit-chatting with some vulnerable brothers. Superficially, the Church environment is different from the schooling environment. Parishioners need not to follow a demanding schedule to finish a severe syllabus to sit for public examinations. Moreover, sharing the same faith ensures that they treat each other courteously like siblings, don’t they? In reality, wherever there are human interactions, conflicts shall inevitably arise. Everyone believes that he/she possesses the truth. I am right and if you don’t agree with me, you must be wrong! Coupled with other interpersonal factors such as wounded egos, perceived position in power networks and personal relation with Christ etc., emotions would soon flare up and people begin to bark louder than Deacon Alex! In short, the environment may be different, but the problem remains the same.

In fact, many people who are suffering from emotional stresses would flock to the Church to seek a peace of mind. It is what a Church is supposed to provide, isn’t it? The Deacon does not exaggerate in saying from experience that the Church has a higher concentration of mental patients than all other social institutions except for psychiatric wards! Luckily, these needy brethren are less aggressive/violent. They appear extremely normal and courteous, though you can easily sense that they are hiding some wounds and yet they feel the urge to reach out to seek help. Don’t feel guilty even if you fail to detect it for the first time because they can be very persistent. They will be back next week or week after next.

Though very few of us are professionally trained counsellors, we are still able to spare a couple of minutes or perhaps a few hours to listen through their stories. It is always prudent to invite one more brother to listen together. Being listeners, it is absolutely not necessary for us to solve their problems. No, we are not able to. Only the merciful Lord can! Just listen, suspend judgement and refrain from making any suggestions. Meanwhile, pray to the Holy Spirit for the wellbeing of this suffering soul to whom you are listening. If a rapport is established, pray together. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). When the good Lord, the Good Shepherd is present, there is nothing we shall want (Psalms 23:1). He pledges, “The lost I will search out, the strays I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, and the sick I will heal” (Ezekiel 34:16a, Solemnity of Christ the King, Year A, first reading).

Beloved Brethren! Don’t underestimate the power of prayers. Let us join the Pope to pray for people with disabilities in December.
God bless!

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¹ https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Hong-Kong,-student-suicide-alert:-37-deaths-and-over-300-attempts-in-2023-59585.html
Picture Credit: potentialplusuk.org