In the process of communication, one of the most challenging aspects is that of listening.
Certainly it is much easier to talk than to listen.
Even if we do try to listen, we are already formulating our replies and responses even as we listen.
As it is, the biggest communication problem is that we do not listen to understand; we listen to reply.
In the 1st reading, God, through the prophet Jeremiah, pointed out to the people that they did not listen to His voice, they did not pay attention to His Word, they followed rather the dictates of their evil hearts.
And because they did not listen to God, they have grown stubborn and behaved worse than their ancestors, and neither do they take correction.
God has given us two ears and one mouth. If we love God, then our duty is to listen to Him.
Let us remember that nothing we say is going to teach us anything new. We are only saying what we already know.
If we want to learn, then we will have to do it by listening to God's Word and also to others.
In this way, we will be with Jesus and with Him we will gather those who want to listen to Him.