Whenever we listen to someone speaking, we would surely want to understand what the other person is saying.
But are we trying to understand what is being said from our own interpretation?
Or do we try to understand what the person really means?
Of course, it would be easier to understand what is being said from our own interpretation.
To try to understand what the other person really means would entail further questions and clarifications, and more time and effort will be needed.
In the gospel, when Jesus said to the paralytic that his sins are forgiven, the scribes immediately denounced it as a blasphemy.
In the minds of the scribes, only God can forgive sins. And they would rather hold on to their opinion and judgement rather than to seek clarification and enlightenment.
Likewise, in the 1st reading, if only Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, had wanted to understand the prophecy of Amos, he could have averted a tragedy for the nation.
So to truly understand what someone is saying, then time and effort is needed on our part.
And to truly understand someone, then love will be needed.
God will give us that love, if only we truly want to understand