Listening. This was one of the things about being a Dominican that surprised me. St. Dominic was all about listening to people. You'd think an Order of Preachers would be more interested in talking. But no. Listen first, understand who the persons you are with are, where they are coming from, what they're concerned about, and only after listening, talk to them about that, rather than just spouting talking points, standard argumentation, etc. It's really quite a challenge, not only because listening doesn't come natural to me, but also because it requires a lot of adaptability and a deeper understanding of things, so that you can adapt what you need to say to what people need to hear, what might help them where they are at.
May the Holy Spirit help us be better listeners, to Him and to others. Holy Father Dominic, pray for us.
