Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will. We sang that today at Mass for the Responsorial Psalm. After some interactions this week, it’s no surprise that the Holy Spirit seeks to remind us that the words we speak have power. The first reading, in particular, struck me where it says that God did not permit any of Samuels words to be without effect. When I was on my silent retreat this year, I felt God convicting me to speak less. We have a habit in this age of instant digital communication to blurt out emotionally charged dialogue without thinking of who may be hurt.
As Christians, we need to be careful and mindful of that. God made us in His image. When God speaks, things happen. The first reading reminds us that when the Spirit of the Lord is upon us, which we received at Baptism, our words will always affect others. In the first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul reminds us that we are the Holy Spirit’s temples. “Our bodies are not for immorality, but for the Lord.” Our words should be spoken with all of that in mind because our tongues are supposed to be for the Lord as well.
What comes out of a temple, then? Grace, mercy, reconciliation, love. All of these are the things we receive from God in the Sacraments of the Church. If we then are temples, are our words doing that? As John did in the Gospel, do we then speak every word in a way that says, “Behold, the Lamb of God”? Too often, the tongue is the last thing we work on.
So what should we do about it? Silence. Make our words fewer and farther between. I know I’ve been careless with mine, far too often. We tend to forget the tongue is a sword that cuts more lethally than any metal blade. All too often, it’s with our own family, our loved ones, that we speak the most devastating of those words.
I encourage you to spend some time in silence this week. Make a holy hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Pray in silence with your partner, spouse, a beloved family member, or a dear friend. Maybe most importantly, when you feel the urge to criticize or speak in anger, take a breath. Then instead, talk about something you love about that person. “I love the way your eyes sparkle when you smile.” “Your hands are so lovely, they comfort me.” “You’re so talented, your drawings make me happy.”
Then remember in your heart with joy and gladness that God Himself will not permit those words to be without effect!
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time: January 17th, 2021