Words
“Sticks and Stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” The message of this schoolyard refrain that I grew up with and some of you may remember is so untrue. Experience tells us that words are very powerful. They can hurt and cause deep scars! Often lasting longer than the time to heal a broken bone. Children can taunt and make fun of classmates and cause them to be isolated from the group! The teenage break up with that first girlfriend or boyfriend, or the words of a break up of a marriage of a relationship can cause deep personal scars that may go unhealed for many years. Negative Gossip can cause damage to a reputation or have a profound impact on a professional career. Cutting sarcastic words, Vengeful, angry words can hurt. How many times, have we blurted out a word or phrase without really thinking wish that we could take it back!!!
Words also can bring comfort and joy. A word of encouragement-can help lift someone out of a personal struggle. Positive words can bring us nourishment and satisfaction. Words of praise can lift the sprit of others. They can restore self esteem to children and adults as well. The words of poetry or of a song can touch our hearts, and have a positive impact on our lives. Words can bring moral guidance and challenge us to mend our ways.
Words can bring laughter, and humor, compassion and understanding. Each time we utter a word it can have an impact on the life of another!!!
How would it be if we lived in a world isolated and not able to hear the words of another human being? In his book: “God’s Underground” the author tells the story of political prisoners in Romania during the communist regime and their struggle to survive. He tells the story of a prisoner, Avram, who was put in isolation for three years a response to his speaking up against the government. During that time, he did not hear the sound of another human voice. His confinement area, cell, was soundproof. The guards dropped foods off to him, but never said a word. How did he survive! When the guards were out of view, he removed from under his mattress, a very small tattered book that he had smuggled into prison. “The Gospel of John” He read this Gospel every day. He said that he did not need a human voice as he was having a conversation with the Lord!!! When he returned to the general prison population, he gave portions of the Gospel to the other prisoners and they became very proficient and engaged in a lively scripture study. Words can indeed be very powerful.
In the first reading today from the prophet Nehemiah, we hear the story of how the people of Israel, returned from exile to find their city, Jerusalem, and the temple in ruins. They tried to rebuild the temple, but the work went slowly. We hear the story of the priest Ezra, who gathered the people together and unrolled a scroll and read to them the sacred law that had been given by God to Moses. He read on for many hours and the people sat spellbound listening. They were listening to words they did not hear while in captivity. This group was moved to rebuild their temple, and reestablished their relationship with God!! The public proclaiming of God’s Word as indicated in this first reading is a tradition that shaped and sustained Israel’s Life and identity.
In Today’s Gospel, Jesus returns to his home town and enters the temple, He picks up the sacred scroll and began to read from the prophet Isaiah: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me to bring glad tiding to the poor” Liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free. He then sits down and says to everyone present: “Today this passage is fulfilled in your hearing,” He is proclaiming to them that he is the Messiah and he is on a mission. Do they hear what he says and follow him? NO! They take one look at him and think to themselves: Is he not the son of Mary and Joseph, the carpenter! Who does he think that he is!! What gives him the right to say what he is saying!!! This group hears the words of Jesus and responds, but in a negative way. Jesus’ entire ministry is shaped by God’s word. And it is a ministry which turns his society upside down. Words are very powerful indeed.
What does all this mean for us! Each week we gather in community at Mass to hear God’s Word. Our lector reads from the Old Testament Reading the story of the Hebrew People. He or she also reads a second reading usually from the Letters of Paul, but it may be other reading as well. The Choir sings a verse from the sacred Psalms and your Priest or Deacon reads the Gospel. These sacred words are spoken, but do we really hear? I believe that one of the most important liturgical reforms of the second Vatican council was to make sure that the Liturgy of the Word was restored to every sacrament. At Mass, we hear the sacred readings on a three year cycle. The Church considers it very important that the word of God is both read and proclaimed.
We are then charged with the responsibility to take that message and apply it in our everyday lives! When we hear the sacred readings, are we listening intently as the people of Jerusalem did to when Ezra read from the sacred scroll? Or are some of us casually listening as the people in Nazareth did when Jesus spoke. Hearing words but ignoring the message! Do some of us think to ourselves: Isn’t it nice what Jesus said a long time ago.” Today’s Message is that Words are very important! We need to be careful and diligent in their use! Yes Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words misplaced or misspoken can have an every worse effect.
We need to use words to heal and comfort-rather than in anger or vengeance.
We need to apply the messages that we receive from sacred scripture to our daily lives and live them out God[s Message to others in our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and with whom all we come in contact with.
We have been blessed with the chance to listen/and read sacred scripture. We have been blessed with the opportunity to express our religious beliefs without fear.
Each of us Catholic Christians is charged with the responsibility to bring the message of Jesus to others. It is thru his words and our actions that the Mission of Jesus and his ministry will be fulfilled. Words are indeed very powerful and the message of Jesus will be fulfilled in our hearing and by us putting his words into actions..
