Homily

I remember talking to a man a few years ago who had watched a short video by the abbot of Mt. Angel Abbey—he said the talk made him think about his speech and how careless he sometimes was with the words that came out of his mouth. Words that were sometimes insulting, rude, careless, ungrateful, judgmental, harsh, and unnecessary. He decided to pay much more attention to his speech and try to conform it toward a better pattern of speaking that is more proper to a Christian man. I was rather inspired by his insight into his behavior and his willingness to take on the challenge of trying to change it. My speech, and perhaps yours as well, could use some better screening and attention. Just the other day, in the Gospel reading, we had Jesus telling us that it’s not what goes into a man’s mouth that make him unclean, but rather the things that can come out of his mouth.

On the other side of the coin, I think it’s also true that we often do not say as much good as we probably should: words of encouragement, thanks, prayer, congratulations, instruction, sympathy. Those words which are helpful, and healing and work to support the spiritual good of our family and our neighbors.

Also, from today’s epistle: “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” To speak with one voice and use that voice, the words of our mouth, the words that come from our hearts and our souls, to give glory to God! That’s why we are here today!

And finally, St. Paul says, “Welcome one another, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” How great it is when we do that. When we welcome one another. It gives glory to God. And how blessed I am to know people like you who DO welcome one another, and not only one another but even the stranger.

Consider the internet and social media. I think it’s easy to see there is often more division on the web than there is dialog. And sadly, it is not just a division between people who have different perspectives and viewpoints. More often the division shows up as hostility, name-calling, demeaning remarks, vulgar and indecent language used against those who are seen as the enemy. Words are used not to persuade or educate or to carry on a discussion, but instead to crush the enemy into dust, and sometimes, if possible, words are used against other people even in the hope that they might lose their jobs. Several decades ago, I used to enjoy reading the comments that followed a good website article because often there was something more to be learned there from other people. But anymore, I usually can’t get very far before someone starts a senseless attack against the author or someone else, and the battle is on—and I get out. Words become weapons to be used not against ideas but against other people. When I was young, in another century, the only way to have many other people read your words was to get a book or article published, or write a letter to the editor of the newspaper. Now your words can be instantly published, world-wide for a potential audience of 4.5 billion people. Has that power resulted in words being used for the greater good, or not? What do you think?

We who follow Christ, the Word of God—what about our words? Are they more negative than uplifting or helpful? Are they more caring or more careless? Do we speak more in anger and frustration than we do in praise or gratitude? Do we talk to others with respect or is it all about us? How many times do we criticize compared to how many times we compliment or comfort or encourage other people? It’s truly worth thinking about how we speak, and how we ought to speak in this current world where words are more often used to condemn than to welcome one another, as St. Paul writes. And this is a good place here, right now, to pay attention to our words. Wisdom! Be attentive! We sing beautiful words here today.

The words of the two blind men calling out to Christ in today’s Gospel were words of faith in Him, and those words brought about their healing. Their words of faith changed their lives forever.

The praise that we offer here at this Liturgy has the genuine power to lift us up from the lowly and often hostile environment we find in our daily lives. As we try to set aside all earthly cares for this short time, let our words lift us up so that grace can change our hearts, and so that we can draw closer to the very heart of Christ our Lord, because He wants to change our lives.

As we heard just a few minutes ago from St. Paul, once again: “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”