Tweety Bird, Do A Trick | June 11, 2016

June 11, 2016

Disclaimer: colorful language used...

My Grandma had a super smart and talkative parakeet named, Tweety Bird (well she actually had several parakeets over the years and every single one of them was named Tweety Bird). Tweety Bird mimicked everything and was quite the accomplished impersonator. Grandma’s door had a very distinct squeak when opened and he could imitate the sound perfectly so much so that if Grandma were in the bedroom and Tweety Bird did the door squeak, she would come out to see who was visiting her. Tweety Bird had an extensive vocabulary, all taught to him by Grandma. He would say, in Grandma’s voice, “What’s your name? Tweety Bird, do a trick.” And even make kissing noises. Oh yeah, and his favorite sentence was….”Oh Shit!” Yep, clear as day. I guess when Grandma would sew, she sat at the table underneath Tweety Bird’s cage and her favorite go to phrase whenever she was frustrated, challenged, or disappointed apparently was “Oh Shit!” If you knew my sweet very devoutly Catholic and super grandmotherly Grandma, this would well…shock the shit out of you. I open with this story in relation to today’s gospel (yes, I do have a point with it), because Jesus’ lesson for us today is about the use of our words and what they mean and over the years we have turned this law into a “thou shall not cuss” law and have clouded the meaning of it just a bit.

Today Jesus talks about oaths and the law says do not break your oaths with God or with anyone. Jesus knows that this is kind of an impossible thing for sinful and imperfect human beings and so he doesn’t even want us to swear on anything in heaven, or on earth, or on your mother’s grave, or on a stack of Bibles, etc. When we swear on something and break that oath, whatever it is that we swore on becomes less than and loses it’s authority. It essentially takes the power away from God who is sovereign over all and puts it in our hand. Even though we should keep all of our promises, vows, and commitments, Jesus says, we don’t need to swear about it; in fact he gives us a better standard to live by that will indeed lead us, if we practice it, to holiness. It is simple, organic, and truly attainable, and it is important to Jesus because it appears in his Sermon on the Mount: “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.”

Words have power, words have the ability to transform and to tear down, and words expressed authentically can change the world. Jesus wants us to mean what we say and to say what we mean. Today he asks us to start with two simple, but life changing words, “yes” and “no”. If all of our “yeses” mean so (let’s face it, most of our “yeses” really mean “maybe” don’t they) and all of our “no’s” really were so (let’s face it, when we tell a teenager “no”, they can often times badger us until that “no” becomes a “yes”) then the world would be a very different place. The path to holiness is paved with us meaning what we say.

When I truly think about this one, it seems very daunting because I change my mind so often on things, but I feel like through prayer and meditation I can indeed become a person who’s words can be believed as what they mean. I can develop that kind of resolve that Jesus teaches will lead me to spiritual maturity. While Tweety Bird only mimics the sayings of another, I want to only be true to the sayings of my heart as it has been prompted to speak through prayer and revelation. I will not promise for a promise seems to only lead to disappointment, but I will mean it and in the meaning it, I will find Jesus there.

Even though cussing is not an ideal use of our words, today’s gospel reminds us to focus on authenticity and the more we hear our Maker’s voice, our impersonation of his words will become our own, and we will mean what we say because we will know what it means. Have a blessed day.

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle
Lectionary: 580/364

Reading 1 ACTS 11:21B-26; 13:1-3

In those days a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.

Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger,
Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.”
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.

Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4, 5-6

R. (see 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Alleluia PS 119:36A, 29B

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees;
and favor me with your law.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 5:33-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the Evil One.”