Words Have Power

16 June 2018

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 and it is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 1 KGS 19:19-21

Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat,
as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen;
he was following the twelfth.
Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him.
Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said,
"Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,
and I will follow you."
Elijah answered, "Go back! 
Have I done anything to you?"
Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them;
he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh,
and gave it to his people to eat.
Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 16:1B-2A AND 5, 7-8, 9-10

R. (see 5a) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. 
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

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."