Word!

When I was working in Lafayette, La there was an associate pastor who I was so very blessed to work with.  We will call him Padre!  My biggest pet peeve with Padre was that he would always correct me on words I would use either in writing, speaking or every day use. It drove me up a wall! I felt as if I was illiterate, well I am but needless to say I wouldn’t admit I had a grammar problem.  As time went on and the closer Padre and I got I didn’t see him trying to belittle me or make me feel uneducated. What Padre was trying so desperately to do was to teach me how important my words really are.  Especially if I was writing or even speaking to groups.

The critiquing never stopped from Padre and for that I have come to the deep understanding of how words today are misguided, misinterpreted, and really molded into whichever way we want. Think about times when you are trying to explain something to someone and all they do is bend your words and completely manipulate what you are saying.  Youth ministers know exactly what I am saying and I am pretty sure most of you do too. In those circumstances we become agitated and more or less angry, probably feeling though the person we are talking too is illiterate. Stop for just one second and think about it like this.  Maybe it isn’t their fault they can’t understand what we are saying, maybe it is our poor use of adequate words. Or on the contrary maybe it isn’t either of us but someone who wants our conversation to be tainted?

Padre and I were praying together for a series of what seemed to be months. Padre was working with me on some very heavy things within my heart, helping me discern and also to pray for the healing of my own heart. One day we sat in his office for a time of prayer. In that prayer session I had to recite a series of prayers one after another.  I would mess up on what felt like every other word. I always felt as though Padre saw me as a high school English failure, yes I barely passed English but I was so distracted in my worry of what he would think of my inability to read (I know Padre never felt those things, instead he taught me how to pray!) As I was praying and messing up words Padre would stop me, pause, say the word and have me repeat it.  Padre could tell I was getting frustrated and him being an awesome Priest he didn’t want me to have that spirit of frustration in my prayer.  He  explained something to me that I will never forget, Padre said that, “the devil will sneak into our words and therefore what we are trying to say, bind in prayer and proclaim to Jesus, the devil will see that moment and try to misguide us. That we can counteract that by rereading something, or stop when we are getting frustrated, take a moment, and authenticate what we are trying to proclaim with accurate words and zeal. The devil is an illusionist, trickster magician and a mastermind of confusion”.  What Padre was telling me was that if we eliminate those things we will eliminate all the distractions in our prayers.  It is all about who is our focus in prayer, the world or God?  Now let me make a disclaimer. Prayer is vital to any form of spirituality.  You can not come to know God without prayer as the foundation of your faith.  Do not think that if you get distracted in a rosary one time that you are going to Hell and that the devil is in your rosary prayers. We live in a world of distraction. We must stand against the movement of the world.  It is easy, just simply ask for the grace to make a perfect prayer.  After that, you have faith and pray as hard as you can!

We must be very cautious of words we use.  As it is said in Hebrews, “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.”  (Hebrews 4: 12)  The word is something we should no longer take for granted but use with more conviction.  When it comes to words and knowing that they pierce the heart, and we say things to destroy someone, we are not just hurting them in the moment, but those words have an everlasting effect on people.  You will most certainly remember more moments of people crushing your spirit rather than building you up.  When you speak to people, especially people who are a community to you, speak with love and conviction, not hatred and confusion.  People become more effected by the words we use than by the physicality of our friendship.  Give someone a high five and the feeling on the hand goes away, speak a word to someone letting them know how much they have influenced you in a positive way and they will never forget that moment.  When it comes to words, words are an everyday thing.  It’s how we communicate, advertise, and teach.  Words help us learn, listen and encourage us.  You can see anyone who speaks with anger, confusion, and frustration; often times their words reflect their hearts.  This is a great opportunity for evangelization and ministry.  Take a moment to guard your heart but listen to what they have to say and allow yourself to react in a way that reflects the love of Jesus.  Protecting our hearts from people who are trying to bring us down or even damage the joy we share is important.  Prayer is the only thing that will carry you through, and sometimes you need to remove yourself from a situation before it grips ahold of you.  Tough love is still love!

If you feel that maybe as you read this that you really are an angry person, try to find the root of what caused that anger?   All you have to do is ask the Holy Spirit to help you in that moment.  If the Lord gives you the opportunity to uncover something within your heart that is holding you back from being a person of love and joy, GIVE THAT TO JESUS! Ask that it can be healed for you, give it to Him in prayer, adoration, mass and any way you want as long as it goes to Jesus!  “I will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4)  Jesus is going to move mountains in your heart, invite Him in.  When you speak, think about what you are to say, ask yourself, is this going to hurt or help?  Remember words pierce the heart, guard your hearts as you guard others.  Watch your words, they matter in more ways than one!  Praise God and embrace His Grace! – Jake