Our Words

HOMILY NOTES

FR. TERRY RYAN, CSP

LUKE 2: 22-32

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

Today is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord as a baby in the Temple.  A fellow named Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Christ and praises him as a light to the world. What wonderful words to say to a baby or a child!  Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Blaise, when we bless throats in the Catholic Church.  So today, I blessed throats too when lots of people are at weekend mass.  The blessing of throats is not just to avoid physical illness.  The throat is the place from which our words are sounded out, for good or bad.  

The blessing says, “May God deliver you from every disease of the throat and every other illness.”  That other illness is that God deliver us from saying unkind, and hurtful things to people.  I heard of a teacher who told a whole class that they were stupid.  Do we not speak words of darkness and hurt when we call people stupid, lazy, worthless, idiot, ugly and so on.  Think of what that might do to a child who is so unsure of themselves and so insecure.  

Jesus was always saying uplifting words to people who felt badly about themselves.  His biting challenges were only to those who suffered false pride and it was to awaken them to their smugness.  But otherwise, he was light for those in darkness.  Now, we may not be able to control our thoughts and emotions that simply, and suddenly pop up within us.  But we can control our words.  So we are invited today to be more like Simeon.  Choose words of light rather than words of darkness.  It may call forth the hidden talents that another person has.  Speaking such words can become a talent within each one of us!