November 17, 2024
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Words of Jesus we hear in today’s Gospel.
In the course of a lifetime we hear a lot of words, and also speak a lot of words. Though we may forget most of the words we hear, some do remain with us. In fact, certain words burn themselves into our memory, so much so that we will probably remember them to our dying day. Some of these are words that hurt us, and remain to haunt us. Others are words that comfort us, and remain to inspire us.
Words can be very hurtful, and inflict deep and lasting wounds. However, sometimes it’s not the words themselves, but the way they are said that does the damage.
A woman recalls: “When we were young, mother sometimes said very hurtful things to us, mean-spirited, critical, accusatory things. And she would never apologize for them. When we raised the matter years later she excused herself by saying, “But I never meant them.” And we were left wondering, Well then, if you didn’t mean them, why did you say them?”
But words can remain to inspire us. A nun who studied theology recalls: “During the course of my theology lectures I heard a lot of things. Most of these I will forget in time. Indeed, I’ve already forgotten a lot of them. But there is one thing which one professor said that I will never forget. He said: “Love keeps a low profile.” I know it sounds a simple thing, but somehow it went straight to my heart, and has stayed there ever since.”
Love keeps a low profile.
Words are very important and very powerful. Once uttered, they take on a life of their own, for good or ill. They can bring a blessing or a curse, healing or wounding, life or death. Words can continue to harm us or help us for many years after they have been spoken. Hence, we should be careful how we use words.
When we are very angry, it is better to remain silent. Words spoken in anger can cause deep hurt and make reconciliation very difficult. Choosing life instead of death, a blessing instead of a curse, often starts by choosing to remain silent, or being careful to choose words that open the way to healing. As one person put it: “Sometimes loving others means keeping quiet and letting them be.”
Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” The words of Jesus remain with us to this very day, comforting us, guiding us, challenging us. They turn our values upside down. Once heard, they can never be forgotten. But for all that, they will benefit us little unless we act on them.