A friend of mine sent me a quote that he thought might be a gist for a reflection/sermon. The quotation: ".....one or two words that people utter that carry great weight and significance, and can be fraught with meaning and implication: Yes. No. It's a girl. He's gone. I love you. I'm sorry. It's OK. I'm here" He’s right, of course.
As I thought about those words and after listening to a recent Gospel, I think there are three even more important words that both trump all of these and, in a way, explain them. The scene in the Transfiguration in Matthew’s Gospel. Peter, James and John hear a voice that says: “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” (17:5). The three words? Listen to him.
God is telling us to listen to what Jesus has to say to us, both in his words and in his actions, really listen. If we would, if we had over the centuries, this would be a much different world. But we haven’t and we don’t. It’s almost as if we are listening to anyone and everyone else. We are bombarded by op eds in the newspapers, on line, in personal conversations, all purporting to be the truth. The one looking back to us in the mirror is not an exception.
In many ways what I think God is asking of us is to think before we speak or act, to ask of ourself if what we are about to say or do is what Jesus would say or do were he in our place at this precise moment is time? Before, not after, when it is too late and the damage has been done. We tell a lie knowing full well that it is not the truth. Others hear us and believe us for whatever reason they do; and they act on it, causing pain and suffering to others, perhaps, and often, countless others.
The damage cannot be undone and apologies or fines or even jail terms do not and cannot atone for our deliberate sins both as individuals or groups of them. What we are left with is damage control. Passing the buck, blaming others, attempts at justifying our words and actions – none of that escapes our responsibility for what has been done. Yet, we would have no need for any attempts to do so had we listened to Jesus in the first place.
I know. I know. Do I really think blog casters or op ed writers or public demonstrators really think about the Gospel message, ask what Jesus would say or do? No, I really do not. How could they when the results of their words and actions are so blatant and so damaging to the body politic?
I think about that and about those words that we utter that are fraught with the Gospel message: Yes. No. It's a girl. He's gone. I love you. I'm sorry. It's OK. I'm here. Those words come from deep in our hearts. There is depth to them, an innate understanding of the consequences of what we are saying, of the responsibilities that follow; and we are okay with that. Why? Because we have listened to what Jesus has said to us about what it means to follow him. It’s not easy to listen and to act, and we often fail living in what these days is a toxic culture, but we do are best, given God’s grace and strength. Listen, really listen. That’s what God asks of us and what we must ask of ourselves.
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