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An old adage goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!” Recently, I was listening to an interview on a podcast and the person being interviewed decried this phrase. She reminded us listeners that words have meaning and they have power. We also have meaning. We also wield power. Thus, when we use our words wrong, we can have the power to hurt someone else. Surely, we have been on each end of this experience. But on the flip side, we know the words we use can help someone, comfort someone, or make someone laugh or think.

The readings from Hebrews and Mark show us the effect of Jesus’ words on our life. It may seem a bit dramatic that the word of God is “sharper than a two-edged sword”, and yet many times Jesus speaks, people are left confused, angry, and like the rich young man in Mark’s Gospel, he runs away grieving. In Acts 2, when Peter is preaching his first sermon, the listeners, we are told, are “cut to the heart”. We, as Christians, believe in a God who is alive and active in this world. His Word still has power and meaning that is fully realized in the person of Jesus Christ. It is also revealed to us in the Holy Scripture, where we go when we wish to reflect, meditate, and pray on the activity of God in each of our lives.

God’s Word is life. It has the power to create and to revive the soul. It is the power that seeks to comfort, to aid, to strengthen each of us so that our words may be used to His greater glory. Are our words aligned with what God wants for us? It could be as simple as curse words. Perhaps we find ourselves being too cynical or too complacent (meaning we need to speak up!). Words are a powerful tool in which we need God's assistance and guidance in order to use this tool well.

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Zach