Today, for the Feast of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, I’d thought I’d share some thoughts on a quote of hers I don’t normally see around the internet or social media. It’s a quote about something dear to my heart and mind, mainly because I’ve struggled with my thoughts which also means I’ve struggled with my words.
For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.
+Matthew 12:34-35
See, our words come from our hearts and minds. If our heart is ill, weak, or struggling, our words will be too. If our heart or mind are malformed, stunted in maturity, or have been denied the good, true, and beautiful, our words will reflect that.
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The words you say,⠀
do they give the light of Christ or increase the darkness?⠀
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The words your friends say,⠀
do they give the light of Christ or increase the darkness?⠀
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The words in the music you listen to,⠀
do they give the light of Christ or increase the darkness?⠀
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The words in the books you read,⠀
do they give the light of Christ or increase the darkness?⠀
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We live in a world now where husbands and wives refer to each other in vulgar anatomical terms, parents refer to their children as a-holes, friends refer to each other as b-tches, people are called by non-specific pronouns like “it, they, them,” God is called a woman, and a popular social media acronym is crude, lmao.
Friends, those words and references cannot be from minds overflowing with goodness. Where’s our sense of beauty? Our dignity? An awareness of the sacred? Is this really who we are now as a society?!? And as a part of society, what’s our personal contribution to this scourge?
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Let’s ask ourselves, “Am I contributing to this crudeness in my words?” “Am I allowing this to continue because I won’t ask someone to stop, or walk away, or unfriend?”
I cannot count the number of times in the last few years where I’ve been somewhere–a ball game, a concert, a fair, almost any type of event where I haven’t had to move, or even ask someone to watch their language in front of women and children!
Friends, our words really do matter, even jokingly, and they are a true reflection of who we are.⠀
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And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.⠀
+Matthew 12:34-37
Lana says
This is something I needed to hear. Thank you!
Jenny says
All for the glory of God! I’m glad this was useful♥