Daily Retreat 02/18/06

2006 Feb 18 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM

Jas 3: 1-10/ Ps 11(12): 2-3. 4-5. 7-8/ Mk 9: 2-13

From today’s readings: "...we all fall short in many respects.... You will protect us, Lord.... Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. "

Taming the Tongue

Control of the tongue is another topic repeatedly addressed in the letter of St. James. There are so many sins committed by the tongue - gossip, insults, arrogance, slander, lies, profanity, cursing - you name it! In addition to these sins, there are those many times when everything would have turned out better if we had just kept our mouth shut, times that we’ve caused trouble just by unnecessary, imprudent speech, even if it was true and non-sinful.

St. James points out that effort spent taming the tongue can have such positive effects on our whole lives. Like the bit used to guide a horse, or the rudder which steers a ship, the tongue directs much of our moral orientation, so one who masters his own tongue is in a position to set a straight course of living.

Reflect on this as well: when we receive Holy Communion, the moment the Sacred Host is placed in our mouths, our tongue is like a throne for Christ our Lord. Is it a worthy throne? Not if soiled by gossip and lies, not if defaced with the graffiti of profanity and cursing, not if scratched and scraped with abrasive sarcasm and unkind words!