Today’s scripture readings warn about the need for taming our tongues, of praying to God to preserve us from an evil generation and ends with the Transfiguration of the Lord. You and I, we are on a pilgrimage up the steep mountain that leads to our final destination. Let us then pray to the Lord that we may not stumble on the way.
Smooth lips, Boastful tongue, Double Heart
The responsorial psalm today beseeches God to preserve us from a generation devoid of faithfulness, where ‘everyone speaks falsehood to their neighbor, with smooth lips and double heart and boastful tongue.’ A glance at the tabloids leaves no doubt that our generation is equally self-seeking, hypocritical, and bursting with arrogant pride. And if we look deep within, we see that the temptations assail us in subtle ways, and all too often, we find ourselves falling short.
With Forked Tongue
The scriptures point out a telling truth: the use of our tongue as a weapon of vast destruction. How quick we are to upbraid, to point out failings, to chastise, to remonstrate with, to argue, to pull up, to pull down, and to reduce to a burnt crisp. And with the age-old Sin crouching at our door and cheering us on, we can become the one who speaketh with forked tongue while the Tempter rubs his hands with glee and chalks up our soul as one for the abyss.
St. James minces no words. The tongue is a world of malice, a restless evil, full of deadly poison. “With it, we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this need not be so.”
Transfiguration
As Catholics, we believe that we receive the body and blood, soul and divinity of the Lord each time we receive the Eucharist. Consider how the Lord rests on our tongues, the portal for His divinity entering into our soul. May we heed the sharp words of caution today and use this tiniest of our members not to boast nor to roast but rather to toast. Charity in speech, yes oh yes! And if we need to correct, let this be done with the tenderest of care. Consider how we are the greatest of sinners and in dire need of God’s correction. Yet He treats us with such infinite patience and showers blessings which don’t correspond to our daily crimes. So, if we try to emulate His Way and if we succeed in bridling the tongue, to cue up St. James once more, we would be “perfect.”
For all our brokenness we are nevertheless made in the likeness of God, and we each contain a tiny sliver of who He is. May we allow Him to transfigure us into a more beautiful, more elevated, more Christian version day by day so that He may shine through us so that we can reveal who He is and become more like Him.
Set a guard, LORD, before my mouth, keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3
