Meaning What We Say

In one of his sermons, St. Anthony of Padua said, “Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak. We are full of words but empty of actions, and therefore are cursed by the Lord, since he himself cursed the fig tree when he found no fruit but only leaves.”  We can say many things, but when it comes to living them out, I think many of us fall short – at least I know I do.  Jesus told His disciples to let their “yes” mean “yes” and their “no” mean “no.” Hypocrisy was big then, and it is big now. We can’t say one thing and do another, or better yet, do nothing at all! We see so many people say this is wrong and that is bad but when it comes time to act or show active support, they suddenly become small and fade into the background.

Are we like that? Are we “full of words but empty of actions?” God loves us, and even though He had no need to show it, He did.  He sent His only Son.  Jesus died on the Cross.  As it is said in the Scriptures, “I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD” (Ez. 37:14). Let us today cast off that old self of empty actions and words and put on the new self of truth. Let us beg for the grace of humility and courage to let our “yes” mean “yes” and our “no” mean “no,” and may our actions reflect our words.

In the Stillness of Our Hearts

As humans we have a longing for intimacy and for relationship. We are wired for love because that is from and out of which we are created. Whether on the surface or deep down we have a desire to be with people. In my experience, sometimes being in a place at night with no one around, especially in new and unfamiliar places it can be daunting and sometimes there is fear. But once there is another person there, this fear usually goes away. Have you ever experienced that before?

This deep longing for relationship comes from an even deeper desire – the one relationship from which all others become possible, our relationship with God. Sometimes we may feel far and distant from God or that we do not know how to “get in touch” with God. So, we try to look for Him in things and other people. But, first we ought to go to the place were God speaks to us – in the stillness of our heart. The Prophets tell us that God was not in the earthquake or fire, but rather God was in the “tiny, whispering sound,” at which Elijah hid his face. God comes to us in the silence of our hearts. Let us seek to listen to this small quiet voice in the midst of this noisy world by looking inward into our hearts and when we do, let us say, “I long to see your face, O Lord.” Do you hear Him? God says, “I long to see you too.”

This picture is the place where I spent 30 days in silent retreat. Everyday I would come here 2 or 3 times an hour at a time to pray and be with the Lord. It is in the stillness of my heart that He comes to meet me. The beauty of His creation reminds me of His love and care for me. He longs to see you, too.

The Call to Encourage

It is so important to encourage one another, especially during these times. What does encourage really mean? To make and to put in courage – not by force but by witness and example. When people come together great things happen. Jesus told the disciples “where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.”  Wow. Just by being together, praying, calling on the name of Jesus, He’s there. The power of coming together.

In coming together, we must encourage one another, especially during these times. We must stand united against falsehood and lies. We must proclaim boldly the message of love and truth. This we can only do in the name of Jesus, and we must do this together. Oftentimes we do not need to say much. Simply standing together and being together can be the loudest message we can give. We are called to encourage one another by our presence to one another and by our example and witness to the faith.

St. Barnabas saw the change in St. Paul and invited him into a deeper encounter with the Lord in preaching the Gospel and bringing the love and mercy of God to others. Today this invitation is extended to us. May we allow the Lord’s invitation to move our hearts to see the innate goodness in ourselves and in others, and to draw ourselves closer to one another and to Him, who is all love and truth.