“A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45).
The major theme for this Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time draws our attention to our speech, motivations, thoughts, and actions, and challenges us to use our words carefully as Jesus uses his in his preaching and healing ministry — to heal, restore, protect, strengthen, bring back life, joy and hope of God’s people.
The readings also invite us to have a heart and mind of God, and instruct us to share our Christian life, love, and spiritual health by our words and actions to avoid gossiping about anyone and everything, and passing rash, thoughtless and pain-inflicting judgments on others, thus damaging their good reputation and causing them irreparable harm.
Our words have tremendous power because it is by using words that God creates the universe and defeats His enemies, realizing His magnificent power. For example, in the story of creation in the book of Genesis, God said: “Let there be light, and there was light.” In the Passover event, the Lord spoke to Moses: “For on this same night I will go through Egypt, striking down every firstborn in the land, human being and beasts alike, and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt.”
And so, the Lord did as He said. God realizes his magnificent power by using His Word, prompting Moses and all prophets to declare: “Thus says the Lord.” And once proclaimed, God will deliver, just like rain or snow will not return to heaven emptyhanded without producing fruits on earth as Isaiah explains it.
Our speech and words reveal our mind and heart. When our mind and heart are pure and holy, then our word and speech will be pure and holy. Conversely, our mind and heart are impure and evil, then our speech and word will be full of malice, resulting in sin and death. Therefore, Christ teaches us to be mindful of our mind and heart, keeping them clean, pure and holy that will lead us to eternal life and authentic happiness.
God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topics invite us to keep our mind, heart, word and deed pure and holy like of God to achieve eternal life and happiness.
How can we help one another to maintain our mind and heart pure and holy like of God, watchful of our word, speech, motivation, thought and deed?