In today’s Epistle of James, we hear about the power of the tongue:
Look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh. (James 3: 4-12)
The tongue is such a small part of the body, but with the ability to cause so much trouble. The author of the letter of James is so right: “How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.” The good name or reputation of another can be damaged, or even totally destroyed, in a number of ways. For example, have you ever been the subject of calumny, or have you yourself engaged in calumny? Calumny is the telling of lies about another person.
Have you ever been the subject of detraction or engaged in it? Detraction is revealing the hidden faults or sins of another without sufficient cause so that the person’s reputation or good name is seriously damaged.
The ability to communicate ideas and emotions through the spoken word is a gift. Yet we misuse that gift. We unleash our tongues and cause a world of hurt by telling lies about others, or even telling the deepest truth about people to others who have no business knowing it. Sometimes we even do it under the guise of being instruments of the truth: “I’m only telling the truth about that person, do you know what kind of sinner he is, do you know what he did?”
Today’s passage reminds us to be careful about what we say and how we say it. How do you and I use words? Do we build up people, or do we tear them down?
I am sure that each of us has said things to people, and especially to those closest to us, that have been hurtful and destructive. Once said, you cannot recapture the words to undo the hurt. You and I have done it with our spouse, our children, our family and our friends. We have misused God’s gift of speech, and we have said ugly things.
Today, think about those times when you have used your tongue not for good, but for evil, and ask the Lord to grant you pardon and peace and to restore broken relationships through the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Please remember to sign-up for Sunday Fellowship.
Rather than have a service the morning of Thanksgiving, this year we will celebrate a Thanksgiving liturgy on Sunday, 21 November, so that everyone can attend. After the Eucharist, we will have our Thanksgiving luncheon. Please invite your friends and family to offer thanks for all of God’s blessings. Please remember to sign up to bring a dish to share.
Big Mista BBQ fundraiser for the Community Garden, Saturday, 11 December. Melva Pope has tickets, so please pick some up for friends and family. There is also a Facebook page for the event.
Advent begins on Sunday 28 November. We will switch to Rite I and we will begin Year A in the Lectionary.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially Pamela Bowser at M.D. Anderson.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
Look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh. (James 3: 4-12)
The tongue is such a small part of the body, but with the ability to cause so much trouble. The author of the letter of James is so right: “How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.” The good name or reputation of another can be damaged, or even totally destroyed, in a number of ways. For example, have you ever been the subject of calumny, or have you yourself engaged in calumny? Calumny is the telling of lies about another person.
Have you ever been the subject of detraction or engaged in it? Detraction is revealing the hidden faults or sins of another without sufficient cause so that the person’s reputation or good name is seriously damaged.
The ability to communicate ideas and emotions through the spoken word is a gift. Yet we misuse that gift. We unleash our tongues and cause a world of hurt by telling lies about others, or even telling the deepest truth about people to others who have no business knowing it. Sometimes we even do it under the guise of being instruments of the truth: “I’m only telling the truth about that person, do you know what kind of sinner he is, do you know what he did?”
Today’s passage reminds us to be careful about what we say and how we say it. How do you and I use words? Do we build up people, or do we tear them down?
I am sure that each of us has said things to people, and especially to those closest to us, that have been hurtful and destructive. Once said, you cannot recapture the words to undo the hurt. You and I have done it with our spouse, our children, our family and our friends. We have misused God’s gift of speech, and we have said ugly things.
Today, think about those times when you have used your tongue not for good, but for evil, and ask the Lord to grant you pardon and peace and to restore broken relationships through the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Please remember to sign-up for Sunday Fellowship.
Rather than have a service the morning of Thanksgiving, this year we will celebrate a Thanksgiving liturgy on Sunday, 21 November, so that everyone can attend. After the Eucharist, we will have our Thanksgiving luncheon. Please invite your friends and family to offer thanks for all of God’s blessings. Please remember to sign up to bring a dish to share.
Big Mista BBQ fundraiser for the Community Garden, Saturday, 11 December. Melva Pope has tickets, so please pick some up for friends and family. There is also a Facebook page for the event.
Advent begins on Sunday 28 November. We will switch to Rite I and we will begin Year A in the Lectionary.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially Pamela Bowser at M.D. Anderson.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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