Let It Die With You

The appointed Old Testament lesson for the Daily Prayer of the Church is a continuation of the Book of Sirach where we hear about the dangers of gossip:

 

One who trusts others too quickly has a shallow mind,

   and one who sins does wrong to himself.

One who rejoices in wickedness will be condemned,

   but one who hates gossip has less evil.

Never repeat a conversation,

   and you will lose nothing at all.

With friend or foe do not report it,

   and unless it would be a sin for you, do not reveal it;

for someone may have heard you and watched you,

   and in time will hate you.

Have you heard something? Let it die with you.

   Be brave, it will not make you burst!

Having heard something, the fool suffers birth-pangs

   like a woman in labor with a child.

Like an arrow stuck in a person’s thigh,

   so is gossip inside a fool.

Question a friend; perhaps he did not do it;

   or if he did, so that he may not do it again.

Question a neighbor; perhaps he did not say it;

   or if he said it, so that he may not repeat it.

Question a friend, for often it is slander;

   so do not believe everything you hear.

A person may make a slip without intending it.

   Who has not sinned with his tongue?

Question your neighbor before you threaten him;

   and let the law of the Most High take its course. (Sirach 19:4-17).

 

How many times have you heard something and just couldn’t wait to tell someone else?  If we are told something in confidence, Sirach tells us that we should keep it to ourselves. “Let it die with you,” he says.  We must be ever mindful of the power of the spoken word.  In our speech, we should be ever mindful of the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ.

 

Let us pray: O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

Trick-or-treat at St. Augustine.  Please bring candy for our annual trick-or-treat for the neighborhood on All Hallows Eve (Halloween) on 31 October 2014 from 6 PM to 9 PM.

 

All Saints Day will be celebrated Sunday, 2 November 2014.  Please send any additions or changes to the list of names to be read to Mary at mawolter1@aol.com.

 

We will continue with our Adult Christian Education series, Islam in Focus, this Sunday with the final chapter of the book. 

 

Sunday Screening Mammogram Program at St. Augustine on November 16, 2014.  Please get the word out on this important project.  They can contact Karen Lidstone at klidston@utmb.edu.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550