In the beginning was the Word,
And the Word was with God,
And the Word was God.
Dear friends,
Welcome to this meditation beginning with the well-known opening words of Saint John's Gospel.
In the beginning was the Word,
And the Word was with God,
And the Word was God.
This quote reminds us that the Word and our words are even more important than might appear on superficial examination.
It identifies the Word as intimately connected with the very idea of God.
In this meditation we are going to reflect on the importance of the words we use.
And we'll resolve to enter each day determined that our words will build up rather than knock down.
We'll begin by bringing ourselves to a place of wordless quiet.
So take a few moments now to pause.
You might like to close your eyes.
Relax.
Notice your breath,
Your simple breathing in and breathing out.
Notice the space,
The silence between each inhale and exhale.
And for the next 60 seconds allow yourself to simply be,
Enjoying one minute free from the burden of thought and words.
Welcome back.
A quote from Psalm 141.
Set a guard over my mouth,
Lord.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Let this be our prayer as we begin a reflection on the power of words.
We know from history and from the experience of our own lives that words carry a special power.
Words have been used to bless,
To coerce,
To accuse,
To forgive,
To teach,
To inspire,
To wound and to harm.
We know how weapons can kill and injure people.
But we might be less aware of how words can give rise to much suffering.
You might ask,
How can this be?
But then you realise that words can be a call to arms.
The harmful thought gives birth to the harmful word.
And the harmful word triggers the harmful action.
But there is no inevitability in all this.
As the Psalm says,
Set a guard over my mouth,
Lord.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
We remember how words can heal as well as harm.
Just take a moment now to reflect back on a time when someone spoke words that lifted you from despair.
Words that encouraged you to be the very best you could be.
This might have been a comment from a kind teacher,
Someone who noticed your potential.
It might have been a loyal friend hanging in there with you when times were difficult.
Someone offering a word of encouragement at exactly the right moment.
A one-minute pause now to give thanks for these kind words.
Welcome back.
These are all healing,
Nourishing,
Encouraging,
Loving and helpful words.
Words full of possibility and hope.
Think of the image of a parent whispering to a child at night,
You are safe,
I love you.
Or how many times have you placed your confidence in a doctor,
Reassuring you that you were not alone in the challenge that lay ahead.
And we've all seen examples of communities coming together to support one another in a time of tragedy.
These are words and gestures that repair the shattered fabric of the world.
I don't imagine that I'm alone in noticing an unhelpful harshness that seems to have entered into the public discourse in recent times.
So we have to do what we can to reverse this.
Seeing how words have the capacity to heal or to harm,
We all have a duty to speak more kindly to and of each other.
And we must dedicate ourselves to the task of always uttering helpful words.
In the ordinary course of events,
There will be people with whom we disagree and with whom we can disagree very substantially.
These can be people who live right next door to us,
Or they can be more remote people,
People of a different religious or political persuasion.
Whether we agree or disagree with people,
We must remember that everyone has a right and a need to be listened to.
When we find people with whom we disagree,
Let's be open to constructive dialogue.
Let's try to see where the other person is coming from.
Maybe if we try to walk a mile in their shoes,
We'll understand them better.
The Buddha offered a simple test when it comes to the matter of what's known as right speech.
Is it true?
Is it kind?
Is it necessary?
Is it spoken at the right time?
Just think of how different our world would be if these questions were asked before every social media post,
Before every political debate,
Before every conversation between spouses,
Neighbours,
Colleagues.
For as much as words can heal,
They can also wound.
A harsh comment can take decades to heal,
If ever.
A rumour can destroy a life or fracture a community.
A careless insult can encourage hatred and violence.
When words are used harshly and without care,
They diminish the dignity and the humanity of the other person.
And they diminish the dignity of the person speaking the words.
They can create hostility and they widen the fractures in society.
We live in an age where hostility seems to be on the rise.
Online platforms seem to thrive on outrage.
And public discourse often prefers slogans over substance,
Accusations over dialogue.
But we can take comfort from the fact that it doesn't have to be like this.
We each have power in our own area of influence,
And we must work to bring about this change.
We can't allow this drift into animosity to continue.
Each of us,
However and wherever we can,
Must raise our voice for tolerance and understanding.
And so a morning resolution.
Each morning we are faced with a choice.
What kind of words will I issue today?
What kind of words will I issue today?
It's very simple.
In the Christian tradition,
We have the prayer of Saint Francis,
Which opens in this way.
Lord,
Make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love.
Where there is injury,
Pardon.
Where there is doubt,
Faith.
Where there is despair,
Hope.
This is a simple well-known prayer.
That will set us out on the right track.
And as we go through the day,
Can we bring ourselves back to this reminder of our good intention?
Before speaking,
Can we deliberately pause just for a second or two?
Breathe and ask this.
Will this word build up or tear down?
Does this word bring light or shadow?
In this effort,
Let us not lose heart.
Many people are striving to make this a better world.
We have to watch out for the good examples.
Encourage them.
Follow them.
And remember too that people are watching out for our good example.
They'll be watching us in hope.
So let's not let them down.
Namaste.
