Thoughts. Words. Deeds.

What thoughts have been crossing your mind lately?

Are you thinking about everything you need to do once you get home? Are you worrying about a situation at work or about completing a difficult homework assignment? Are you wondering how your favorite sports team will do this season? Or is the last song you heard on the radio playing in your head?

Wherever your mind may be wandering, I would ask you to gather your thoughts and listen to the following quote from Frank Outlaw:

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character for it becomes your destiny.

It is true that we have no control over what ideas float up from our subconscious into our consciousness. However, we can decide which thoughts we will give attention to and which we will dismiss. And we can be sure that whatever thoughts we choose to indulge will affect what choices we make, how we behave and, ultimately, what type of people we become.

For instance, consider the parable that Jesus tells us in today’s gospel. What thoughts were in the minds of the people who took control of the vineyard from the owner and then killed his son? Perhaps they harbored resentment against the owner. Why should he get the produce from the vineyard when they had been the ones laboring all summer? Perhaps they indulged envious thoughts, wishing they could have the vineyard all to themselves. Soon the greedy and malicious thoughts that they chose to mull over moved them to steal and, then, to murder.

What thoughts are we allowing to consume us? How are we behaving as a result? What kind of people are we becoming because of the choices we make? And, is there anything we can do about it?

As spiritual people, the first step we must take is to become aware of what we are thinking. Rather than allow ourselves to be carried away by the images and ideas that pop into our heads, we should take a step back and ask ourselves: Are these the type of thoughts I want to be filling my imagination with? Are there more wholesome and honorable thoughts that I can be focusing on? We can discipline our thoughts in much the same way as we discipline our body. Just as we make conscious choices about what we will eat and how much we will exercise, we can make conscious choices about what ideas deserve our attention and what thoughts we will push out of our minds because they will do us no good.

Consider this example. Most of us know someone who gets on our nerves. When thinking about this person, we could focus on his negative qualities and how much he irks us. We could daydream about how much we would like to see something bad happen to him. What would be the result of such thinking? Most likely, it will leave us feeling irritated and surly. If we stay in that state of mind, we will eventually act out by snapping at someone or saying something cruel.

However, what if we were to change our thinking? What if, instead of focusing on the negative qualities of the person who irritates us, we focused on his good qualities instead? For instance, we might say to ourselves: “Though Tom gets under my skin, he really is a hard worker.” Or, instead of concentrating on how the person’s behavior affects us, we might think to ourselves: “I wonder what is going on in Tom’s life to make him so angry all the time.” Everyone is struggling with problems that we have no idea about. By simply changing our thinking, we can eventually replace our hostility toward that person with compassion and understanding.

In today’s second reading, Saint Paul gives us another example of how we can replace negative thoughts with positive ones. He writes: “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.”

Much of our attention is given to worry. Our imagination conjures up every threat that is looming on the horizon and we fear that we will not be prepared when the worst happens. Indulging these worries only leaves us feeling anxious and afraid.

What does Saint Paul tell us to do instead? He tells us to replace our worry with gratitude. When I begin to worry about whether I have enough, I should reflect on how much God has given me already. When I begin to wonder whether I have what it takes to complete a project at school or at work, I should be thankful about how much I have already accomplished in my life. When I fear that I will never be able to conquer my bad habits, I can concentrate on God’s promise to always be with me and provide me with the strength I need. By focusing my attention on God and his power, I will not fall into the temptation of worrying that I have to face my difficulties alone. Making that simple choice to think about God and His goodness rather than on the negative situations in my life will help me live with less fear and more confidence.

Saint Paul goes on to tell us: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” A good first step to begin disciplining our thinking would be to go home and memorize these words. Then, when we are tempted to let our imagination carry us away, we can call this verse to mind and bring our attention to the things that matter. And if we think about what is true, honorable, just, pure and gracious, our actions will become true, honorable and just and we will find that we have become lovely, pure and gracious people.