The Power Of Speech

Imagine what it would be like to spend your whole life not being able to speak. Imagine the frustration of not being able to tell others what you are thinking or what you need. Imagine the humiliation of being left out of conversations or having others talk about you as if you weren’t there. Imagine the helplessness of having to rely on others to speak for you.

Then, imagine Jesus healing you and you are suddenly able to talk. What would be the first words you’d want to say? Who would be the first person you would want to talk to? Who would be the first person you’d want to say “I love you” to?

It is easy for us to take for granted just how powerful words are. What we say and how we say it can affect others for a lifetime. Words have the power to build us up or knock us down.  If we look back on our lives we can see just how true this is. How many of us can still remember hurtful words our parents or teachers spoke to us when we were young and how they continue to haunt us today? How many times do we make decisions just to prove to ourselves that what others said about us in the past was wrong? People may have spoken many encouraging words to us in the past, but it always seems to be the hurtful ones that stay with us.

For that reason, we should always be aware of the power our words have to help or to harm others. We should always be careful to speak words of encouragement, that give people hope and that comfort them. This is the message of the prophet Isaiah in today’s first reading: “Say to those whose hearts are frightened: ‘Be strong, fear not!’” Who are the people in our homes, schools or workplaces who could benefit from a kind word or a simple “hello”? Who are the people in our lives who go unnoticed, whose hard work is not appreciated or who seem isolated and lonely. A simple word of thanks or appreciation can go a long way in lifting their spirits and giving them a sense of self-worth. That is how powerful our words can be.

Respect for the power of words should also make us aware of how we talk about others, especially behind their backs. It does not take much to ruin someone’s reputation. If we take part in spreading stories about other people, especially false ones, we are committing a very serious sin. Imagine how we would feel if someone spread rumors about us. How could we ever get our good name back? Just so, we each have a duty not only to avoid gossip but to stand up for those whose good name is being sullied. None of us should stand by silently while someone is spreading rumors about another person. Rather, we must use our power of speech to challenge those who gossip to see how hurtful their words are.

Using our power of speech responsibly also requires that we tell the truth and avoid lying. We sometimes consider lying to be only a minor sin, but that itself is a lie. Anytime we use our power of speech to say anything other than the truth we are harming our neighbor. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: “Lying consists in saying what is false with the intention of deceiving the neighbor who has the right to the truth” (2508). Think about why we tell lies. In our relationships, we lie to hide our faults and weaknesses from others. We fear that if people knew us as we really were, they would not be able to love us. When that happens, all our relationships are built on falsehoods. We do not feel truly loved and our friends end up feeling deceived. Relationships built on lies can never last.

We also lie in our business dealings. Perhaps we try to convince others that we have more expertise or experience than we really do. Or we might try to hide the defects in a product we are selling. Sooner or later, the truth will come out. It will become clear that we are not as competent as we are making ourselves out to be or that whatever we are selling is not as effective as we claim. Then our reputations will be ruined permanently. Business built on lies and deceit can never enjoy long term growth and prosperity. As the saying goes, “Honesty is the best policy.”

Nothing that is built on lies can last long. If we are going to build a just and peaceful society, then the first place to start is by being truthful with one another. This is especially true of politicians who have a duty to tell us the truth so that we can make good and wise decisions about our life together. We also have a duty to tell the truth to people in authority so that they can make good decisions. Many times we choose not to tell the truth, especially to the police, thinking that we are protecting our friends or family members. However, all it does is make it harder for the authorities to keep us safe. Then we turn around and blame them for the levels of crime and corruption in our cities. Instead, we all have to learn to work together to build a society where people are encouraged and rewarded for telling the truth rather than covering it up.

In today’s gospel, Jesus healed a man with a speech impediment. Perhaps the healing that we need is to be able to use our words more wisely to build one another up and to be more honest in our dealings with one another. All of us should be speaking a lot less and choosing our words more carefully. Just as Jesus opened the ears of the deaf man, we should pray that He open our ears so that we can listen more carefully to the fears, joys and struggles of those around us. Then we will be able to speak words that heal and encourage them as we work together to build a more just and peaceful society grounded firmly in the truth.