Jesus Casts Out a Devil
“And He was casting out a devil and the same was dumb” (Luke 11, 14).
First Prelude: Behold this poor victim possessed by a devil, standing before Jesus: he is not able to speak, therefore others must intercede for him.
Second Prelude: Teach me, O Divine Saviour, to use my tongue solely for Thy honor.
First Point
The Necessity of Speaking at the Right Time
When Jesus had expelled the devil from the dumb man to the great astonishment of all, the latter spoke. The devil had completely controlled the tongue of this poor victim and employed it at will. We can learn from this that the Evil Spirit has power to entice us to sins of the tongue. He may hinder us from speaking in due season, and even induce us to be silent when we ought to speak. In like manner, thousands of souls have fallen basely by neglecting to make a candid confession of their faults in the sacred tribunal of Penance, thus effecting their own ruin. Many others are silent, though the honor of God and Christian charity would have them speak.
Again others, who by a mere consoling, encouraging and counseling word could easily rescue a soul from perdition, through detestable human respect refrain from speaking. The devil has secured their tongue. Full of malice and hatred, he hinders the good they might do and employs them to accomplish his sinister purpose.
Sad to say, even religious expose themselves to the danger of thus falling a prey to the wily tempter by giving ear to his insinuations. Through wounded pride, sensitiveness and human respect they refrain from speaking when they ought to speak; consequently, they will soon become wholly dumb before God in prayer. Whilst they are busy in animated discourses with self-love, they have nothing to say to their God. The time of meditation and vocal prayer leaves them arid and without fruit for their souls. Failing to find in intimate communion with God the consolation and strength that fall to the happy lot of faithful souls, they lead a purely natural, exceedingly melancholy life. Should we not guard assiduously against the pernicious influence of the Evil One, by caution in the use of our tongue? How easily could I make use of my conversations to promote the glory of God directly or indirectly? If I speak on edifying topics, I will unobtrusively effect good in the hearts of others. I will become a fit instrument of the Holy Ghost in the service of charity to lead many souls to God.
Let us beg the Saviour in Holy Communion to sanctify our tongue, which He so frequently consecrates by close contact with His Sacred Body. Oh, may we never grieve His Sacred Heart by a sinful silence and never offend Him with our words! O Mary, teach us the holy art of conversing with God, and with our neighbor for God’s sake.
Second Point
The Value of Silence
There is scarcely to be found so effective a means to evade the snares of the Evil One as silence. Silence teaches us, furthermore, how to speak. By becoming accustomed to silence we gradually break ourselves of the bad habits we may have acquired in the use of our tongue, such as uttering unkind, boastful words, in general, such as still savor of the world. By observing silence, we can deliberate what to speak and conform our words to the rules of religious modesty, humility, meekness, prudence, and Christian charity.
Silence is the source of holy thoughts, pious aspirations and recollection. Would we become interior souls, then we must learn to pray and meditate, to cherish intimate, loving intercourse with God—we must learn to be silent. Oh, how many sins should have been avoided had we better observed the rule of silence! How much time have we lost by useless words, how often sullied our hearts by unkind, vain, impatient and over-sensitive words! Should there be need of further considerations to impress deeply upon us the value of silence and to endear it to us, then let us remember that by every violation of this virtue we injure our fellow-religious and desecrate our tongue which is daily purpled with Christ’s Precious Blood. Let us, then, resolve never to give pain to His Sacred Heart!
Affections: My Saviour and my God, I thank Thee for having so lovingly warned me of the dangers by which the enemy of my soul seeks to entrap me. It is so easy to fall a prey to his wiles by uttering sinful, vain or boastful words, by which the tongue of a religious should never be defiled. Make me prudent and circumspect in conversation, and patient in silence. Preserve my tongue, which Thou daily consecratest by contact with Thee in Holy Communion, pure and untainted. Grant that I employ it in Thy service alone, for Thy honor and greater glory, O Lord, by Thy infinite mercy, I beseech Thee to release from the tyranny of the Evil One so many souls fettered by its disgraceful bonds, that in this holy season they may rise to a new life for which Thou hast merited abundant grace by Thy bitter passion and death.
Resolution: I will conscientiously observe the rule of silence, so as to be qualified for intimate communion with God in prayer.
Spiritual Bouquet: “Speak, Lord, Thy servant heareth.”
Prayer: O Jesus living in Mary . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment