Verbal pollution

The story is told about a patient who was filling out hurriedly a questionnaire at the doctor’s office. To the first question “What exercise do you do?” she wrote, “None.” To the second question “How often do you do it?” she quickly answered, “Every day.”

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In today’s Gospel (Mt. 22, 15-21) we hear how Jesus rebuked the Pharisees who wanted to entrap him in speech. The Pharisees were learned in matters of the law but, in the words of Fr. Lino Nicasio, SVD, they were “not only nasty, but also malicious people.” They were hypocrites and were so full of pride and deceit. Yes, they were good, but they were good with just words. They were good, for nothing.

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Loud, proud, self-righteous, selfish, arrogant and aggressive people are difficult to deal with. The “Desiderata” cautioned us about such people, and described them as a “vexation to the spirit.” It is sad that some people go through life with an “axe to grind,” or with something to prove, or with an image to build or protect. Wouldn’t it be better if they just dropped their personal agenda, and used their talents, energy and resources and words to promote a cause, to help humanity, or to serve God? Are you a self-proclaimed intellectual or analyst who always has a mouthful to say? Careful. You may end up eating your own words. Intelligence must be tempered with wisdom, and knowledge with humility.

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I am reminded of a story about a lawyer who came across a crowd of people in one intersection. Wanting to throw his weight around to get to the scene of the accident, he shouted, “Let me get through, I’m a relative of the victim!” Upon hearing this, the crowd made way for him, and lo, behold, lying in front of everyone was a dead pig run over by a car.

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Proponents of the RH bill would do well to heed Jesus’ words today: “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God,” because the RH bill is not just a legal, but a moral issue. Let us not interfere, more so, stifle life. Life is sacred, let us not politicize it. Life is God-given, let us not monetize it.

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Let us not forget our “dues” to God. There are obligations to be met, and requirements to be fulfilled unto Him who gave us life. Problems arise when a person thinks he or she is not answerable to anything or anyone in this world. Pragmatism can make us very myopic and can make us lose sight of the “big picture,” that which more than meets the eye.

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“Next time, relax, take the bus, and leave the driving to us.” A nice advertisement I saw once at the back of a bus. Time was when I insisted to do all the driving myself and would not allow myself to be driven. So too in life. The sooner we learn to let go of power and control, the better. The sooner we let go and focus on service and love, much better.

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The Gospel today reminds us that even Jesus was not spared from criticism and judgment. We too have our share of people who have made it their personal calling to find fault and comment on everything we say, write or do. We take some consolation in the thought that in any game, it is the spectators who make a lot of noise while the players just play on.

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We all meet all sorts of people in our life’s journey. Some of them inspire, while some of them hurt and challenge us. What is important is that we do not lose our focus on our vision and mission. We take note of the lowly turtle that makes progress in its journey only by sticking out its neck.

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Let us not play the game of “placing,” i.e., playing it safe when dangers or inconveniences set in. It is the game played by people who do not want to get involved, and who do not want to go beyond their comfort zones. They go through life with the sign “Do not disturb.” Remember, the easy road or the path of least resistance may lead us to places, but in reality leads us nowhere.

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Someone rightly pointed out that there is another form of pollution that is prevalent in our world today – verbal pollution! And who are the biggest contributors? Critics, complainers, bad-mouthers, pessimists and doomsday-sayers. Let us all join in stopping verbal pollution, starting with ourselves. Let us use words to build up, to encourage, to enlighten, and to inspire.

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Peter Marshall once said: “Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change, and when we are right, make us easy to live with.” There are a lot of good and well-meaning people. The problem with some good people is that they are good, but refuse to become better. And the problem with well-meaning people is that they mean well, but they can be mean.

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One with you in prayer as I go on a pilgrimage to the Shrines of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Padre Pio, and to Medjugorje.  These places speak of simplicity and humility. They are places filled not with big words but with silence and solitude. May we all learn to be silent, inside and outside, so that we can truly pray and listen.

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, help me not to contribute to the verbal pollution in our fast and loud world that needs to pause and listen. Amen.