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Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost 2020

The boneless tongue can break a mighty man’s back, thus the psalmist remarks. Today we face tongue that lie without a concern in the world about the consequences. When the Jews brought a deaf and dumb man to Jesus, they desired that he be healed. Our Lord touches the man’s ears and taking some spittle He touches the tongue and utters the word: “Ephpheta.” “Be opened,” and the man could hear and speak correctly. This is the normal means of coming to praise our loving Father. We need to have our tongues opened and our ears ready to hear. But what has taken place since Our Lord opened our ears to His saving message and desired that our tongue would be loosed to proclaim the great works of God.

In reality the tongue has become the downfall of many a soul. In fact it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth is capable of exposing our soul and its direction in our life. Notice how our Lord sought to keep the miracle quiet but the crowd could not control their enthusiasm. When the tongue lifts up the praise of God then it fulfills its mission. Our hearts should be filled with the knowledge and love of the One Who created us and called us to embrace an eternal life.

To enter eternal life one must hear the words of Jesus and seek to guard them within their heart. If we hold onto the eternal words of God, then we will come to a sacrificial love that seeks to benefit our neighbor. However, if the word of the world enters our mind and migrates to the heart then we very easily condemn the neighbor and ourselves in the process.

It is interesting to remark that St. Ambrose and St. Ephraim the Syrian reflect upon the seriousness of training the tongue. Each of these saints exposes that the uncontrolled tongue can be a source of eternal sadness. Consider the example of Moses’ sister, Miriam. She thought that as a prophetess she was much more in tone with God than poor meek old Moses and she sought to take over his leadership position. How to do it? Spread an evil word with a half-truth in it. God exposed her through the malady of leprosy. She became a white leper and it brought her to repent. In her repentance it was Moses, her brother, who interceded with God to heal her of this disease.

Consider another example of the wayward tongue. Absolam was David’s son but he sought to be king. He would stay outside the city of Jerusalem and listen to the complaints of those seeking justice. His tongue would commiserate with the individuals and spread a bad word about the slow process to get judgment. If he were set up as judge he could facilitate these Israelites. His little tongue caused a rebellion because he desired to grasp for the crown. In the end he was beaten and his body was cast down under a pile of stones.

This little tongue can do wonderful things by retaining the word of God and treasuring it. Or this little tongue can be our downfall because we do not know how to tame it. St. James remarks on how one needs a bridle to control a horse or a mule just so the tongue must be controlled that it not be an instrument of pride. Consider the politicians of our day. Do they not use their little tongues to lie and deceive, to criticize and belittle their opponents? Can we trust those who seek to murder babies, eliminate the elderly, and promote sexual perversions? It is mortal sin to vote for such creatures because their platform is purely demonic.

Beware of the little tongue and what it can do. Hold to the word of our Lord and you will find that you have become our Lady who treasured every word Her Son spoke and in her final word in the Scripture she tells us as she told the waiters: “Do whatever He tells you.” Our Lord has asked that we consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart in the manner requested (i.e. The Pope and all the Bishops in union with him on the same day and time within their respective cathedrals). Do this and an era of peace will be granted to this world. If we do not have this take place, then the errors of Russia will consume the world and billions may be slaughtered by the communist.

Pray the holy rosary with fervor and with fidelity. Don’t take this special prayer for granted but trust in the promises of our Lady to those who will pray and meditate upon these mysteries of the life of Christ. Our country needs our prayer and our world as well needs a great deal of prayer. We must conquer Satan not by loud mouth nonsense but by the simple and great prayer of the holy rosary.

In the hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,

Fr. Voigt

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