Thursday, September 22, 2011

"Lord, Bless My Tongue"

Picture source

The following is from the Archconfraternity of Christian Mothers. It is an apostolate I highly recommend to all women...mothers and non-mothers alike. I have belonged to it for quite a few years now. I give it a lot of credit for helping me in my spiritual growth as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, etc.  More on the ACCM on a later post. 

"Our tongues are the most used, overused, abused organs in our frame. They need discipline to speak when we are afraid, to teach where ignorance confuses, to comfort when people are hurting, to assert when causes need defended, to caution where danger lurks, to encourage when trust is lacking, to say thanks where unhappiness overlooks blessings.


Keep our tongues from telling lies, destroying reputations, repeating obscene stories, violating secrecy, casting ethnic slurs, blasting angry words, criticizing insensitively, telling people off, bad-mouthing leaders in authority, sassing our parents, inflating our egos, excusing our weaknesses, exaggerating our accomplishments, humiliating our enemies.

Teach our tongues to pray and to praise our God in and out of the liturgy - in and out of season - whether we feel like it or not. Let our motive be: that God be glorified and our neighbor be helped. Make our tongues, a little more like Yours with each word we speak. Amen."

Copyright Father Angelus Shaughnessy, Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, Mother Love, A Newsletter to the Christian Mother Vol. 67 No. 4, Fall 2009.

6 comments:

Mary N. said...

Amen! Isn't this the truth! Tongues are often our worst enemy but they could be our best friends. Great post, Esther.

Unknown said...

I second Mary's Amen! Mine has gotten me in my share of trouble. Thanks for the link to the ACCM; I will definitely check them out.

EC Gefroh said...

Mary and Karinann, I know. I pray that I can keep silent...every morning...I fail each time. K, there isn't a link but there is an email on their website you can write.

noreen said...

Hi Esther,
Yes, our tongues have much power to do good or evil. Love the photo and I will have to check out the Archconfraternity of Christian Mothers.

EC Gefroh said...

Wonderful Noreen! Perhaps you can start a chapter at your church.

noreen said...

What would that entail? Is that different than the Rosary Guild?