A Catholic Life shares a chapter from a book, on the care of the tongue. The entire post is worthwhile reading. In fact, this book is now on my must read list.
As I was reading the post, one of my mom's Spanish cliches came to mind:
En boca cerrada no entran moscss. In other words, flies don't enter a closed mouth.
One of my resolutions this year has been to think before speaking. It is only the 14th day of the year and so many times I have failed. I know this will help me and I hope it helps others too.
The following are excerpts from the chapter:
...He who cannot govern his tongue is like a city without walls, which is exposed on all sides. Without the grace of God, however, it is next to an impossibility to tame it...
...Be prudent in every conversation, suppressing that immoderate inclination which rashly hurries most people on to pass sentence upon their neighbor without due examination and deference to the case in question...
...Before you speak, consult your conscience—as to whether you be influenced by any evil passion—nor should you permit your tongue to say a word until that influence cease; otherwise, you shall say many things of which you shall afterwards have to repent...
...Your conversation ought not to be of an idle nature. You ought to be as particular in the choice of your words as you are in that of your food...
...Accustom yourself to speak much with yourself and little with others...
...Many have fallen into great disputes because they revealed their secrets to imprudent persons to whom they ought not to have confided them. Usually, to tell a thing to one person is the same as telling it to many. A word easily flies from one to another, and from these to all...
...You ought to say nothing of which it would be better to keep a profound silence. Stinginess in words is more praiseworthy than that in money...
...Christ Himself, when living among men, did not escape the scourge of the tongue. Imitate Jesus and the Saints in their example of patience...
Source: Chapter XI, CARE OF THE TONGUE
[Extracted from The Hand that Leads to Heaven by Cardinal Giovanni Bona, 1881. republished by TAN Books under the title Guidance to Heaven.]
3 comments:
Ah, yes, care of the tongue. I admit I've messed this up a lot. I've been told (and I've tried to get better at this) that I make little comments to make people feel bad about their life choices. I've been working on that. I have a whole group that feels wierd around me at work after a conversation I had regarding birth control pills and the like. Ugh. Finger-wagging at me and everything, "no one will tell me that I can't use birth control." Okay. I will try to examine my conscience better before I speak and try to say things with more FINESSE. (And, yes, I've gotten better at the little comments thing.)
FW, that is tricky because I thought we were to speak out when something is wrong but then again, we need to be charitable.
Thank you for the link!
Post a Comment