“Hear and understand. It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.” (From Matthew 15)

What is coming out of your mouth?  Gossip?  Anger?  Words of negativity towards others?  Flirtatious words being shared with the wrong person?  Complaints about a coach or teacher about playing time or grades?  Disrespect towards someone who has a different political leaning than you?  Words of revenge and retribution?  It is from our heart and from our lips that the discord and wars of the world start and, while we try to blame society or someone higher on the totem pole for making the world as it is today, it’s really our own thoughts, words, and deeds that have defiled ourselves and the world around us!  It’s not a comfortable thing for me to think about and we certainly don’t want to think we’re defiling ourselves by our words, but listen to Jesus’s words and really take a hard look at what you think and say today.  Are you spreading love, compassion, mercy, and kindness in all of your thoughts and words, or is something that defiles and creates discord coming out of your mouth?  Let us change the world with our words and our works today, my sisters and brothers in Christ, for it has to start somewhere and there’s no better place than here and no better time than now!  Amen!