Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

Title

Twisted Speech and Straightforward Act

Outline

The devil is the “father of lies”

He starts out his history with by twisting the truth and he is still at it today - look at virtually any advertisement or political statement, for starters.

He lies in the world around us and he lies in our head.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” is an example of our copying him, but often he gets us confused so that we do not even know what the truth is or what a true witness would look like.

We see the opposite with Elijah

He carries out a prophetic action at God’s direction which calls Elisha and will be literally fulfilled at Elijah’s ascension into heaven.

Elisha gets it, asks if it means following without saying good-bye, and when Elijah clarifies, Elisha takes decisive action turning his human inheritance into a sacrificial ordination offering, and walking off after Elijah.

Jesus turns the principle into teaching

He is reinterpreting the Ten Commandments for the kingdom. He does not criticize the scribal interpretation, for, as he will say, they sit in Moses’ seat. But he does consistently take each commandment inward, deeper.

It is wrong to bear false witness, usually with an oath, to defraud one’s neighbor in court or in any other way. It leads us debtors to God. Likewise vows to God should be paid.

But Jesus goes deeper. Avoid the casuistry involved in oaths, i.e. which are more binding and which are less binding or not binding at all. You are invoking things above you, i.e. God and the great King, or things beyond you, and you will end up with twisted words.

No, let your speech be straightforward, “Yes,” or “No,” as Paul says his speech is in 2 Cor ch 2. Of course, situations can change in unforeseen ways, as had happened to Paul, or situations may be complex and take some explaining, but our goal is to say what we mean and mean what we say and stick to it, doing it as simply as possible.

The devil is not only in the details, as is said of contracts, but also in every twist of speech, as Adam and Eve found out.

So, Sisters, let us watch our speech

And even our thoughts behind our speech.

This is not about whether or not to take an oath in court. Do it if it helps them, but be aware in yourself that it makes no difference - you would have spoken the truth anyway.

This is partially about what you might say to the Gestapo if they came to your door seeking Jews. Say, “Come in and see for yourselves,” knowing that they would do it anyway.

It is more about the clarity and trustworthiness of our communications everywhere, that we do not say something about a person to another that differs from what we say to their face, that our communication is straightforward and as clear as the situation permits, and if we should not share information saying, “That is their business” or “That should not be shared “ perhaps with “it will be announced in due time.”

That leads to trust and that leads to friendship. But, more than that, it makes us more like God, who deals with us in that way.