The Power of Destructive Speech

April 7, 2022

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Readings for Today

Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Priest—Memorial

Video

Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed.”  John 8:51–52

It’s hard to imagine anything worse that could be said about Jesus.  Did they really think He was possessed by the evil one?  It appears so.  What a sad and bizarre thing to say about the Son of God.  Here is God Himself, in the person of Jesus, offering a promise of eternal life.  He reveals the sacred Truth that obedience to His Word is the pathway to eternal happiness and that everyone needs to know this Truth and live it.  Jesus speaks this freely and openly, but the response from some hearing this message is deeply disappointing, slanderous and malicious.

It’s hard to know what was going on in their minds to cause them to say such a thing.  Perhaps they were jealous of Jesus, or perhaps they were just seriously confused.  Whatever the case may be, they spoke something that was seriously damaging.

The damage of such a statement was not so much toward Jesus; rather, it was damaging to themselves as well as to those around Him.  Jesus could personally handle whatever was spoken about Him, but others could not.  It is important to understand that our own words can do great damage to ourselves and to others.

First of all, their words did damage to themselves.  By speaking such an erroneous statement publicly, they start down the path of obstinacy.  It takes great humility to retract such a statement in the future.  So it is with us.  When we verbalize something that is damaging toward another, it’s hard to retract it.  It’s hard to later apologize and mend the wound we have caused.  The damage is primarily done to our own heart in that it’s hard to let go of our error and humbly move forward.  But this must be done if we want to undo the damage.

Secondly, this comment also did damage to those who were listening.  Some may have rejected this malicious statement but others may have pondered it and started to wonder if in fact Jesus was possessed.  Thus, seeds of doubt were sown.  We must all realize that our words affect others and we must strive to speak them with the utmost care and charity.

Reflect, today, upon your own speech.  Are there things you have spoken to others that you now realize were erroneous or misleading?  If so, have you sought to undo the damage by retracting your words and apologizing?  Reflect, also, upon the fact that it’s easy to be drawn into the malicious conversation of others.  Have you allowed yourself to be influenced by such conversations?  If so, resolve to silence your ears to such errors and look for ways to speak the truth.

Lord of all Truth, give me the grace of speaking holy words that always give You glory and reflect the eternal Truths alive in Your Heart.  Help me to also be aware of the lies all around me in this world of sin.  May Your Heart filter out the errors and allow only the seeds of Truth to be planted in my own mind and heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Freedom From Sin

April 6, 2022 Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Readings for Today

Video

Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.  A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains.  So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.”  John 8:34–36

Jesus wants to set you free, but do you want to be set free?  On an intellectual level this should be an easy question to answer.  Of course you want your freedom!  Who wouldn’t?  But on a practical level this question is harder to answer.  Practically speaking, many people are very comfortable living in sin.  Sin offers a deceptive satisfaction that can be hard to turn away from.  Sin can make you “feel” good in the moment, even though the long-term effects are that it strips your freedom and joy.  But so often that momentary “satisfaction” is enough for many people to keep coming back.

So what about you?  Do you want to be free so as to live as a son or daughter of the Most High God?  If you answer “Yes” then be prepared for this to be painful, but in a delightful way.  Overcoming sin requires purification.  The process of “letting go” of sin requires true sacrifice and commitment.  It requires you to turn to the Lord in absolute trust and abandon.  In doing so, you experience a sort of death to yourself, to your passions and to your own selfish will.  This hurts, at least on the level of your fallen human nature.  But it’s like a surgery that has the goal of removing cancer or some infection.  The surgery itself may hurt, but it’s the only way to be freed of the malady you have.  The Son is the Divine Surgeon and the way He sets you free is through His own suffering and death.  Jesus’ Crucifixion and death brought life into the world.  His death destroyed the disease of sin, and our willing acceptance of the remedy of His death means we must let Him destroy the disease of sin within us through His death.  It must be “cut out” so to speak and removed by our Lord.

Lent is a time, more than any, in which you must honestly focus on your sin for the reason of identifying those things that keep you bound, so that you can invite the Divine Physician to enter your wounds and heal you.  Do not let Lent go by without honestly examining your conscience thoroughly, and repenting of your sins with all your heart.  The Lord wants you to be free!  Desire it yourself and enter the process of purification so that you will be relieved of your heavy burdens.

Reflect, today, upon your attitude toward your own personal sins.  First, can you humbly admit to your sin?  Don’t rationalize them away or blame another.  Face them and accept them as your own.  Second, confess your sins.  Reflect upon your attitude toward the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  This is the Sacrament of freedom.  It is so very easy.  Just go in, admit all your sins, express sorrow and be set free.  If you find this difficult then you are trusting your own feelings of fear rather than the truth.  Third, rejoice in the freedom that the Son of God offers you.  It’s a gift beyond anything we deserve.  Reflect on these three things today and for the rest of Lent, and your Easter will be one of true thanksgiving!

Lord, I do desire to be set free from all sin so that I may live in the freedom of being Your child.  Help me, dear Lord, to face my sin with honesty and openness.  Give me the courage I need to admit my sin in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so that I may rejoice in all that You have bestowed upon me through Your suffering and death.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The ‘Hour’ of Jesus

April 4, 2022 Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent (Note: In Year C, when the reflection for Year A was used, the readings from Sunday Year C may be used today.) Readings for Today Saint Isidore, Bishop and Doctor of the Church—Optional Memorial

Video But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.  John 8:20 This short line comes at the end of today’s Gospel after Jesus, once again, directly confronted the Pharisees.  He confronts them, in this situation, by speaking the truth of His union with the Father and the power and authority He had on account of this union.  The Pharisees attempt to confront and challenge Him but He speaks the truth right back to them in clear language.  Their response to Jesus’ words is not recorded but it’s clear that they do not know what to say and it’s clear that they remain skeptical and desirous of trapping Jesus. This passage quoted above reveals to us the profound truth that neither the malice of the Pharisees nor that of anyone else could ultimately triumph since Jesus’ “hour had not yet come.”  What does this mean?  Here are two truths we should take from this line. First, malice cannot overpower the will of God.  Since God the Father did not permit Jesus’ arrest at that time, those with evil intentions were powerless to do so.  Jesus was able to speak clearly and openly, challenging the Pharisees with the truth, and they could do nothing to stop it.  Though His words stung them to the heart, they could do no more than listen and grow in anger and obstinacy toward our Lord.  But they could not harm Him.  This shows that God is ultimately in control of even the malice of others and will only allow malice to appear to triumph when He sees some greater purpose for allowing such a thing to happen.   Secondly, it reveals that there is a coming “hour” when Jesus will be handed over to sinful men.  But in John’s Gospel, this hour is not an hour of shame and disgrace for Jesus; rather, it is an hour of total triumph over sin and death.  From a worldly perspective we know that His hour of arrest, persecution and Crucifixion takes on the public appearance of horror and disgrace for Jesus.  It appears as if He lost and the Pharisees won.  But from the perspective of God, which is the only true perspective, Jesus triumphs gloriously.  In fact, the Father ultimately permits the malice of the Pharisees to be the instrument of Jesus’ glorification through the sufferings He endured in this hour.  From the divine perspective, His hour does not become one of defeat; rather, it becomes one of ultimate victory. Reflect, today, upon the coming hour of Jesus.  Soon we will enter into the glories of Holy Week and ponder, once again, that the Father did permit Jesus to enter into the most cruel suffering and death imaginable.  We will be confronted with the apparent scandal of His arrest and the illusion of the victory of the malicious leaders of the day.  But their victory is only an illusion since the permissive will of the Father had other intentions.  Begin preparing for this annual celebration of the hour of Jesus and enter into it with the utmost confidence and faith. My glorious Lord, I glorify You for Your wisdom and power and rejoice in the perfect will of the Father in Heaven.  The Father sent You on a mission of redemption and salvation and permitted You to ultimately suffer and die.  But through this suffering He brought final victory over death and all evil.  Give me faith to know and believe this truth with my whole heart.  Bless this coming Holy Week, dear Lord, and permit me to rejoice in Your glorious victory.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The ‘Hour’ of Jesus

April 4, 2022 Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent (Note: In Year C, when the reflection for Year A was used, the readings from Sunday Year C may be used today.) Readings for Today Saint Isidore, Bishop and Doctor of the Church—Optional Memorial

Video But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.  John 8:20 This short line comes at the end of today’s Gospel after Jesus, once again, directly confronted the Pharisees.  He confronts them, in this situation, by speaking the truth of His union with the Father and the power and authority He had on account of this union.  The Pharisees attempt to confront and challenge Him but He speaks the truth right back to them in clear language.  Their response to Jesus’ words is not recorded but it’s clear that they do not know what to say and it’s clear that they remain skeptical and desirous of trapping Jesus. This passage quoted above reveals to us the profound truth that neither the malice of the Pharisees nor that of anyone else could ultimately triumph since Jesus’ “hour had not yet come.”  What does this mean?  Here are two truths we should take from this line. First, malice cannot overpower the will of God.  Since God the Father did not permit Jesus’ arrest at that time, those with evil intentions were powerless to do so.  Jesus was able to speak clearly and openly, challenging the Pharisees with the truth, and they could do nothing to stop it.  Though His words stung them to the heart, they could do no more than listen and grow in anger and obstinacy toward our Lord.  But they could not harm Him.  This shows that God is ultimately in control of even the malice of others and will only allow malice to appear to triumph when He sees some greater purpose for allowing such a thing to happen.   Secondly, it reveals that there is a coming “hour” when Jesus will be handed over to sinful men.  But in John’s Gospel, this hour is not an hour of shame and disgrace for Jesus; rather, it is an hour of total triumph over sin and death.  From a worldly perspective we know that His hour of arrest, persecution and Crucifixion takes on the public appearance of horror and disgrace for Jesus.  It appears as if He lost and the Pharisees won.  But from the perspective of God, which is the only true perspective, Jesus triumphs gloriously.  In fact, the Father ultimately permits the malice of the Pharisees to be the instrument of Jesus’ glorification through the sufferings He endured in this hour.  From the divine perspective, His hour does not become one of defeat; rather, it becomes one of ultimate victory. Reflect, today, upon the coming hour of Jesus.  Soon we will enter into the glories of Holy Week and ponder, once again, that the Father did permit Jesus to enter into the most cruel suffering and death imaginable.  We will be confronted with the apparent scandal of His arrest and the illusion of the victory of the malicious leaders of the day.  But their victory is only an illusion since the permissive will of the Father had other intentions.  Begin preparing for this annual celebration of the hour of Jesus and enter into it with the utmost confidence and faith. My glorious Lord, I glorify You for Your wisdom and power and rejoice in the perfect will of the Father in Heaven.  The Father sent You on a mission of redemption and salvation and permitted You to ultimately suffer and die.  But through this suffering He brought final victory over death and all evil.  Give me faith to know and believe this truth with my whole heart.  Bless this coming Holy Week, dear Lord, and permit me to rejoice in Your glorious victory.  Jesus, I trust in You.

The Wisdom that Comes with Age

April 3, 2022 Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year C) (Note: When the Scrutinies are used at Mass, the reflection for Year A may be used in place of this one. Also, when the readings from Year A are used for this Sunday, the following Gospel may be used on Monday.) Readings for Today

Video “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.  And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders.  John 8:7–9 This passage comes from the story of the woman caught in adultery when she is dragged before Jesus to see if He would support her stoning.  His response is perfect and, in the end, she is left alone to encounter the tender mercy of Jesus. But there is a line in this passage that is easily overlooked.  It is the line that states, “…beginning with the elders.”  This reveals an interesting dynamic within human communities.  Generally speaking, those who are younger tend to lack the wisdom and experience that comes with age.  Though the young may find it hard to admit, those who have lived a long life have a unique and broad picture of life.  This enables them to be far more prudent in their decisions and judgments, especially when it comes to the more intense situations in life. In this story, the woman is brought before Jesus with a harsh judgment.  Emotions are high and these emotions clearly cloud the rational thinking of those who are ready to stone her.  Jesus cuts through this irrationality by a profound statement.  “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Perhaps, at first, those who were younger or more emotional did not allow the words of Jesus to sink in.  They probably stood there with stones in hand waiting to start throwing.  But then the elders began to walk away.  This is age and wisdom at work.  They were less controlled by the emotion of the situation and were immediately aware of the wisdom of the words spoken by our Lord.  As a result, the others followed. Reflect, today, upon the wisdom that comes with age.  If you are older, reflect upon your responsibility to help guide the younger generation with clarity, firmness and love.  If you are younger, do not neglect to rely upon the wisdom of the older generation.  Though age is not a perfect guarantee of wisdom, it may be a far more significant factor than you realize.  Be open to your elders, show them respect, and learn from the experiences they have had in life. Prayer for the young: Lord, give me a true respect for my elders.  I thank you for their wisdom stemming from the many experiences they have had in life.  May I be open to their counsel and be guided by their gentle hand. Prayer for the elder: Lord, I thank You for my life and for the many experiences I have had.  I thank You for teaching me through my hardships and struggles, and I thank You for the joys and loves that I have encountered in life.  Continue to pour forth Your wisdom upon me so that I may help guide Your children.  May I always seek to set a good example and lead them according to Your Heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.

SOME SOCIAL RULES THAT MAY HELP YOU

Loving and Amazing World

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Posted by

Dasha Taran

 

Updated Mar 20

SOME SOCIAL RULES THAT MAY HELP YOU:

1. Don’t call someone more than twice continuously. If they don’t pick up your call, presume they have something important to attend to;

2. Return money that you have borrowed even before the person that borrowed you remember or ask for it. It shows your integrity and character. Same goes with umbrellas, pens and lunch boxes.

3. Never order the expensive dish on the menu when someone is giving you a lunch/dinner.

4. Don’t ask awkward questions like ‘Oh so you aren’t married yet?’ Or ‘Don’t you have kids’ or ‘Why didn’t you buy a house?’ Or why don't you buy a car? For God’s sake it isn’t your problem;

5. Always open the door for the person coming behind you. It doesn’t matter if it is a guy or a girl, senior or junior. You don’t grow small by treating someone well in public;

6. If you take a taxi with a friend and he/she pays now, try paying next time;

7. Respect different shades of opinions. Remember what's 6 to you will appear 9 to someone facing you. Besides, second opinion is good for an alternative;

8. Never interrupt people talking. Allow them to pour it out. As they say, hear them all and filter them all;

9. If you tease someone, and they don’t seem to enjoy it, stop it and never do it again. It encourages one to do more and it shows how appreciative you're;

10. Say “thank you” when someone is helping you.

11. Praise publicly. Criticize privately;

12. There’s almost never a reason to comment on someone’s weight. Just say, “You look fantastic.” If they want to talk about losing weight, they will;

13. When someone shows you a photo on their phone, don’t swipe left or right. You never know what’s next;

14. If a colleague tells you they have a doctors' appointment, don’t ask what it’s for, just say "I hope you’re okay". Don’t put them in the uncomfortable position of having to tell you their personal illness. If they want you to know, they'll do so without your inquisitiveness;

15. Treat the cleaner with the same respect as the CEO. Nobody is impressed at how rude you can treat someone below you but people will notice if you treat them with respect;

16. If a person is speaking directly to you, staring at your phone is rude;

17. Never give advice until you’re asked;

18. When meeting someone after a long time, unless they want to talk about it, Don’t ask them their age and salary;

19. Mind your business unless anything involves you directly - just stay out of it;

20. Remove your sunglasses if you are talking to anyone in the street. It is a sign of respect. Moreso, eye contact is as important as your speech; and

21. Never talk about your riches in the midst of the poor. Similarly, don't talk about your children in the midst of the barren.

22.After reading a good message try to say "Thanks for the message".

APPRECIATION remains the easiest way of getting what you don't have....

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Are there any real examples of Stockholm Syndrome?

 Alisha Talks

SA Psychologist, Mental Health Advocate, Investor 1y

Are there any real examples of Stockholm Syndrome?

25-year-old Mary McElroy was taking a bath when she was abducted by four men.

The men broke into the house with a shotgun and waited for Mary to get dressed, before taking her to an old farmhouse and chaining her to a wall in the basement.

Her father was a rich man — a goldmine for ransom money! The men settled for $30,000 for Mary’s release. She left unharmed.

Three of the men were captured a month later and sent to trial. However, Mary said that she was well cared for during the 29 hours in capitivity. One of the men apparently gave her flowers.

---

She was riddled with guilt, and publicly sympathized with the abductors, so much so that she asked for the sentence to be reversed!

Mary remained friends with two of her captors, visited them in prison and brought them gifts.

However, this didn't end well. At the time of the trial, Mary experienced many breakdowns. Her mental state collapsed. She committed suicide and left a note reading:

“My four kidnappers are probably the four people on earth who don’t consider me an utter fool.”

---

The term 'Stockholm' describes a set of psychological traits that was initially observed in people who were taken hostage during a bank robbery in 1973, in Stockholm.

What happens is that a person in captivity may develop a bond with their aggressors. The feelings can range from empathy, to the illusion of romantic interest and anger towards the law.

Victims who have been rescued are described as being in a trance-like state. Their concept of right and wrong becomes muddled. If the captor doesn't harm the victim, the victim may feel gratitude for keeping them alive.

One possible explanation for how the syndrome develops is that at first, the victim may be threatened; thus establishing fear. The victim learns that in order to survive, they need to understand the reactions of their captors and become compliant.

This becomes their safety-net, their defence mechanism.[1]

Despite being a fairly well-known psychological condition, the authenticity of Stockholm Syndrome has been questioned. What's your opinion?

Footnotes

[1] Stockholm Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, Examples

The Temptation with Familiarity

April 1, 2022 Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent Readings for Today

Video Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from.  Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.”  John 7:28 Sometimes the more familiar we are with someone the harder it is to actually see their goodness and the presence of God in their lives.  Often, we are tempted to look at them and presume we “know all about them.”  As a result, what we can often do is simply highlight their faults and weaknesses in our minds and see them only through the lens of these faults and weaknesses.   This is what happened with Jesus.  When Jesus went up to the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, there were some there who knew Him.  They probably knew Him as this ordinary son of a carpenter.  Perhaps they were even from His home town.  As a result of this familiarity with Jesus they immediately doubted He could be the Messiah.  But they were, of course, very mistaken. This presents a great lesson for us.  It’s the lesson of being judgmental and overly critical of others we know well.  The more we know about someone the more we will be aware of their faults and weaknesses.  And if we are not careful, we will focus in on those qualities rather than on the good qualities God wants us to see. This is what happened with Jesus.  No, He did not have any actual bad qualities.  He was perfect.  But there were most likely many parts of His life that invited the false judgment and criticism of others.  His self-confidence, the authority He manifested in His teaching, the extraordinary compassion He had toward sinners, etc., were all exceptional qualities that some could not understand.  And, as a result, they chose to be critical.  “We know where He is from,” they said.  In other words, they did not think that someone they knew could be filled with greatness. What do you think about those around you?  What do you think about those closest to you?  Are you able to see beyond any apparent weakness they have and see the hand of God at work?  Are you able to see beyond the surface and see the value and dignity of their lives?  When you can see the goodness of others, point it out, and be grateful for it, you will actually be seeing and loving the manifest goodness of God.  God is alive and active in every soul around you.  It is your responsibility to see that goodness and love it.  This takes true humility on your part but, in the end, it’s a way of loving God in your midst. Reflect, today, upon how you look at those who are closest to you and spend some time trying to ponder the ways that God is alive in their lives.  If you do this, you will be loving God in your very midst. My ever-present Lord, I do love You.  Help me to see and love You in others.  And help me to shed any temptation I have toward being judgmental and humbly be drawn into the goodness of all Your sons and daughters.  I love You, dear Lord, may I also love You in others.  Jesus, I trust in You.