Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A leader must think before they act, and think before they speak.


Hello everyone.
I apologize once again for not updating my blog on a regular basis. It's hard working 31 hours a week, and coming home each day completely drained. Usually I just want to sleep when I come home. But, now that Lent is here, I suppose I should make more of an effort to write.


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Today I will be speaking of something that I feel strongly about. Especially, after getting a job and seeing the world more.




St. Alphonsus De Liguori and life experience has made me realize that our actions and our words have the ability to heal or do harm.
So often we speak before we think, and act without thinking. Especially in the heat of things.


We have the capability to wound ourselves and others with words.

Have you ever said something, or heard something, and you just can't get it out of your head? That's because our words can act as acid. They can burn right through our soul, and through our mind.


It's funny, because I bet nearly everyone reading does the same thing that I do which involves: Sitting at home, typing away, and watching letters appear on.
the screen. Suddenly, you backspace. You change your mind of what you want to say. You think to yourself: "Well, I could phrase this better". There's some part in us that knows how important words are. Yet, sometimes we forget and allow our mouths to speak immorally. Whether it's out of hatred, or out of sexuality. Maybe we can swear at someone during a fight. Or maybe we can say impure jokes. Our surroundings have an influence on us, and it's not always easy to hold our tongue. I've had people mistreat me at work, and I'm sure some of you have experienced this, as well. It's tempting to want to fuel the fire, but it's not the solution. Jesus' passion teaches us the best way to respond to situations. In silence.

I'll use an example: I remember when I used to go to our local YMCA, and when I was there one day running around the track, there was a group of 3 or 4 girls. And one of them came running out and "puked" on the track. (It was just water). They ran away laughing so I followed them out and they came up to me...laughing in my face. But, I didn't say anything. I remember stepping in the elevator, and just smiling as they were laughing. I saw an expression of confusion that began to form on their faces. I could sense they were expecting some sort of reaction from me, and they were boggled that they didn't see that.

God has given us a mouth to give praise to Him. To speak of Holiness, so that we may set the world ablaze. This doesn't mean that we need to constantly be on our knees praising Him and evangelizing. Obviously we have a life. God knows we work, are busy with children, etc. But we must constantly strive to have a certain "light" that shines when we speak and act. As Catholics, we are supposed to be leaders. We are supposed to seperate ourselves from the world. St. Paul tells us to be dead to the world (sin) and alive in Christ-- (Mortum mundo, Vivum in Christo)
To be dead to sin, and alive in Christ, we must think. We must constantly ask ourselves: "Is this Holy and pleasing to God?"

You want to strive to be alive in Christ, so that when you speak and act, you reflect Him.
Instead of going to work, complaining, fighting with people, getting involved with drama, making immoral jokes, be the one that smiles. Be the one that brings light to other workers. Be the one that offers up their work. I've seen how far a smile can go at work. There's a regular customer that comes into work to eat, and when I first started seeing him, he was very pessimistic every time I would ask him how he was doing. But, I never stopped smiling at him and asked him how he was doing. Now I always hear him say: "I'm doing pretty good! How are you doing?" And sometimes we'll even get into a conversation. This is why I say our actions and words have the ability to heal or do harm.

We are in a time of darkness. There are so many people that are wounded spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Because when people are wounded spiritually, it doesn't just affect their soul. It affects their entire being. If one is in the state of mortal sin, one is in such darkness and can't think clearly. With our actions and words, we should not contribute to the darkness of the world, but instead, we should be a light.

Always strive to reflect Christ




Come, Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they
shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who has
instructed the hearts of your faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant
that by the same Holy Spirit we may have a right judgment in all things and
evermore rejoice in his consolations. Through Christ Our Lord,
Amen