Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 5:20-26
Watch your tongue – the small gate to a big conversion
The Gospel today tells us that anyone who harbours hatred in their heart is a murderer in the heart. And that’s where the Gospel always starts: not on the outside, but in the heart. That’s where wars begin. That’s where divisions fester. And yes, that’s where our words take shape.
Jesus, too, is very clear: Do not insult, do not belittle, do not speak badly of your brother or sister. He is not only talking about physical violence, but also about the violence of the tongue — that sharp, quick weapon we too easily draw. Verbal abuse is often disguised as a joke, a bit of sarcasm, a clever jab. But underneath, it’s a desire to take someone down so we feel a little taller.
Why do we do this? Because we are weak, not wicked — fragile, not fearless. Like Cain, when we are insecure or wounded, we may feel tempted to strike with words rather than open our hearts with kindness. It’s much easier to gossip than to bless. Much easier to tear down than to build up.
But Jesus offers us another way. A way that demands conversion — a change of heart. He calls us to the “law of love, the law of docility, the law of peace.” That begins, simply, with the tongue. As St. James says, “If we cannot bridle our tongue, we are lost.”
Let us ask the Lord for the grace to prune our language — to cut back on the bitterness, to soften the tone, to choose silence instead of slander, blessing instead of insult. It’s a small penance, yes, but it yields a harvest of peace.
May our words give life, not wounds. May they lift up, not weigh down. And may we never forget: we are all walking the same road — in need of mercy, of patience, and of love.
Amen.
© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025
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