The articles (CL 16/9/07) “Ministering the word of God” by Elizabeth Harrington has great subtleties and is timely in pointing out how readers (priests and lay) can perhaps inadvertently get carried away in what becomes and extension of self-promoted rhetoric.
Also too, the voice of a person can be one of their more prominent attributes.
It’s something we’ve all noticed but couldn’t or wouldn’t find words to point out this human flaw when reading publicly, however it’s exemplified in this excellent article.
The philosophy, parables and analogies in the gospel messages and readings are nonpareil because they’re the words of God.
“Heaven and hell may pass away but my words will not”, said Christ.
Words are very powerful both in writing and speech. Aphorisms coined by famous people often is what only remains when all else is forgotten of them.
As missionaries, or witnesses of the faith by example and by word, it’s our duty to disseminate the faith to those in our lives even when we think we are lacking.
Of course too, it has to be done humbly reminding those whom we wish to embrace Christ, that we are no better than they are, remembering St Paul’s words of humility when he said “we have done nothing for our redemption and salvation, it was a gift from Christ going down the Dolora Road to Calvary”.
P. J Kelly
Brassall, Qld
