10 Tips for Controlling the Language
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Por: Father Ed Broom. | Fuente: Catholic.net

P. Ed Broom, OMV (Oblate of the Virgin Mary), also known as Father Broom, was ordained a priest by John Paul II in 1986. She is an assistant pastor at the Church of San Pedro Chanel in Hawaiian Gardens (California). There he teaches retreats, gives the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, organizes and directs his own radio and television program in Guadalupe Radio (sweeping consciences). Then we reproduce an article of his on the control of the bad languages, published in his Blog. 

Of the abundance of the heart speaks. Rules to control the language. Jesús said that of the abundance of the heart speaks the mouth, and that we will give accounts of all the words that come out of our mouth. James, in chapter 3 of his Epistle, clearly invites us to use the language to praise God. Below we detail ten useful suggestions. Let's read them and apply them in our daily conversations!

 

1.    Pray to the Holy Spirit. Look at the Apostles! Before Pentecost they fled, and even Pedro denied Jesus with his tongue. After the first ninth of Pentecost, there is a radical transformation. Peter utters a homily for Pentecost and converts... to 3000 people! How? Invoking the Holy Spirit. Here is a brief, but powerful prayer: "Come Holy Spirit, come through the heart of Mary". 

 

2.    Think! Santiago says we should be quick to listen and slow to talk. So the next thing is to avoid impulsiveness! Think before you speak! How often we have talked driven for the moment, without reflection, and we have hurt the person and have paid the consequences! The Imitation of Christ says: "Few have regretted having kept silence, many having spoken at a bad time". 

 

3.    The golden rule. Remember this beautiful and powerful rule of Jesus: "Do to others what you want others to do to you." We can apply it when we speak: "Tell others what you want them to tell you". 

 

4.     Shut up! Mothers often teach their children this axiom: "If you don't have something good to say, then don't say it." Good advice! 

 

5.     Are you nervous? In moments of agitation, it's better not to talk. Better retire to your room, pray a part of the rosary, and then return to the quiet and serene conversation. In agitation, evil spirit works in us and that also affects what we say. 

 

6.     Give encouragement! Learn words of encouragement. We all need reinforcement, support and consolation. Be a Barnabas! Barnabas was one of the last apostles and his name means "son of consolation." Why not form a Bernabé Club?

 

7.     Sorry! When you are wrong about what you have said and hurt your neighbor, make a collection of humility and courage enough to utter two very difficult words: "I'm sorry!" Shakespeare gave on the nail: "To err is human attribute, to forgive is divine attribute". 

 

8.    Spiritual reading. We may come to an inner void: we have little to say that it has a real value. Forge the habit of a good spiritual reading (half an hour a day) and many holy, edifying, and sanctifying thoughts will transform your mind and heart into words that serve to truly sanctify others. In contemplation to reach Love, St. Ignatius says that love is expressed by giving. Why not share with others the spiritual treasures of your heart? 

 

9.    Remember Holy Communion! Remember that you speak with the same language with which you receive the Eucharistic Lord, the Lord of the Lords and King of Kings. I hope that what we are talking about reflects who we have just received in our language and in our hearts!

 

10.     The model of Mary. Look at Mary and ask for her powerful intercession to help you in what you say. Imagine Mary speaking to St. Joseph, to Jesus, to St. Elizabeth, to others. How much love, how much attention, how much kindness, how sweet, how humble, how discreet, how much joy...! No doubt, that Mary who said "yes" to the word of God will reach for us the grace of saying with clarity, conviction and charity every word that comes from our mouth: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior", proclaimed in the song of the Magnificat.