Freedom of Speech
My father is a wordsmith. He approaches words in much the same way that a carpenter carves wood or a blacksmith forges iron. He crafts poems - words carefully chosen and chiseled – that invite us to a deeper understanding of the human experience. Whether in poetry, daily speech, or Holy Scripture, words matter. Lectio divina (Latin for sacred reading) is a contemplative practice that invites us to read, savor, speak and listen for the still small voice of God calling to us from just beyond the surface of the words. Seeking God’s presence in the words that we read reminds us to also seek God’s presence in the words that we speak.
On July 4th we celebrate, in part, our freedom to speak whatever words we want. May we honor this hard earned right by choosing words that heal rather than harm. Lectio divina is a prayerful way to pay attention to the words we read as well as the words we speak. I invite you to give it a try!
“Rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”