You have the gift of writing, but you don’t believe in anything after this life. Nothing. Not even nothingness. Your gift has no giver. So, you don’t write; or you write to spew your own truth before you die, with a whimper, or, in pointless rage, raging against the dying of your light.
Or
You have the gift of writing and you believe you will die, there is life after death, a life that is forever, and what you do, and what you write here in this life, affects how you will be in eternity. And you believe in the Giver of your gift. Why/What/How do you then write?
This is not about “journalling” for yourself alone. This is about writing words that someone else will read. If you value each other person as a unique instantiation of the likeness of the Giver, and you want to get to heaven and help these others to come with you, you will write words that do this – word signposts to the pearly gates, words that embody the two greatest commandments of love, words that echo the Sermon on the Mount, and words that proclaim those most-published written words of all time, abbreviated as “INRI” on the Cross.
Getting Isaiah Ready To Proclaim The Word
Isaiah had had a vision of the heavenly altar before the Lord. As incense rose to God, the angels around the altar said:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:4).
The Lord chose Isaiah to spread His words and to prophesy to His people. Isaiah said wasn’t so sure he could do this:
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips . . .” (Isaiah 6:5).
Hearing Isaiah’s lament of being unworthy to declare the message from the Lord, an angel was sent from the altar to Isaiah:
“Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
Getting Ready to Write Today
Writers today can ask that, as was Isaiah, they too be purified. Assuming one gifted with writing talent is in the second category above of one who believes – the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has a prayer that can be somewhat amended so that such a writer writing today might be confident and be able to say, “Here I am, Lord” like Isaiah did when the Lord asked whom He could send.
The priest says this prayer so that he may “competently and fittingly” announce the good news. The prayer is known by its Latin name, the Munda Cor Meum, and it is said before the reading of the gospel. For writer’s purposes, “fingers” are added here:
Cleanse my heart, my lips, and my fingers, O almighty God, who didst cleanse the lips of the prophet Isaiah with a burning coal, and vouchsafe, through Thy gracious mercy, so to purify me, that I may worthily announce and write about Thy holy Gospel. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Give me Thy blessing, O Lord. The Lord be in my heart, on my lips, and guide my fingers, that I may worthily and in a becoming manner proclaim and write about His holy Gospel. Amen. [Latin version of original below].
For the incensing of the offerings during a High Mass, Psalm 140 is recited, part of which is amenable for being prayed by writers today who want to write words that bring folks to heaven. Here it is with amendment:
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, a door around about my lips, and a guard for my fingers that my heart may not incline to malice and that I may not write words of evil. [Latin version of original below].
Conclusion
Whether or not you publish the great American novel, win a Pulitizer for your articles, or have two gazillion followers, whether it is in a text on a smartphone, a post on social media sites, or a comment online, you can write so that in your words you love God and love others. If you ask Him, He will help you bring His sheep back to Him and let you “digne et competenter,” worthily and competently, proclaim the good news.
Munda Cor Meum
Munda cor meum ac labia mea, omnipotens Deus, qui labia Isaiae prophetae calculo mundasti ignito: ita me tua grata miseratione dignare mundare ut sanctum Evangelium tuum, digne valeam nuntiare. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Iube Domine benedicere. Dominus sit in corde meo, et in labiis meis: ut digne et competenter annuntiem Evangelium suum. Amen.
Pone, Domine, Custodiam (from Psalm 140)
Pone, Domine, custodiam ori meo, et ostium circumstantiæ labiis meis: Non declines cor meum in verba malitiæ, ad excusandas excusationes in peccatis;
God has blest some people with the gifts of writing and speaking. He inspired the writers of the books of the Bible. He also isnopries people to day with His words. Yes He allows them some fame-publicilty-name recongintion- etcBUT His purpose is to-via these words of his earlty instruments-bring people to HIM in heaven forever.
Heavy budrden for those who m He has chosen for this. Must proceed with all this in mind. Every word, every title, every sentence.
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New Testament on the evils of the tongue
As Catholics, we have a number of phrases and sayings we use with one another on a consistent basis. One of the most common sayings is “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.” This quote is popularly attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. The saying is often used as a recommendation for how we should primarily or even exclusively evangelize. But, did St. Francis of Assisi really say this? And, did he really live this out as his primary means of evangelization?
There is no doubt that our lives should proclaim the Gospel. But, we should also be able to articulate the Gospel to others. As Pope Benedict says in Verbum Domini, “It is not a matter of preaching a word of consolation, but rather a word which disrupts, which calls to conversion and which opens the way to an encounter with the one through whom a new humanity flowers (no. 93).
.”Christian focused on eternity: “”The eyes of this world see no further than this life. But the eyes of a Christian see deep into eternity.”
Eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you for giving me another fullofwonder day in which to try to love you and get to heaven and to try to love others and help them get to heaven.
This stems from thoughts about
Often it is our words alone that are the totality of our relationship with another person.
