Be Muzzled

200 Words: We could all do with a lot of muzzling. We all speak too much and listen too little.

When nature is powerful, she is destructive:

It began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped (Mark 4).

With God, it is otherwise:

When God acts with great power, he is exceedingly gentle (St. John Henry Newman).

Lest we forget.

Jesus is asleep on the boat, awoken by his disciples:

He rebukes the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!

Literally, Jesus says to the sea:

Be muzzled!

We could all do with a lot of muzzling. We all speak too much and listen too little.

What we can do is take the four cardinal virtues and the three theological virtues and use these as a foundation for our behaviour:

Prudence: listen to a variety of people about the critical issues.

Temperance: bring down the volume and lessen the intensity.

Justice: think more about the mutuality of life. What do I owe you and what do you owe me?

Fortitude: don’t be afraid to speak when the truth is at stake.

Faith: speak in a way that enlightens people.

Hope: raise people up with our speech.

Love: speak and act just like Jesus.

Amen.