February 4
I say this in order that no one may delude you with beguiling speech. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit Colossians 2:4-5
Some time ago, a priest friend of mine, while discussing with me a non-fiction book I had recently read, cautioned me about reading material and suggested that I always “look to the author.” At first it puzzled me a bit. Wouldn’t I get to know the author through the writing of this person? Then as I began to consider this, the questions arose. What kind of life did this person live? What experiences in their lives backed up their beliefs? Did they have faith in God and how did that influence their principles? What were their moral values?
We are blessed in our Country to have freedom of speech. Through this freedom though, often incorrect ideas and unhealthy opinions are spread upon a vulnerable crowd; people of all ages and backgrounds, facing difficulties today with a myriad of issues from: major financial crises with the ensuing events that swallow up homes and scar families, to the stress of everyday personal problems. We all search out answers to so many things, and it seems that everywhere we look; someone has “the” answer to our many questions. We are assailed today with so called “experts” on everything from A to Z! Surely these experts know more than we do, right? With their “beguiling speech,” we may just believe their rhetoric!
Through the media and our internet services we can obtain instant answers to almost anything today. Individual opinion is easily accessible. Appealing, convincing ideas and information is all around us, making some of us question our own thoughts, ways and values. We can be deceived. But the source of any information is available to us when we do our research. We can utilize our internet access and libraries, as well as other methods of communication to obtain much information that was difficult to retrieve in the past.
There are multitudes of outstanding people, gifted by God with knowledge that assists us on this journey of life; people who do have sound ideas that we may attempt in an effort to solve our predicaments; to learn from. As Fr. Canisius Kiniry once said, “Look to the author!” We can trust the “Author” in Scripture! Through meditation and prayer we can obtain the answers we search for and with God’s help, we will be given direction. With an open heart and keener awareness, we will know who is deceptive.
Heavenly Father, may we always earnestly consult you first when faced with any questions, so we may not be deceived by beguiling speech.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson
I say this in order that no one may delude you with beguiling speech. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit Colossians 2:4-5
Some time ago, a priest friend of mine, while discussing with me a non-fiction book I had recently read, cautioned me about reading material and suggested that I always “look to the author.” At first it puzzled me a bit. Wouldn’t I get to know the author through the writing of this person? Then as I began to consider this, the questions arose. What kind of life did this person live? What experiences in their lives backed up their beliefs? Did they have faith in God and how did that influence their principles? What were their moral values?
We are blessed in our Country to have freedom of speech. Through this freedom though, often incorrect ideas and unhealthy opinions are spread upon a vulnerable crowd; people of all ages and backgrounds, facing difficulties today with a myriad of issues from: major financial crises with the ensuing events that swallow up homes and scar families, to the stress of everyday personal problems. We all search out answers to so many things, and it seems that everywhere we look; someone has “the” answer to our many questions. We are assailed today with so called “experts” on everything from A to Z! Surely these experts know more than we do, right? With their “beguiling speech,” we may just believe their rhetoric!
Through the media and our internet services we can obtain instant answers to almost anything today. Individual opinion is easily accessible. Appealing, convincing ideas and information is all around us, making some of us question our own thoughts, ways and values. We can be deceived. But the source of any information is available to us when we do our research. We can utilize our internet access and libraries, as well as other methods of communication to obtain much information that was difficult to retrieve in the past.
There are multitudes of outstanding people, gifted by God with knowledge that assists us on this journey of life; people who do have sound ideas that we may attempt in an effort to solve our predicaments; to learn from. As Fr. Canisius Kiniry once said, “Look to the author!” We can trust the “Author” in Scripture! Through meditation and prayer we can obtain the answers we search for and with God’s help, we will be given direction. With an open heart and keener awareness, we will know who is deceptive.
Heavenly Father, may we always earnestly consult you first when faced with any questions, so we may not be deceived by beguiling speech.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson