Speaking with the heart, Acting with a Conscience

Weekly Missionary Reflection
7th Sunday of Easter, 21 May 2023
World Communication Day
Acts 1:12-14; Ps. 27:1,4,7-8a; 1Pet. 4:13-16; John 17:1-11a

Dear missionary friends,

Today we are celebrating the 7th Sunday of Easter as well as the World Communication Day. In his message for the 57th World Day of Social Communication, Pope Francis would like to focus on “speaking with the heart” which is quoted from St. Paul’s letter to Ephesians 4:15, “Speaking with the heart, living the truth in love”. Pope Francis reminded us of Jesus Christ’s saying, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luk. 6:45).

We are asked to speak the truth and love. In order to communicate the truth in love, we have to purify our hearts. Only in pureness, can we speak with heart and act with conscience. The invitation and calling to speak with heart and acting with a conscience are radical challenges in today’s time where people tend to neglect others and easily be bad-tempered, they sometimes even exploit the truth and spread hoaxes or false information and provoke.

People nowadays easily express themselves and their emotions. It may happen that someone looks good, educated, neat, clean, and polite, and can easily speak rude words when he gets angry. Improper words can be easily spoken out for swearing or joking. People are not aware that those words are humiliating themselves or the person they speak with. Rude words are not saying the truth about love.

We are called to seek, proclaim and animate truth in love. As Jesus Christ’s disciples, we are constantly reminded to watch our tongue from the evil, to speak with the heart, and act with the conscience. The apostles in Jerusalem set an example to us in animating the truth in love, as told in today’s first reading of the Acts. They devoted themselves with one accord to prayer. We have to constantly make ourselves speak with the heart and act with conscience. As said in the Bible, with the same tongue we can bless the Lord, but it can also curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. Watch our tongue, speak with the heart, and act with conscience, so we will not hurt and curse others but only bless and praise God.

No bad words should come out of our mouth, “but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29).  Jesus has set an example to us in His prayer to His father as mentioned in today’s Gospel. He prayed for His disciples the grace of love and unity in building life. Jesus asked His Father to always protect His disciples.

Missionary friends,

We are the disciples sent by the Lord. For what purpose? We are sent to glorify God. The end of the two readings in today’s mass emphasizes this mission, “But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed but glorify God because of the name” (1 Pet. 4:16). How to carry out this mission? Just as simple as speaking with the heart and acting with a conscience! ***(NW)

 (RD. M Nur Widipranoto- National Director of Pontifical Mission Society)

DAILY DEDICATED PRAYER

Lord, our Father, I present my today prayer, thought, word, work, joy, and sorrow in unity with Your Son, Jesus Christ, who always presents Himself in the Eucharist for the salvation of the world. May the Holy Spirit animating Jesus, also be my guidance and strength today so that I am ready to be the witness of Your love.

Together with St. Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the Church, in particular, I present my prayer for our Pope and apostle prayer of the Indonesian Church of this month:

For church movements and groups
We pray that Church movements and groups may rediscover their mission of evangelization each day, placing their own charisms at the service of needs in the world.

For the wisdom of Mary
We pray that the mothers and women be willing to imitate Mother Mary, to be patient, wise, willing to sacrifice, and believe that the Lord will make the impossible possible for the life of their children and society.

Amen