What Do Words Mean?

There is lots of talk.  They say talk radio is more popular than music radio nowadays, but what is being said there --- and what is being heard?  Many people talk about “My Truth” and wish not ever to be judged false because if they say something is true to them, then: “Who are you to judge?”  I always wondered if that pious line would work on a cop: “Now officer, you may say that light was red, but I, in truth, see that color as green, so you’ll have to forgive me and let me go.”  I wonder if the word “communication” has any meaning anymore.  It takes two to communicate, to reach a common understanding, not just exchanging your idea of truth vs mine, and never communicating anything of meaning to each other.

I went to a Tridentine Mass on Wednesday morning, at St. Anne’s Church in Gilbert, Arizona.  The mass was said in Latin, as it always used to be prior to Vatican II.  As the priest said many of the words aloud, I recalled them, their meanings, and the appropriate Latin responses.  Despite words said in a now unfamiliar language for me, I understood their meaning; there was communication.

At a certain point in the mass the priest prayed in quiet, and then so did I.  And as I spoke to God, I told Him:  Father, I believe in You; I trust in You, and I love You.  And suddenly it dawned on me that I had spontaneously said (in other words) the words of Faith, Hope, and Charity.  I didn’t need to say those three important words, but from my heart was conveyed their meaning to me, and to God. 

And God and I communicated.

Mary, in many of her apparitions around the world is often said to say: “You need to pray with your heart.”  I think she is saying we need to communicate with God better, whatever the language, and He’ll know what our words mean.

And He waits.