The psalmist gives us the prerequisites of those who shall dwell on the holy mountain.
Those who: walk blamelessly, think truth in the heart, slanders not with their tongue, harms not his fellow man, and the list goes on.
Let us look at slander for a moment. The hebrew word for slander is more like to backbiting, that is one who goes around secretly stirring up negative comments about another seeking to destroy the good name of the other.
St. Gregroy says that one one who is involved in backbiting (gossip) is liken to the one who blows in dust and stirs up dirt in the eyes of his hearers lest they see the truth in the other.
Think! When the dirt is stirred, are we not blinded and unable to see the image and likeness of God in the other.
St. Thomas ranks backbiting in relation to sin just below murder and adultery. For, he says, backbiting, blackens the good name of the other and the good name of the other is a greater riches than any other riches one might posses.
be careful not to stir up the dirt so that the muddied water will not detract from the truth of our created reality, "in his image and likeness he made them, male and female."
If we focus our gaze on the truth of who we are and not on our own opinion then the beauty of it all is guarded and shines forth as the drama of our relationships continues to develop and unfold.
No comments:
Post a Comment