Fatal glibness

The world today seems dominated by the glib, especially in the media (old and new): those who skillfully master words in breathtaking quantity and sometimes even with elegant quality.

The problem, of course, is that having a way with words does not confer infallibility.

Both of today’s readings refer to people who are glib in godly matters but who are in truth far from God.

In today’s first reading (2 Corinthians 11:1-11) St. Paul chastises those who have been drawn away from the truth of Christ by self-described “super-apostles” who are apparently well-trained in rhetoric.

In today’s Gospel (Matthew 6:7-15), our Lord warns against babbling in prayer like pagans.

Words, of course, are critical means of communication and should always be used as well as possible in spreading and defending the Gospel. In fact, we understand Christ himself as being the eternal Word.

Yet we must beware of the fatal traps of glibness. Eloquence does not equal truth nor does pious verbosity prove holiness.

Whether we are listening to others or speaking to God, we must always seek to hear the voice of the Lord more than any other: a voice that often speaks to us in silence.