The Wholesome Tongue

John 6: 41-51

Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do not complain among yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

When was the last time you complained about something? Yesterday? This morning? Two minutes ago? Maybe you were in the middle of a good solid complaint when you started reading this reflection. Complaining comes very easily and naturally to most of us and, the truth is, it feels very satisfying to get into a good complaining session.

Jesus is faced here with the complaints and negativity of the Jews who were questioning his credentials because they had known him as he was growing up and they knew his parents. The first thing he says to them in this Gospel is, “Do not complain among yourselves.” This is important. Jesus wasn’t just reacting in irritation; he was setting the prerequisite for being able to receive his words and therefore receive him as the Bread of Life.

Jesus knew that negativity and complaining could become more than just an expression of a momentary upset and he wanted them to know that it was, and still is, an addictive barrier to receiving spiritual truth and nourishment. When we continually speak out our negativity, complaints, cynicism and irritation, our inner dissatisfaction is rarely resolved. It seems like all that happens is we become more and more aware of things that are all wrong and of people and situations that are dragging us down. In the moment, it feels good to complain or make cynical observations. It feels like we are more in control because we are able to identify what’s wrong in our lives or with the lives of people around us. We tell ourselves that we’re being realistic and that our complaints are completely justified.

And watch out when a group begins to share complaints. Complaints that are agreed upon and shared by a community have the power to exponentially build and reinforce negativity and cynicism. There is a strength of energy in ‘group negativity’ that is a little scary.

We may be totally right about what we see is wrong in a situation, a person or an institution but that does not justify patting ourselves on the back for maintaining ‘healthy cynicism’, ‘righteous anger’ or entering into a state of continuous complaining.

“Do not complain among yourselves.”

Why would negativity hinder us from receiving the bread that is Jesus? Because our focus is on the power of something other than the power of God and the more we focus on something other than his life, the less we are able recognize that life when it comes to us and fully trust in it. The more adept we become at recognizing the bad, the ugly and the wrong in our lives and the lives of others, the less ability we have to see and appreciate the lovely, the beautiful, the gentle and the right. Complaining creates solid walls around us and solid walls do not allow the light through nor do they allow us to see further than our self-constructed densely righteous opinions. Then we wonder why we feel so dry, empty and forlorn.

“Do not complain among yourselves.”

I need to be clear about something here. There are times when we very much need to vent about situations or people in our lives that are causing us wounds or making life hard. This reflection is not advocating that we deny our difficulties and stuff them away until we’re ready to explode. For this purpose we need to connect with a trusted friend who could be our spouse, sibling or a parent, a priest we feel comfortable with or a spiritual director - someone we know will listen to us and will be balanced and wise and help us to sort through the struggles we are dealing with. This is healthy, good and wonderful for the spirit and soul.

But we desperately need to understand that acknowledgment of God’s wondrous goodness in all things is like gentle rain for the spirit and soul. It softens the inner earth and prepares it to receive the nourishing bread of life. It clears the air and leaves a fragrant freshness in our hearts. It acts as a prism separating the white light of God into a spectrum of colors, giving meaning and full purpose to our existence.

“Do not complain among yourselves.”

Do not feed yourselves on empty soul-destroying words, words that harden the heart and promote hopelessness and disbelief. If the fact that Jesus said it doesn’t convince you, take time to slowly do this scripture meditation. The following passages make it abundantly clear – our mouths have the creative ability to form who we are and how we open ourselves to the Lord. If goodness flows from our tongues, we slowly develop the capacity to see goodness everywhere. If negativity is always in our mouths, we cannot see God. We can only see darkness.

It’s as simple as that. 

Meditation on a Wholesome Tongue:

I will bless the Lord at all times;

   his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

   let the humble hear and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me,

   and let us exalt his name together.

Look to him, and be radiant

   so your faces shall never be ashamed.

Which of you desires life,

   and covets many days to enjoy good?

Keep your tongue from evil,

   and your lips from speaking deceit.

Depart from evil, and do good;

   seek peace, and pursue it. Psalm 34 (Psalm for this Sunday)

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,

 and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice

Set a guard over my mouth O Lord;

keep a watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141: 2&3

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalms 19:14

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I Thessalonians 5: 16-18

“Finally, people, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8

A wholesome tongue (the healing of the tongue) is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. Proverbs Ch. 15: 4

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. 13

People have joy by the answer of their mouths: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! 23

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: but the words of the pure are pleasant words (or words of pleasantness) 26

The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. Psalm 37-30

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. Ps 51:15

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. Ps 63:3

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. Ps 63:5

My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. Ps 71:8

Accept, O Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Ps 119:108

 “What goes into a person's mouth does not make them 'unclean,' but what comes out of their mouths, that is what makes them 'unclean.'” Mt 15:11

Good people bring good things out of the good stored up in their hearts, and evil people bring evil things out of the evil stored up in their hearts. For out of the overflow of their hearts their mouths speak. Luke 6:45

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:10

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Rom. 10:10