Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor
This week, I had the special privilege of visiting the Paul Laurence Dunbar House and learning more about the gifted and prolific poet and author from Dayton. It is a national historic site, and I strongly recommend visiting. During my visit, I was struck by this quote from one of his writings in the 1890s, “So you must but bear in mind that the agitation of deeds is tenfold more effectual than the agitation of words. For your own sake, and for the sake of Heaven and the race, stop saying, and go doing.”
In light of the readings today, I am drawn to Dunbar’s call to action. In the first reading, St. Paul explains to the Corinthians the compelling need to practice what we preach. “I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor 9:27). Paul shares not just a desire but a feeling of obligation to share the gospel, but his proselytizing is wasted if he is unwilling to buy into the gospel himself. We cannot effectively lead something that we are unwilling to do ourselves.
Likewise, I am drawn to the final line in the psalm, assuming the writer is also reflecting on the call to discipleship. “The LORD withholds no good thing from those who walk in sincerity” (Ps 84: 12b). God is fully aware of our authenticity. There is the oft-cited phrase that “actions speak louder than words”. Genuine practice speaks for itself; people notice, and the results show. I had a conversation this week with my boys about how there are consequential results of the choices, decisions, and actions we make—both good and bad. For example, there is a noticeable difference in their performance at their weekly piano lesson between the weeks when they don’t take the time to practice and the weeks when they do.
Finally, Jesus drives the message home in the gospel, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?” (Lk 6:39, 41) May we take the time to do the work to look at ourselves, hear the gospel message, and reflect on our own discipleship. Embody the mission to ‘Think like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and act like Jesus’. Practice what we preach; stop saying and go doing.
Peace,
Brandon Meyer