A Year of Words

‘Reading is a gift, but only if the words are taken into the soul – eaten, chewed, gnawed, received in unhurried delight.’  Eugene Peterson

Another year gone by and much soul food has been consumed. Many words eaten and digested. Not all of them were enjoyable it has to be said. Some were gulped down with barely a thought, merely a quick bite on the go. Others were like a piece of meat that you chew and you chew, eventually swallowing with difficulty because it sticks in your throat. You ate it because you had to. Then there are the words that you readily accepted and you enjoyed every single one with delight, savouring them, grateful to receive them. There are some words that are like a whole meal in themselves. The kind of meal that has been well prepared with thought and expertise, presented with care, something that you linger over. Such words are both nourishment and enjoyment for the soul.

Of the books I read this year, the words that most readily fall into the latter category are those of J.R.R Tolkien. I hadn’t read Lord of the Rings since I was a child, preferring to keep the experience of its discovery and pleasure a treasured memory. However, I wasn’t taking into account the truth of C.S. Lewis’ words, ‘A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children, is not a good children’s story in the slightest.’ Tolkien’s story is one of the best and I enjoyed every page of it, appreciating the underlying subtleties of its context, plot and characters in a way that I couldn’t have done at age ten. The story’s strong theme of fellowship and community is a reminder that we do not journey alone, not even in the darkest of places. Of the many quotes I noted down as I read, it is still the words of hobbit Merry that stay memorably with me.

‘You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. ’

If you are a reader then you will understand when I say it is easy to allow yourself to retreat into the pages of books. To walk off alone. To chew on words in solitude. You are listening to the words of another person but with distance between you. There are also many other ways in which we can distance ourselves from both God and people, depending on our personalities. However, we are made and saved to live in close community. It often takes courage to listen to the words of the person standing right next to you but listen we must. In the words of Pope Francis,

‘the heart of a catechist always beats with this systolic and diastolic movement: union with Christ - encounter with others. Both of these: I am one with Jesus and I go forth to encounter others. If one of these movements is missing, the heart no longer beats, it can no longer live.’ (Church of Mercy)

Time and time again, we are called to stop and pay attention. When life gets crazy with busyness, and we feel tired or worn out, when we are defensive and self-protective, when our days are stale and lacklustre, when we feel afraid or worried, when we just know that our heart isn’t beating as it should, a good question to ask ourselves may be, who is missing?

Encountering Jesus, the Word, leads us to encounter others and it is often through them that we realise that we are face to face with him again. My favourite words of 2015 don’t just come from the books I have read, they come from cards, emails, text messages or conversations I have had with friends. There are also unforgettable words from people I barely know, having only met them briefly. There have been podcasts and blog posts from fellow travellers of the faith. The words have come in the form of poems, liturgy, prose, prayers, songs, and text-speak. They have brought tears, laughter, challenges, contentment and joy.

Our words matter. It matters who we give them to and how we receive them from others. Either way, they are significant. The Word comes to us in many different ways and from sources frequently unexpected. He himself is a gift.

This year, let us have the courage to come to grips with the difficult words and to embrace with deep gratitude the words of love and encouragement.  May the truth of God’s words be taken into our souls and savoured.

‘How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey’ Psalm 119:103 (NLT)