Words Made Flesh

A Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ 2025

I am discovering that a lifetime of practicing Lectio Divina leads to Lectio Divina taking on a life in time. It becomes increasingly clear that the Word is Living, the Word is Unchained, and therefore: Words Matter.

Words are always written in blood.

Words are always etched in flesh.

About the time I was ordained a priest, now 31 years ago, I came across a biblical passage from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah which reads: “The bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick he shall not quench.” So, as I was preparing for ordination, I heard those words as a fundamental mission statement. As if God were saying: “Whatever you do. Wherever you go. However you serve. Do not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoldering wick.” And those words, like a living Lectio Divina, have regularly returned to me unbidden over the decades, reminding me:

Words can either break or brace the bruised.

Words can either quench or quicken the smoldering.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ, which reminds us, as Christians, as followers of the Word become Flesh, that words always are written in blood; words are always etched in flesh; words can break or brace; words can quench or quicken. Words are always enfleshed and therefore always have very real effects on the flesh and blood of others.

The trouble we so often face though, is that we are living in a world where people not only talk too much but too carelessly as well. People try to disincarnate words. And do so across multiple platforms of social media that reach well beyond their own limited circle of influence. Too often using words that harm, words that hate, words that hurt and then immediately, once they realize the damage they’ve done, excuse themselves by claiming that “Words don’t really matter.”

But we know words do matter, words always matter because words are always lodged in real matter with power to enliven that matter or the power to enslave it.

And here I am not just talking about our current political landscape. That is included, but over the years of ministry I’ve heard too many stories where a parent’s careless word confined a child to decades of shame. A spouse’s careless word leveled the lifegiving possibilities of a marriage. or a community member’s careless word condemned a sister or a brother to isolation and anger.

Jesus reminds us today: this is my flesh given for you; this is my blood poured out for you. Do this in remembrance of me. So, what exactly is this?

Well Jesus also tells his disciples, and us, in the gospel today: “Give them some food yourselves.” Or, better said, give them yourselves as food. Words are always written in blood. Words are always etched in flesh. Words matter and words always lodge deep in matter. They can nurture or negate it, they can form or deform it, they can limit or liberate it. This, then, which we are called to do in memory of Christ, is to enflesh our words and remember that they can either break the bruised and quench the smoldering, or they can heal the hurt, halt the hate, and hinder any on-going harm.

We can look at the realities of our very violent days and we can choose: Do I contribute to the vitriol that always does damage to someone’s flesh whether I see it or not? Or do I speak a word of life? Just as Jesus gave his flesh and blood for the life of the world.

If we are called to give ourselves as food, and we believe the Word became Flesh so then we can give our words as food. We can give words that nourish rather than naught, words that welcome rather than wound; words that liberate rather than limit, words that delight rather than deny, words that hope rather than hate; words that encourage rather than enslave or words that relate rather than repel.

I have on many occasions witnessed a toddler, in a public place, struggling with a spat of anger, fear, frustration, or helplessness trying to articulate what they want. And again and again I’ve heard a parent repeat the same phrase: “Use your words.”

Perhaps we can all benefit from the same advice? Amid our own very adult frustrations, fears, and sense of helplessness regarding the state of our world, the violence and vitriol in our own country, communities, and families perhaps we can recommit ourselves to “using our words,” enfleshing our words, giving our words as food, choosing to say only what matters. Choosing again to speak only a Word of Life.