The Fearful Tongue

Gloriosissimus prophetarum, idemque rex dominici populi beatus David, qui omnes homines ad audienda vitae purgatioris instituta concurrere generali adhortatione compellit, dicens: Venite, filii, audite me, timorem Domini docebo vos. Vere docendi peritissimus patriarcha venerabilis, qui, ut humanis mentibus timorem Dei praeceptis propheticae auctoritatis insinuet, paternae affectionis blandimenta praemittit. Subditos namque ditionis suae filios appellat, ut eos non tam terrore regiae potestatis revocet a peccatis, quam diligentis affectu cunctorum sensibus promptam bene vivendi inserat voluntatem. Frequenter enim, quos non corrigit durioris increpationis asperitas, saturitas verbi mollioris emendat: Timorem, inquit, Domini docebo vos. Docet nos vir sanctus religiosum timorem, ut amorem terreni judicii postponamus. Timorem Domini docet, qui semper est salutaris, quia saepe timor hominis Dei nutrit offensam. Sic jam videamus, quos doctor egregius divini timoris faciat gradus, quam suae regulam sanctioris instituit disciplinae. Prohibe linguam tuam a malo, et labia tua ne loquantur dolum. Perfectus religiosae vitae magister linguam prae omnibus refrenet a culpa, quae ab exordio mundi apud paradisum Dei in serpente prima peccavit. Nam malignae linguae fuit ministerium, ut suaderetur Adae in exitium generis sui interdictae arboris poma decerpere. Neque enim in aeternam lapsum impulisset invidia, si prudentiori consilio Eva linguam suam cohibere voluisset a malo. Lingua igitur mala ministra diaboli est, ac totius pravitatis ancilla. Lingua mala acutissimi, vice gladii non solum corpus, sed animam vulnerat innocentem. Lingua mala et inconsulta contumeliis perculit cor fraternum, et per pacata invicem pectora perniciosam litem sociat. Lingua mala adhibet imaginem veritatis et veritatem mendaciis decolorat. Lingua mala inimicis auribus commissa sibi amicorum prodit arcana. Lingua mala quos aperto metuit compellare sermone, occulta nititur obtrectratione foedare. Lingua deceptione laqueos simplicibus nectet, bonorum vivorum sanguinem petit, potentium inflammat animos, et humilium corda perturbat; et tanquam ei non sufficiat humana confundere, coelum ipsum blasphemiis atque indignissimis pulsat injuriis, ut propheticus sermo de impiis protestatur, dicens: Posuerunt in coelum os suum, et lingua eorum transivit in terra. Et post omnia, dilectissimi, cum de universis his habeat peccatum remedium, per linguam malam et incontinentem peccatur, quod homini neque in hoc saeculo praesenti laxetur, dicente Domino: Qui autem blasphemaverit in Spiritum sanctum, non remittetur ei neque in hoc saeculo, neque in futuro. Et quid plura, fratres? Quidquid humano pectori diabolus iniquitatis illexerit, lingua mala famulante perficitur. Sed ad destructionem judiciumque ejus Dominus invocatur, clamante propheta: Dispergat Dominus universa labia dolosa, et linguam magniloquam. Et alibi quidem, Perdes eos quis loquuntur mendacium. Propter haec cavenda mala et fugienda beatus David unumqueque nostrum praemonet, dicens: Cohibe linguam tuam a malo, et labia tua ne loquantur dolum. Et post pauca subjungit: Inquire pacem, et sequere eam. Emendata enim lingua tua, atque ab omni maliloquii sorde detersa, veram aeternamque pacem, id est Christum Dominum et invenies, et sequeris. Nemo se seducat: nisi quis vagam lascibamque linguam suam habenis disciplinati cordis cohibuerit, nec hominum pacem poterit invenire, nec Christi. Propterea venerandus propheta sciens in quo lingua hominis sit lubrico consituta, et quantum periculi animi vitaeque nostrae incontinentia linguae possit efficere, Deum suum orabat, dicens: Pone, Domine, custodiam ori meo: et alibi: Domine: labia mea aperies, et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam. A Domino vir fidelissimus custodiri os suum aperiri labia sua optat, ne unquam ei magister ille mendacii ac totius doli artifex diabolus impietatis suae inserat falsitates. Vere hic linguam suam ab omni malitia coercere poterit, qui sub dispensatione Dei et loqui desiderat et tacere. Idcirco, fratres, inspicientes quam vehemens sententia dolosa labia maneat, et quanta gratia linguam simplicem subsequatur, oremus et nos cum propheta Dominum ac Deum omnipotentem ut custodiat os nostrum, ac ipse semper labia nostra aperire in verba sibi placitura dignetur. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia  CVI, De timore Dei et correctione linguarum Source: Migne PL 57.497b-500a

The most glorious of the Prophets and at the same time king of the Lord's people, blessed David, calls men with a general exhortation to gather for the hearing of the institution of the cleansing life, saying: 'Come, O sons, hear me, and I shall teach you the fear of the Lord.' 1  Truly the venerable Patriarch is skilled in the art of teaching, he who, that he instill in human minds the fear of the commands of God by prophetic authority, first sends forth the charms of paternal love. For he calls for his sons to be subdued beneath his wealth, so that they be recalled from sin, not so much by the terror of regal power than he implant in them a prompt desire to live well by a incitement of loving sense. For frequently, those who are not corrected by bitter denunciations receive emendation by an abundance of softer speech. He says: 'I shall teach you the fear of the Lord.' 1 The holy man teaches religious fear, that we put aside love of worldly judgements. He teaches the fear of the Lord, who cares for salvation, because often the fear of man feeds offence to God. So now let us see what the great teacher makes as the steps of Divine fear, which he has established as the rule of his sacred discipline. 'Hold your tongue from evil and let not your lips speak deceit.' 2 Before everything the perfect teacher of the holy life binds back the tongue from fault, which from the beginning of the world, in God's paradise, first sinned in the serpent. For it was the work of a wicked tongue that persuaded Adam to snatch at the fruit of the prohibited tree for the expulsion of his race. And he would not have been driven into eternal fall by envy if with more prudent counsel Eve had wished to restrain her tongue from evil. Therefore the tongue is a wicked servant of the devil, and the handmaid of every depravity. The tongue is a most piercing evil, a sword which wounds not only the body but the innocent soul. The wicked and thoughtless tongue strikes the fraternal heart with contumely and into settled hearts brings wicked strife. The wicked tongue holds to a mere image of truth and defiles the truth with lies. The wicked tongue betrays the secrets of friends into the ears of enemies. The wicked tongue, compelled to fear the open word, strives to tarnish with hidden detraction. The tongue with deception sets traps for the simple, seeks the blood of good men, inflames the souls of the powerful, and troubles the hearts of the humble; and as if this did not suffice to bewilder human things, it even strikes heaven with disgraceful, harmful blasphemies, as the Prophetic word declares concerning the impious: 'The have placed their mouths in heaven, and their tongues trail upon the earth.' 3 And after everything, dearest brothers, when all these things have a remedy, when there is sin by the wicked tongue and incontinence, there is that in this present world which is not to be forgiven man, the Lord saying: 'For he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him in this age or the next.' 4 And what more, brothers? With whatever the devil would entice the human heart, he accomplishes by the service of the wicked tongue, But for ruin and judgement the Lord is called on, with the Prophet crying out: 'May the Lord scatter every deceitful lip and the boastful tongue.' 5 And in another place: 'You destroy all those who speak a lie; 6 On account of which the blessed David gives us our warning to beware and to flee evil, saying: 'Restrain your tongue from evil, and let not your lips be deceitful' 2 And a little after: 'Seek peace and follow it.' 7 For with the tongue corrected, and cleansed of every filth of evil speech, you will find and follow true eternal peace, that is, Jesus Christ. Let no one deceive himself: Unless someone shall have held his tongue and lips from error in the discipline of his heart, neither shall he be able to find peace, nor Christ. On account of which the venerable Prophet knowing how the tongue of man is placed in fault, and how much the incontinence of the tongue is able to make peril for the soul and our lives, he prays to God, saying, 'Place, O Lord, a guard on my mouth.' 8 And elsewhere: 'O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.' 9 The faithful man desires that his mouth is guarded and that his lips are opened by the Lord, lest at any time that teacher of lies and every deceit, that artificer the devil, instill in him the falsities of impiety. Truly he alone shall be able to restrain his tongue from every evil who desires to speak and be silent under the dispensation of God. Therefore, brothers, examining how wretched is the intention of deceitful lips, and how much grace follows the simple tongue, let us pray with the Prophet that the Lord and Almighty God guard our mouths, and He Himself deign always to open our lips with words that are pleasing to Him. Saint Maximus of Turin, Homily 106, On The Fear Of God And The Correction Of Tongues 1 Ps 33.12 2 Ps 33.14 3 Ps 72.9 4 Mt 12.32 5 Ps 11.4 6 Ps 5.7 7 Ps 33.15 8 Ps 140.3 9 Ps 50.17