OP_090618

20 | September 6, 2018 | The orland park prairie FAITH
opprairie.com
FAITH BRIEFS
St. Michael Church (14327 Highland Ave.,
Orland Park)
Women’s Club Summer
Season
7-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept.
20, Center Commons. The
Women’s Club will start its
season with our membership
drive and speaker George
Cachares, owner of FYZI-
CAL Therapy and Balance
Centers in Oak Lawn. His
topic will be “Fall Awareness
and Prevention —
Helping to prevent falling
and injury as we age.” A
lively discussion on this and
other pertinent mobility related
topics will follow with
refreshments.
Pastor Column
‘End-of-Life and
Guardianship Decisions
Should be a Top Priority - A
Catholic Perspective’
7 p.m. Monday, Sept.
10. Michael Brady, recognized
estate planning lawyer,
Knight of Columbus,
husband and father is to
discuss critical end-of-life
issues, such as preserving
human dignity, suffering as
part of God’s plan, what the
church teaches and Mother
Theresa’s approach. He also
will present information on
guardianship for children.
Women’s Retreat
8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday,
Sept. 22, Our Lady of the
Angels Retreat Center,
13900 Main St. in Lemont,
followed by weekend Mass.
The retreat facilitator is Dr.
Carole Eipers who is a national
religion consultant for
Sadlier and pastoral associate
at Queen of All Saints
Parish. The cost is $45,
which includes a continental
breakfast and lunch. Register
in the St. Michael parish
office. For more information,
call Paulette at (708)
460-6535.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
(15050 S. Wolf Road, Orland Park)
Overeaters Anonymous
9:30 a.m. Wednesdays.
Enter through main church
doors, follow signs to meeting
room. Overeaters Anonymous
meetings are for anyone
who has a problem with
food addiction/compulsion.
There are no dues, fees or
weigh-ins. All meetings are
confidential.
Faith United Methodist Church (15101 S.
80th Ave., Orland Park)
Witness to Fitness
9-10 a.m. Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays.
Walking club for prayer and
exercise. Free. All are welcome.
Tai Chi
10:30 a.m. Mondays and
Wednesdays. Free classes
offered in church gym.
St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church (9300
W. 167th St., Orland Hills)
Creation Care Team Movie
Screening
7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11.
The Creation Care Team
is to screen “Merchants of
Doubt” in the McBrady
Center. At 8:30 p.m. Rick
Knight, a scientist and State
of Illinois director of the
Citizens Climate Lobby,, is
slated to answer questions
that arise from the movie
and update people on the
status of congressional action
on climate change.
Christ Lutheran Church (14700 S. 94th
Ave., Orland Park)
Sunday School
Begins 9:30 a.m. Sunday,
Sept. 9. Classes are designed
to appeal to the learning
styles of all students. For
more information, visit
(708) 349-0431.
NAMI Support Groups
2-4 p.m. fourth Thursday
of the month. Family support
group meetings provide
an opportunity to meet with
others who have relatives
and friends of individuals
living with a mental illness.
Feelings can be shared and
issues discussed under the
guidance of a trained facilitator.
These meetings are
free.
Orland Park Christian Reformed Church
(7500 W. Sycamore Drive, Orland Park)
NAMI Family-to-Family
7-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays and
Thursdays, Sept. 11-Oct.
16. The NAMI Family-to-
Family education program is
12 weeks, free and designed
for family caregivers of individuals
with brain disorders
(mental illnesses). The
course is taught by trained
family members. All instruction
and course materials are
free for class participants.
Southwest Seventh Day Adventist Church
(15760 Wolf Road, Orland Park)
Revelations Study
7 p.m. Tuesday. Attendees
can learn more about
the Seventh Day Adventist
Church. For more information,
call (618) 556-8002.
Living Word Lutheran Church (16301 S.
Wolf Road, Orland Park)
PUSH Prayer
9:30 a.m. Tuesdays. All
are welcome to take part in
person or take 10-15 minutes
to pray for the country,
church, community and individual
needs. Meetings take
place the second Tuesday of
the month.
Calvary Church (16100 S. 104th Ave.,
Orland Park)
Men’s Barnabas Bible Study
7-8:30 a.m. Thursdays.
Study various books written
by Christian authors. Coffee
and light refreshments are
served. For more information,
email info@calvaryop.
org.
Ashburn Baptist Church (153rd Street and
Wolf Road, Orland Park)
Bible Study
9:45 a.m.
Have something for Faith
Briefs? Contact Editor Bill
Jones at bill@opprairie.com
or call (708) 326-9170 ext. 20.
Information is due by noon on
Thursdays one week prior to
publication.
Words are powerful
Rev. Caleb Hong
Faith United Methodist Church
As a child, I was
taught the phrase,
“Sticks and stones
may break my bones, but
words can never hurt me.”
Naturally, I believed this
was true. After all, it was
taught to me by teachers and
other well-meaning adults.
From one well-meaning
adult to another: Let’s be
honest. This phrase is about
as true as the Easter bunny
and Santa Claus. The truth
is: Words are powerful. They
have the potential for serious
good or serious harm.
Words can change the
course of history. Consider
the words that have stirred
up movements and incited
revolutions: “We the people
...” Consider the words that
have offered hope and vision
for our nation: “Four score
and seven years ago ...” and
“I have a dream ...”
Conversely, words can
hurt us more deeply than any
physical injury. Consider
those verbal barbs that hurt
years (perhaps decades) later.
Consider those words cut
so deeply that they require
years of counseling and
therapy.
My words (your words)
are really powerful. They
have the power to do amazing
good or serious harm.
Rightly used, words have the
power to lift people from the
deepest pits and darkest valleys.
Wrongly used, words
tear down dreams, destroy
self-esteem, and divide families
and communities.
In the New Testament
book of James, the Bible
compares our tongue to a
bit in the mouth of a horse.
Despite its relatively small
size, this small instrument
allows a rider to control the
direction and destination of
the entire horse.
James also compares our
tongue to the rudder of a
ship. Despite its relatively
small size, this tool allows a
captain to control the direction
and course of the entire
ship. Likewise, James reminds
us that the tongue has
enormous power. Despite its
insignificant size, our tongue
can determine the direction
and destination of our lives.
Then, James offers a third
analogy.
“The tongue is a fire”
(James 3:6).
As we’ve seen in the news
recently, it only takes a spark
to burn down thousands of
acres of woodland and real
estate. Likewise, the words
we speak have the power to
burn down marriages and
break apart families. Words
posted on social media have
the potential to wreck careers,
destroy relationships,
and even incite violence and
war.
So, where is the hope? Let
me offer three suggestions.
First — Recognize the power
of your words.
Be conscious and careful
with the words you speak or
write. Recognize that your
words have a lasting impact,
especially on your loved
ones. Be aware that God will
hold us accountable for the
words we use and the damage
we cause (accidental or
intentional.)
Second — Listen more than
you speak.
James writes, “Be quick to
listen, slow to speak” (James
1:19).
This is the exact opposite
of what most of us do. Most
of us follow the mantra, “Be
quick to speak and slow to
listen.” Right? As a result,
many of us have experienced
the pain of gossip, rumors,
false accusations and unnecessary
drama. If you want
to eliminate unnecessary
relational disasters in your
future, then, “Be quick to
listen, slow to speak.”
Third — Apologize (quickly
and often).
Truth is, we’ll mess up
with our words. In a fit of
anger, we’ll hurl verbal
grenades that destroy that
self-esteem of our partners
and children. In a fit of frustration,
we’ll crush the confidence
of co-workers and
friends. Even the most mature
and disciplined among
us will slip with our words.
So, when we hurt others with
our words, apologize quickly
and often. Don’t make excuses.
Don’t blame someone
else. Apologize quickly and
honestly. Take ownership of
the damage done.
Ironically, words alone
cannot heal all the pain
cause by words. Some of the
wounds caused by words
require time to heal. Some of
the damage caused by words
demand further restitution.
But an apology (quick and
sincere) can go a long way in
the healing process.
We all have the choice.
With our words, we can be
destroyers or builders, haters
or healers. From one wellmeaning
adult to another:
Let’s make the right choice.
The opinions of this column are
those of the writer. They do not
necessarily reflect those of The
Orland Park Prairie.