THE POWER OF ONE WORD

Have you the saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword?” Words have power. A YES created the world and another YES from the Blessed Mother was the starting button for Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, our friend. Don’t ever underestimate the power of words. In keeping with my focus on growing deeper in Christ (capacitas dei), I think of words in two categories:

1. THE WORDS OF THE WORLD– This is the language humans use to communicate and to find meaning. It could be a language like French, or German, or it could be a language such as Science, Philosophy. Different people use different languages and there is usually a sender and a receiver. If my wife says the words, “Don’t feed the dog,” I heel and then, when she is not looking, flip some of my steak to Tucker. It’s a guy thing.
2. THE WORDS OF THE SPIRIT- After Christ chose me as his adopted son (daughter), I became a pilgrim in a foreign land. My real world flip-flopped. The World’s words now had two meanings, one that I grew up with and now a new set based on my choice of centers (Philippians 2:5). Jesus said, “My peace I give you. Not as the world thinks of peace, but one where peace is not the absence of conflict but rather the presence of love, Christ’s love. The words of the Spirit produce energy from God. The words of the world produce energy from me.

In this context, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Like the Real Presence of the Eucharist with the species, words of the Spirit do something to us, something we can’t do for ourselves. The power of the word is not theoretical. Let me share with you what I myself do with one word to enable me to defeat the enemy.

When evil or wicked thoughts burst into my mind, either because I want them there or because they just pop in out of the blue, I have found a foolproof way of making them vanish in an instant. I say the one word that is the Christ Principle, “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” That’s it. Christ’s Real Presence dispels evil and allows me to gain equilibrium in an otherwise unfair scuffle with the Devil.

Martin Luther said it best when he wrote the hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God. I use the third stanza as my meditation many times, with that classic ending,

3 And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

Martin Luther certainly earned my prayers in the hope that I can someday meet him in Heaven and say, “Thanks, Father Martin.”

Representative Text

1 A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

2 Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.

3 And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

4 That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever!

Psalter Hymnal, (Gray), 1987

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Author: Martin Luther

Luther, Martin, born at Eisleben, Nov. 10, 1483; entered the University of Erfurt, 1501 (B.A. 1502, M.A.. 1503); became an Augustinian monk, 1505; ordained priest, 1507; appointed Professor at the University of Wittenberg, 1508, and in 1512 D.D.; published his 95 Theses, 1517; and burnt the Papal Bull which had condemned them, 1520; attended the Diet of Worms, 1521; translated the Bible into German, 1521-34; and died at Eisleben, Feb. 18, 1546. The details of his life and of his work as a reformer are accessible to English readers in a great variety of forms. Luther had a huge influence on German hymnody. i. Hymn Books. 1. Ellich cristlich lider Lobgesang un Psalm. Wittenberg, 1524. [Hamburg Library.] This contains 8 German…

Translator: Frederick H. Hedge

Hedge, Frederick Henry, D.D., son of Professor Hedge of Harvard College, was born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1805, and educated in Germany and at Harvard. In 1829 he became pastor of the Unitarian Church, West Cambridge. In 1835 he removed to Bangor, Maine; in 1850 to Providence, and in 1856 to Brookline, Mass. He was appointed in 1857, Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Cambridge (U.S.), and in 1872, Professor of German Literature at Harvard. Dr. Hedge is one of the editors of the Christian Examiner, and the author of The Prose Writers of Germany, and other works. In 1853 he edited, with Dr. F. D. Huntington, the Unitarian Hymns for the Church of Christ, Boston Crosby, Nichols & Co.

ACTIO

I use one word to dispel the darkness, and it works every time.

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