A word of comfort, a word of encouragement, a word of praise, a word of a song can work wonders. We can’t see a word as it travels. We can’t weigh it or colour it, yet it can have a powerful effect. Do you take John for your beloved for better ,for worse ...I DO.

God is called THE WORD. God spoke, ’Let there BE, and everything and everyone came, to exist. The poet sees everything as a ‘word‘ of God. Patrick Kavanagh, looking at the winter trees, awaiting Spring and Summer, says ‘The Trees are in suspense, waiting with intense anxiety for ‘The Word’ that in the beginning first touched the dark branched of humanity. And THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US. That is the heart of religion.

God expresses His love in the humanness of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ gives God a face. Good people always encourage us to put flesh on our words, not just to be talkers of what should or should not be, but to be doers of good. Remember Paddys love letter ...I love you darling. I would climb the highest mountain to glimpse your beautiful face. I would suffer the heat of the desert to touch your hand. Then, he wrote P.S. ...See you tomorrow night if it's not raining.

Lord, help us to be sincere in our words, to make a better world as if all depended on me, and to believe that all depends on God.

Liam Hickey, St.Ciarans, Hartstown, Dublin 15.