Lake Superior State University on Thursday released its 41st annual List of Words they believe should be banished from the Queen’s English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness. The tongue-in-cheek wish-list of sorts includes starting an answer with the word * “So;” * ”presser” instead of press conference; * “problematic” * “walk it back” and * “break the Internet.” Others are * “stakeholder,” * ”join the conversation,” * ”physicality,” * ”price point,” * ”manspreading,” * ”giving me life” and * “vape,” (describing the act of “smoking” e-cigarettes). And who knew that the phrase * “secret sauce” was being bandied about in corporate board rooms to such an extent that is has become rather meaningless.
So, that got me to thinking I should join the conversation and look at what words are giving me life, what words are problematic, and what words might become a secret sauce, as it were, to the life of holiness I am being called to. (that was 5 of those words…)
The one word to add this year? That is an easy one. MERCY. What would it be like to let mercy be the main word we keep at the forefront of every conversation about refugees and undocumented immigrants that we will hear this election year? Could mercy be the word that best describes our relationships with our family members? Or maybe just that one friendship that could really use a bit of the love that we call mercy? How will you make MERCY the most important vocabulary word in your life this year? (and if you do, how would people tell?)
The one word to delete for me, is, unfortunately all too easy a target as well. Hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. Unfortunately, I know too well the truth of the statement: “Hurry always empties the soul.”
And if there is to be an ally in this quest of mine, I have no further to look than Mary, the Mother of God, whose feast we celebrate today. Mary who “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” Mary, who had the patience not to have to figure everything out in terms of raising this child all at once, but who could simply trust in the unfolding of God’s plan, day by day.
And you, are there two words that might guide your year, your unfolding of time by their absence and presence in your life this year? You are welcome to use mine – Mercy and Hurry. Or to borrow one from the good folks at the University of Lake Superior. (Vaping comes to mind…) Whatever they are, post them on your bathroom mirror, or rear view mirror or someplace where you will see them often enough to jolt you into awareness.
And if you cannot come up with two words, then ask Mary, the mother of our savior, to teach you what you need to embrace and what you need to let go to follow her son as a stakeholder. Oops. So, I meant to say disciple….