“Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never
hurt me” is a stock response to verbal bullying in
school playgrounds throughout the English-speaking world. It sounds a little antiquated these days and
has no doubt been superseded by more streetwise comebacks. The earliest citation of it I can find is
from a March 1862 American periodical, The Christian Recorder: “Remember the old adage, ‘Sticks
and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me’. True courage consists in doing what is right,
despite the jeers and sneers of our companions.” This reference to the
expression as an ‘old adage’ in 1862 suggests an earlier coinage.[1]
When we
consider our scriptures today, how the wicked talk and plot against the
righteous and those who talk about Jesus (Jn 7:12-13) and feel they “know where he is from” (Jn 7:27) we may conclude the
phrase was coined by the early Jews. Who
by the way also experienced the reality of the “sticks and stones”. The Wisdom writings promote the “philosophy”
of Judaism as a superior way of life. It
concludes that following Yahweh is the path of wisdom, leading to the rewards
of righteousness and immortality. The writer
encourages Jews and gentiles to see the value of Judaism in a time and place
where other philosophies challenged the Jewish faith. Today’s reading contrasts two ways of life:
the righteous versus the wicked.
St. Vincent
Ferrer, whose memorial we celebrate today, was a Dominican priest born around 1357
in Spain. He did missionary work all
over Europe for 20 years. Many people in
his time compared him to John the Baptist in that Vincent preached repentance
and preparation for the coming of Christ’s kingdom. He, like many prophets and holy men and
women, was met with extraordinary successes, murmurings, and hardships. The Catholic Church in the late 14th
century was seriously split by a schism. This Western Schism divided Christianity first
between two, then among three popes. The
schism eventually ended in Vincent’s lifetime—in large part because of his
reconciliation efforts.
The challenge for us, comes back to a matter of choice: to be wise or otherwise. To be wise would be to heed
St. Vincent’s efforts and preaching of reconciliation. Reconciling ourselves to God, who sent his
only Son to save us from the times we’ve wandered down the path of selfishness
and self-righteousness. Wisdom is realizing when we approach and enter into the sacred mystery of the altar; the passion,
death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, there is no question as to his
identity as the one who comes from God to offer himself freely for our
salvation. Wisdom is acknowledging that the Father and Son is ever present with us in the form of the Spirit, who walks
with us in our daily lives, so that when we live our faith fully, we are
different, we are counter cultural, we are protected from the sticks and stones
of the wickedness of this world.
[1] Phrases,
sayings, proverb and idioms at The Phrase Finder. Copyright © Gary Martin,
2019. www.phrases.org.uk
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