A MAN OF HIS WORD

A REFLECTION FOR THE 9TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

I happened to find myself watching an old episode of Little House on the Prairie the other day.  “Pa” was buying a couple of horses, anticipating a good harvest on the family farm.  There was no contract, no lawyers involved, no signed agreements, just a handshake and off he went with the two horses.  Unfortunately, they had a hailstorm that night, and lost the wheat.  The next day he returned the horses.  “A man can’t buy what he can’t afford.”  And that was that.

These were different times from today, apparently.  It was a time when you didn’t need to lock the door at night, when a man’s word was his bond, and no one would even think of dishonoring his name by going back on his word.  A promise made was a promise kept.  How sadly different is today’s world.

Have you ever heard the expression, “First you’re a liar, then you’re a cheat, and then you’re a thief?”  The path to crime inevitably begins with tiny steps, but a broken promise is often the very first step of all.  It’s not really a lie if you intended to keep the promise.  But the failure to keep that promise turns you into a kind of liar, doesn’t it?  At least, in the eyes of the person you promised.  If we have a real and valid reason for not living up to our word, we have to take great care to make sure we explain it carefully to that person.  If he’s reasonable, he’ll accept your explanation and you can come to some kind of alternative agreement.  If not, though, it is up to you to make some kind of reparation for the harm done.

A good example is when you end up washing dishes in the restaurant to pay for the meal you find out too late you can’t afford.  But if the owner of the restaurant just kicks you out for not paying, you should still make sure you save up enough money to come back later and pay your bill.  Reparation is what is due in justice to someone you have somehow injured (physically, financially, socially, spiritually or any other way).  And if you don’t make that reparation, then you’re probably either a liar, a cheat, or a thief.  Either way, it’s not going to look good on your soul’s resumé when it comes time to apply for the kingdom of heaven.

Most of all, let’s make sure we never break our promises to God.  It might be a silent resolution to say an extra Rosary, or perhaps it was a solemn vow made before God to be faithful unto death to our wife or husband; no matter, your word is your bond, is it not?  To keep your word, and to be seen to keep it, is to shine as a beacon of truth to your fellow-man.  Let the strength of your character be an inspiration to others, so that they who see you pass by may say to each other, “There goes an honorable man.  There goes a man of his word.”