St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Mount Vernon shared a recent reflection on the church's website about the silent speech of followers of Christ.

The words that we speak influence those who hear them but also reveal a great deal about us. In the same way, the actions that we take are even more indicative of the types of people we are— they are, in a way, our silent speech.

On August 22, the Church remembers the queenship of Mary. There are few better examples of devout individuals who used their actions for the will of God than Mary.

“She does not utter many words with her lips. She proclaims, however, loudly with her life,” the reflection said. “She ponders much and says little. But even today, she keeps making audible speeches with her life to all Christians that we should live humbly and accept God's will for our lives, to praise and please God for us to be faithful witnesses.”

Unlike the pharisees and scribes who went around spewing off lofty speech yet failing to show their love for God in their actions, Mary and Jesus are prime examples for us of what humans can do when they are set on loving and serving God and their fellow man.

“Though Jesus was a teacher, it was not only his words that spoke loudly, but how He welcomed, listened, taught and aided the people who came to Him,” the reflection said.

As Christians, we should feel compelled to speak more through our actions than we do with our words. This is a contrast from the pharisees and scribes who did not offer acceptable actions but always seemed to know the right thing to say.

“The scribes and the Pharisees constituted the teaching elites and the enforcers of the religious and societal norms and practices," the reflection stated. "However, in their personal conduct and deeds, they showed a lack of moral pedigree and authority that was needed for imitation."

The church compels followers of Christ to look to our heavenly examples for how we should conduct ourselves in this lifetime.