"Gossip is not a work of the Holy Spirit, it is not a work of the unity of the church. Gossip destroys the work of God. Please stop gossiping," Pope Francis said recently in a talk on the Sacrament of Confirmation.The pope emphasized that the gift of peace a person receives at Confirmation can be lost if the person starts saying mean things to others once he or she leaves Church.
Remind teens that the commandment "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" means more than lying. It also means that we are not to talk about people behind their backs or to spread untrue rumors about them. To gossip means to reveal private or sensational facts about others. What you say may be entirely true, but it's really none of your business and it's not the business of those who you are telling. In many, many times it's better to not say anything.This dramatic short film titled Word of Mouth about two high-school girls on different ends of the social spectrum illustrates the point well. More practical advice about how to stop gossip can be gleaned from It's Time to Silence Gossip, an article by a teenage boy.
Writing Prompt
- Tell about a time you have been hurt or hurt another by gossip. Explain the lesson you learned from this occasion.
