October 10-11, 2026
Dear parishioners,
Did you know that there are many idioms in American English that come from Scripture? Some of them are more obvious, such as doubting Thomas, good Samaritan, forbidden fruit, fire and brimstone, etc. However, there are many others that you might be surprised to see come from Scripture. Let’s take a look at a few of these and their context in the bible.
Salt of the earth- As you know, we usually use this phrase to describe someone who is exceptionally honest, humble, and reliable. In these people, we often admire their trustworthiness and their genuine care for others. While this use of the term is good, Jesus’ meaning in the Gospel goes a little deeper. In the Gospels, Jesus commands that his disciples be the salt of the earth because we are supposed to preserve his truth amid the corruption of the world. Salt was used as a preservative for meats, especially expensive ones. It was also used to flavor food as it is today. Jesus’ disciples are obliged to preserve his truth, our most valuable possession, and to “season” the secular world with it.
A fly in the ointment- When we say someone or something is “a fly in my ointment,” we’re referring to an annoyance or a wrench thrown into our plans. This actually comes to us from Ecclesiastes 10:1, “Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off an evil odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.” When sin is present, it always mars the beauty and order of God’s creation. It also interrupts the suave working of grace within us. Fortunately for us, any sin, no matter how grave, can be absolved in the sacrament of reconciliation, thus restoring us to grace and scooping the fly out of the ointment!
A little bird told me- Ecclesiastes 10:20 offers this counsel to close out the chapter: “Even in your thought, do not curse the king, nor in your bedchamber curse the rich; for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.” For all the sinful things we think we say or do in secret, there are lots of “little birds” ready to fly away and share them!
The writing is on the wall- The book of Daniel takes place during the Babylonian captivity. The pagan king now ruling over Jerusalem eventually hosts a large banquet. As an arrogant act of mockery, the king uses the sacred gold and silver vessels which were taken from the Temple in Jerusalem as commonplace cups for the meal. In the middle of the feast, the king sees a hand visibly writing Hebrew words on the wall of the room. No one else present can read them except for Daniel, who interprets for the king the meaning of the words: “‘This is the interpretation of the matter: mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’ […] That very night Belshazar the Chaldean king was slain” (Dan. 5: 26-28,30). Hence, when we say the writing is on the wall in any context, it always has an ominous connotation.
From the mouths of babes- This phrase comes from one of my favorite psalms: “Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted by the mouth of babes and infants, thou hast founded a bulwark because of thy foes, to still the enemy and the avenger” (Ps. 8:1-2). This is worth reflecting on! What sounds like babbling to us, which comes from the mouths of innocent babes and infants, is actually the chanting of glory to God (think here of the role chant plays in making liturgies more sacred, and more effective in raising our hearts and minds to God). This chanting from children is so pleasing to God, that it is powerful enough to thwart the devil’s plans. See how infants and babies are a daily reminder to us of the Lord’s goodness in creating us, and that our existence makes sense only when understood in making a return to him? They are examples for all of us that we should daily be mindful of the good things God has given us, and that we should always witness to his greatness and generosity, no matter what anyone else thinks!
Blessings,
Fr. Ammanniti
