Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.

If we have learned anything in today’s world, we have learned that words can, indeed, hurt. In fact, words can get you killed. And if you doubt that, just reflect on the recent horrendous murders at the office of Charlie Hebdo in France.

Twelve people, including the newspaper’s lead cartoonist, were killed in the Jan. 7 massacre by gunmen who said the attack was in retribution for Charlie Hebdo’s depiction of the Prophet Muhammad. The whole event has sparked a great discussion on freedom of speech and when it goes too far. The murderous acts were of course indefensible, however it gives us reason to examine the impact of our freedom on others.

We know that words are even more powerful today thanks to their global reach through social media. And the fact that those words can be expressed in anonymity has caused a troublesome proliferation of vitriol.

In today’s society, and especially in this country, we take great pride in the fact that our words are protected by the First Amendment. We can say or write words to rally and rouse, to motivate and initiate, to disagree and even disparage. We vehemently oppose censorship and readily support our right to opine on any topic, anytime and anywhere.

As a Catholic publication and media resource for the local Church, we enjoy double protection from the First Amendment. The First Amendment grants us the freedom to express our Catholic faith through the words we share so that others might be inspired to express that faith and strengthen it in their lives without fear of being squelched by those who oppose it.

By enjoying those rights for our own publication, we are called to respect that right for others whether it be Hindi, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Mormonism, Scientology or whatever. That does not mean we can’t defend our faith against the proselytization by others, but it can be done with strong catechesis and example, not a frontal assault of insult to that which is sacred to others. As 1 Corinthians instructs us, “Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Your every act should be done with love” (16:13-14).

Have we forgotten that last part — “done with love”?

The editor in chief of Charlie Hebdo in defending the French satirical newspaper’s skewering of religion, said recently that his magazine only targets faith when it becomes “entangled” in politics.

“We do not attack religion, but we do when it gets involved in politics,” Gerard Biard. Biard made the comments during an interview with Chuck Todd on NBC’s Meet the Press.

“We have a problem when faith and religion become political, then we become worried and we attack.

“If God becomes entangled in politics, then democracy is in danger,” he said through a translator.

I happen to think that any attack on faith is just exactly that — an attack. The things sacred to one faith deserve some measure of mutual respect, I think. How does a cartoon of Mohammed further an intelligent discussion or mutual understanding? How does a disparaging depiction of Jesus, Buddha, or the Dalai Lama encourage respect and peace?

And on the flip side, a discussion shouldn’t be ended by whomever has the biggest sticks and stones.

We have been granted great responsibilities, rights and privileges but there is a price and I think it is the recognition of consequence.

The rights we enjoy give us great power over ourselves and our destinies. As Spider Man said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” His words are a summation of what we know from the Gospel of Luke that tells us “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more” (12:48).

So as we exercise our rights shouldn’t we also exercise respect and remember that consequence is a part of our responsibility? While living our lives in a context of faith we should be able to express and instruct without attack and give example to others that faith gives our lives meaning and allow others to do the same.