tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post2951946926425923688..comments2024-02-09T02:48:13.776-06:00Comments on Daily Meditations with Fr. Alfonse: Mt 5:20-26 God’s Way or The World’sFr. Alfonsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02557206560119402976noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-50076253350518849412011-03-18T19:40:23.473-05:002011-03-18T19:40:23.473-05:00"What does it mean to surpass the righteousne..."What does it mean to surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees? It means to recognize my own sins!"<br /><br />Thank you, Father, for answering this question that has puzzled me for years!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-16285559762194171652011-03-18T18:06:44.432-05:002011-03-18T18:06:44.432-05:00Anonymous
"Sometimes we blast them, hurting ...Anonymous<br /><br />"Sometimes we blast them, hurting them while we believe we are completely justified because our intentions are sincere, at least consciencely. That's when it's time to humble myself, admit I've inflicted pain and suffering on another, ask for forgiveness and work on changing those characteristics in myself that I find undesirable in others."<br /><br />What you said here is exactly what I have done on more than one occasion. I've done it to my daughter and to a friend. My daughter is good at reminding me and sometimes she'll even get a mirror and hold it up to me. Then I get the message.<br /><br />But my friend was really hurt when I accused her of being a certain way. I don't even remember what it was anymore, but I'm sure she does. When she had recovered from the initial shock, she tried to defent herself and I wouldn't listen. I was self righteous and had too much pride to admit I might be wrong or that I had even hurt her. I thought she needed to have tougher skin. Our relationship was really awkward for months, maybe close to a year before I humbled myself and apologized and pointed out my own faults.<br /><br />It was so healing. I had confessed it several times through the months, but I still felt the need to heal the wound that I caused and maybe reconcile. It made all the difference to her. I had made her feel really bad about herself and she quit trusting me for a long time, but actually I think it did more for me than her. Now we re able to laugh about it and our relationship is deeper and more intimate than ever before.<br /><br />Humility can be a hard pill to swallow, but even if you don't get the results you hope for, you know you've done the right thing by God. And that's all that really matters.<br /><br />And I think Lent is the best time to humble ourselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439331035718369167.post-22122358213677087072011-03-18T11:15:33.090-05:002011-03-18T11:15:33.090-05:00"All these things that I hate in others are n..."All these things that I hate in others are near to me! Their problem can be mine too: Christ!"<br /><br />AMEN!<br /><br />It is so easy to find my faults in others. I can miss them in myself, avoid them in myself or justify them in myself. Because if someone else has these 'defects' then I must be okay, right? <br /><br />I think that when we refuse to look into the mirror, Christ puts others 'like us' in our path so we cannot avoid seeing our own imperfections reflected in them, so that we will take notice and work on fixing them in ourselves. And we don't like it. <br /><br />Sometimes we blast them, hurting them while we believe we are completely justified because our intentions are sincere, at least consciencely. That's when it's time to humble myself, admit I've inflicted pain and suffering on another, ask for forgiveness and work on changing those characteristics in myself that I find undesirable in others. <br /><br /><br />"Sin leaves us empty, broken, wasted; feeling abused and used and utterly worthless. “Turn back to me”, says the Lord. He invites us to turn back and reconcile with your brother and yourself before doing anything else. You cannot move forward if broken, the pain will only get worse."<br /><br />As I meditated on the gospel this morning, I was actually thinking about this reconciliation thing.<br /><br />I can only think of one person that I am at unrest with and reconciliation seems impossible. I believe I've forgiven, then sometimes I wonder if I have. I know I have in my head, but I'm not sure if I have in my heart. I don't seem to have control over that. I'm not sure because sometimes I am absolutely sure and at other times a memory triggers an emotional response that reminds me of the pain. Maybe that's it, I have made an act of the will, I desire it and I sincerely want good things for them. The emotions will come and go, they are very tricky, often lying. Wonder where that comes from? So maybe I just answered my own question.<br /><br />I think reconciliation is another story. I believe it requires healing. Maybe healing on both sides.<br /><br />So I will keep praying and when the Lord thinks the necessary amount of healing has occurred, He will initiate reconciliation if that is His holy will.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com