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ncjohn
Guest
Hi Barb!
Reading that was certainly a great reminder of why we don’t see much peace, nor do we even find many individuals who are at peace even with themselves. We don’t tend to be people who are willing to “turn the other cheek” and just pray for the conversion of our enemies. I know my personal tendency is to think first in terms of what kind of justice should apply rather than foregoing my concept of justice in terms of peace.
Of course, truth be known, if I got what I deserved in justice I would most surely not be very pleased. And as a people, if we got what we deserved from God in justice, heaven would likely be a pretty quiet place. Instead though we are called to show mercy as we have been shown mercy rather than being the unforgiving servant.
The closing line of the reading especially spoke to me:
Never be aggressive with your brother; never judge him; overcome in gentleness and love. Pride and harshness take peace away. So love him who does not love you and pray for him. In this way your peace will be undisturbed.
This closely resembles part of my signature line at another site, a quote from Robert Bellarmine:
This is the effect of true charity, to be on good terms with all men, to consider no one your enemy, and to live at peace with those who hate peace.
If we can once get our egos away from “need” to be right and to be respected, we can feel the peace that comes from detachment to the world. I get brief glimpses of that in my better moments, but they are far too few and far between. As you’ve noted on a few occasions that St. Francis said, our pride dies about 10 minutes after we do.
Not many of us willingly take that leap of faith that will allow us to relish the idea of being the servant of all.
Peace to you Barb!
Reading that was certainly a great reminder of why we don’t see much peace, nor do we even find many individuals who are at peace even with themselves. We don’t tend to be people who are willing to “turn the other cheek” and just pray for the conversion of our enemies. I know my personal tendency is to think first in terms of what kind of justice should apply rather than foregoing my concept of justice in terms of peace.
Of course, truth be known, if I got what I deserved in justice I would most surely not be very pleased. And as a people, if we got what we deserved from God in justice, heaven would likely be a pretty quiet place. Instead though we are called to show mercy as we have been shown mercy rather than being the unforgiving servant.
The closing line of the reading especially spoke to me:
Never be aggressive with your brother; never judge him; overcome in gentleness and love. Pride and harshness take peace away. So love him who does not love you and pray for him. In this way your peace will be undisturbed.
This closely resembles part of my signature line at another site, a quote from Robert Bellarmine:
This is the effect of true charity, to be on good terms with all men, to consider no one your enemy, and to live at peace with those who hate peace.
If we can once get our egos away from “need” to be right and to be respected, we can feel the peace that comes from detachment to the world. I get brief glimpses of that in my better moments, but they are far too few and far between. As you’ve noted on a few occasions that St. Francis said, our pride dies about 10 minutes after we do.
Not many of us willingly take that leap of faith that will allow us to relish the idea of being the servant of all.
Peace to you Barb!
D
DBT
Guest
I’m reminded of St. Teresa’s maxim on peace: Let nothing disturb you. And what disturbs us most often? IMO, it’s all the notions of “self” that dominate our thoughts, words and actions. My wants, my needs, my opinion . . . me, myself and I.
Lately I’ve been thinking how connected Joy is to Peace. Often I think people confuse joy with an outward sense of happiness or a sunny disposition. That might be part of it, but I really think joy is the absence of all these notions of self. Or at least our egos are relegated to the background of our mind as we are more and more filled with love of Christ and neighbor. And with this emptying of self and filling with Christ, peace, joy and ALL the virtues become as one.
It’s no wonder then the saints teach the purification of self and egoism lies at the heart of our spiritual journey. After all, isn’t that what the Dark Night is all about? And in this light, the first steps we take toward peace begins with the simple decision we make to learn to be “silent to self.”
Good to see you Barb and John . . .
Dave.
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water
Guest
Thank you Barb for this wonderful reflection!
I am pondering over this passage for this week.
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allhers
Guest
That was wonderful, I bet our dear Blessed Mother was like this part of it.
“Never be aggressive with your brother; never judge him; overcome in gentleness and love”.
I often think that if anyone had a right to be aggressive toward others, or to judge them it would have been her, but she overcame all in gentleness and love, I am sure she prays for us all.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all tried to be more like her?
“Never be aggressive with your brother; never judge him; overcome in gentleness and love”.
I often think that if anyone had a right to be aggressive toward others, or to judge them it would have been her, but she overcame all in gentleness and love, I am sure she prays for us all.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all tried to be more like her?
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BarbaraTherese
Guest
Thank you Dave, Water and Allhers for contributing great insights into this thread!!!Hi Barb!
Reading that was certainly a great reminder of why we don’t see much peace, nor do we even find many individuals who are at peace even with themselves. We don’t tend to be people who are willing to “turn the other cheek” and just pray for the conversion of our enemies. I know my personal tendency is to think first in terms of what kind of justice should apply rather than foregoing my concept of justice in terms of peace.
Of course, truth be known, if I got what I deserved in justice I would most surely not be very pleased. And as a people, if we got what we deserved from God in justice, heaven would likely be a pretty quiet place. Instead though we are called to show mercy as we have been shown mercy rather than being the unforgiving servant.
The closing line of the reading especially spoke to me:
Never be aggressive with your brother; never judge him; overcome in gentleness and love. Pride and harshness take peace away. So love him who does not love you and pray for him. In this way your peace will be undisturbed.
This closely resembles part of my signature line at another site, a quote from Robert Bellarmine:
This is the effect of true charity, to be on good terms with all men, to consider no one your enemy, and to live at peace with those who hate peace.
If we can once get our egos away from “need” to be right and to be respected, we can feel the peace that comes from detachment to the world. I get brief glimpses of that in my better moments, but they are far too few and far between. As you’ve noted on a few occasions that St. Francis said, our pride dies about 10 minutes after we do.
Not many of us willingly take that leap of faith that will allow us to relish the idea of being the servant of all.
Peace to you Barb!
Hi John…Just wanted to duck back into this thread to say hello and catch up with you again!
I dont think there is anything I can add to your own or others comments in this thread…except possibly that if I can learn to forgive others, forgiving myself will follow …or if I can learn to forgive myself than forgiveness of others will follow. Being communal and social beings and thoroughly imperfect ones, the quality of forgiveness is important on a human level becomes important alone. But then we are indeed faulted creatures and fail…and if I dont succeed at first, then try, try again…and prayerfully. It is not so much success that The Lord asks, since it is his gift alone…rather it is the prayerful effort and desire to succeed and it is in renewed effort and desire that I need to find Peace…if it were success then I would be a mess!!!Pride I think suggests we should be at the heights of holiness NOW, reality tells us that it is a growth process and a journey that will continue until death until 10minutes after our death, pride finally ceases.
After posting this thread…I came across the following article, which also speaks to this theme and posted it: “Your Neighbour is the holiest person present to your senses”
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=238268
Blessings and my regards, John…good to catch up with you again…Barb
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acadian
Guest
Truer words were never spoken.
Last year at this time, I was having a huge issue with a person. I was upset about a situation, demanded action, and got what felt like an attack in return. The whole situation got personal, which is not what I had intended. The emails flew back and forth, and it was just not pretty.
Wanting to resolve the situation, and wanting assurance that I was indeed RIGHT, I asked my very wise pastor to help me sort through the whole mess. He listened, read emails and letters, and then spoke. He never condemned me or the other person. But he also never justified either of our actions.
His advice to me: if you want to fix the mess, then you need to apologize. Surely not the advice I wanted or expected. Surely not what anyone else had advised me to do. But the peace that I felt as I left his office, was just amazing. Caught me by surprise. I knew the advice was sound.
When I let my pride go, found a little humility, and focused on peace and reconciliation, it all worked out. Although the person wasn’t on my list of favorite people, as I became able to see him as a person again, I was able to feel some compassion and empathy towards him and see him as a child of God.
Peace quietly returned to my life, and I welcomed it with open arms.
Last year at this time, I was having a huge issue with a person. I was upset about a situation, demanded action, and got what felt like an attack in return. The whole situation got personal, which is not what I had intended. The emails flew back and forth, and it was just not pretty.
Wanting to resolve the situation, and wanting assurance that I was indeed RIGHT, I asked my very wise pastor to help me sort through the whole mess. He listened, read emails and letters, and then spoke. He never condemned me or the other person. But he also never justified either of our actions.
His advice to me: if you want to fix the mess, then you need to apologize. Surely not the advice I wanted or expected. Surely not what anyone else had advised me to do. But the peace that I felt as I left his office, was just amazing. Caught me by surprise. I knew the advice was sound.
When I let my pride go, found a little humility, and focused on peace and reconciliation, it all worked out. Although the person wasn’t on my list of favorite people, as I became able to see him as a person again, I was able to feel some compassion and empathy towards him and see him as a child of God.
Peace quietly returned to my life, and I welcomed it with open arms.
B
BarbaraTherese
Guest
Great sharing…thank you! Our priests really are in the main quite charismatic I think - it is amazing to me how often some advice from a priest works out and brings Peace…even if when I first heard it I was none to sure about his advice at all.
In my own life pondering my offences and needing to gratefully accept God’s Mercy, forgive self, and move on has shown me that the offences of others and perhaps even against me are far milder than my own offences against The Lord, who has nonetheless lovingly embraced me with His Mercy: “Go thou and do likewise”.
Not that I always succeed…sometimes a “pusing a barrel uphill” type of exercise, with it continually rolling back down the hill and having to start again. I am very fond of the words of St. Paul “why is it that I find myself doing the very things I have made up my mind not to do”…and if a St. Paul can sight that in himself, then why on earth am I surprised at it in myself???
If one does not succeed at first, then try try again.
Blessings and thanks again for sharing a great anecdote and an encouraging one - that seeking an advice from a priest can bring awesome Graces…Barb
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