Loving self and others - Peace and Self Knowledge

[BarbaraTherese]

On Loving self and others**– Peace and Self Knowledge**…
http://www.wccm.org/readlist.asp?pagestyle=readlist&sqltype=current
…at the end of this article is a section on Centering Prayer. This thread is a discussion of the article only and not a discussion on Centering Prayer.
The articles I post, I do post because first they have spoken to me and most often in a challenging tone………challenging me to examine and regroup, rethink. This is one of them.

The following paragraph reminded me of a quote from St. Therese of Lisieux whose feastday has been today here in South Australia. St. Therese wrote: “Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be — and becoming that person.”

And here is the paragraph from the article that struck me:

Self-knowledge opens us to the mystery of human uniqueness – unity in diversity. Until we recognize and embrace our own uniqueness we can never relate to the universal. We remain trapped in the prison of egotism. Our own particular holiness must be realized before we can know the whole in which we have our being and where we most truly belong. The great error (and the sin of clericalism) is to pretend to have grasped the universal before we have come to self-knowledge. Trying to grasp the universal, to speak for it, to control it – these are the signs that we have still not been grasped by it.

I must admit that I have thought of self-knowledge more in the context of my failures, than of my own particular uniqueness and value and yet pondering, this too is a part of self knowledge. To know one’s place and call and to be thankful and grateful for it…
The whole article which is not lengthy is worth the read.

Blessings and Peace…Barb

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Good article and timely.

I forget where, but I just heard it this week,… I think it comes from St. Agustine, “Love of God is the path to self knowledge.”

St Teresa of Avila speaks of self-knowledge in her “Way of Perfection.”

Also, I think it was Thomas Merton who said, “to know ourselves is to know the person, God had in mind when he created us.”

Jim

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Good article and timely.

I forget where, but I just heard it this week,… I think it comes from St. Agustine, “Love of God is the path to self knowledge.”

St Teresa of Avila speaks of self-knowledge in her “Way of Perfection.”

Also, I think it was Thomas Merton who said, “to know ourselves is to know the person, God had in mind when he created us.”

Jim

Thank you for the (name removed by moderator)ut, Jim. St.Teresa advised her nuns to never move out of the mansion of self-knowledge - I must admit that of late I had been considering self-knowledge only in the light of what is negative in me…and forgotten that I am not completely negative. The article was a nudge to get things into perspective.

Blessings and God’s Peace…Barb

 

[InLight247]

The first step in implanting the virtues that will eventually overpower the vices is to establish the foundational virtue of deep and regular prayer. Through this silent rhythm of prayer wisdom slowly penetrates our mind and our world. …… The wise know the distinction between self-knowledge and self-fixation, between detachment and hardness of heart, between correction and cruelty. There are no rules for wisdom. Rules are never universal. But virtue is.

Thanks Barb for sharing another thought-provoke reading.

The above paragraph stands out for me.
Self knowledge is indeed critical to personal growth .
Self knowledge should be the integrity of facing our true self and the foundation of developing character and virtues. On our journey toward holiness, we need often stop to re-collect our self knowledge, both weakness and strength, to give an honest assessment, and re-start.

The endurance and strength of doing so relies on deep and regular prayer with humility and total openness in front of our loving God.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Thanks Barb for sharing another thought-provoke reading.

The above paragraph stands out for me.
Self knowledge is indeed critical to personal growth .
Self knowledge should be the integrity of facing our true self and the foundation of developing character and virtues. On our journey toward holiness, we need often stop to re-collect our self knowledge, both weakness and strength, to give an honest assessment, and re-start.

The endurance and strength of doing so relies on deep and regular prayer with humility and total openness in front of our loving God.

Hi again InLight…thank you for your insightful (name removed by moderator)ut and for pointing these things out. A committed life of Prayer develops in us those difficult to attain qualities like balance, wisdom, understanding of self and others, mercy, compassion, humility etc. etc…when it is time to ponder and pause and re-assess, take action re oneself…these things can be difficult to define with precision and clarity and hence are qualities acquired through prayer. The portion of the article you have quoted puts it better than I can:

…… The wise know the distinction between self-knowledge and self-fixation, between detachment and hardness of heart, between correction and cruelty.

Prayer will give us that understanding of when to speak, when to be silent etc. etc. In reading through some threads, one can insight others striving to define with good hearts hard and fast rules what cannot really actually be defined and put into a nice neat compartment that reason and logic can understand. Prayer mysteriously unknown to our minds or senses develops these qualities. And these things are only one product of a rich life of Prayer. BlessedStar in her signing off of posts writes something very beautiful: “In the living prayer of my life” - our whole lives are a prayer - or perhaps can be developed into a living life of prayer. “Practise of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence is a beautiful work - it is not lengthy and very easy to understand. At every moment, sercond of our life we are before the Eternal Throne of God.

Thanks again for sharing!

God’s Rich blessings to you and yours…and to all…and His Peace…Barb

 

[InLight247]

…. let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neighbours as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure.

The above are quotes of St. Francis of Assisi from your other thread “Daily Liturgy” that is closed.

But the words of St. Francis of Assisi may be applied to this thread – loving self and others.
To love ourselves and others, we must be simple, humble and pure in heart.
Penance and honest self-knowledge help us reflect how pure one’s heart is.
The pure hearted will see God.

 

[brigid12]

Good reading, Barb! Thanks!

Another being the ability to discern “between detachment and hardness of heart, between correction and cruelty”?

Thanks Barb for sharing another thought-provoke reading.

The above paragraph stands out for me.
Self knowledge is indeed critical to personal growth .
Self knowledge should be the integrity of facing our true self and the foundation of developing character and virtues. On our journey toward holiness, we need often stop to re-collect our self knowledge, both weakness and strength, to give an honest assessment, and re-start.

constantly

re-starting.

The endurance and strength of doing so relies on deep and regular prayer with humility and total openness in front of our loving God.

“…and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

 

[BarbaraTherese]

The above are quotes of St. Francis of Assisi from your other thread “Daily Liturgy” that is closed.

But the words of St. Francis of Assisi may be applied to this thread – loving self and others.
To love ourselves and others, we must be simple, humble and pure in heart.
Penance and honest self-knowledge help us reflect how pure one’s heart is.
The pure hearted will see God.

Lord grant us purity of heart, humility and simplicity in truth. Grant us the gift of Love in Truth, which is Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Incidentally the “Daily Liturgy” thread will be re-opened at some point not too far ahead - the format is being rehashed only. Each day the full liturgy for that day will be posted into a monthly thread. Until it all sorts itself out there may be some teething problems until things settle into final form.

Happy feastday of St. Francis of Assisi…it is the day I celebrate my pets, Buddie - my little pup with BIG ATTITUDE, and Missie my cat, who is too intelligent for her own good and a Mummy’s girl!

Blessings and Peace…Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Good reading, Barb! Thanks!

Another being the ability to discern “between detachment and hardness of heart, between correction and cruelty”?
InLight247;2794162:

Thanks Barb for sharing another thought-provoke reading.

The above paragraph stands out for me.
Self knowledge is indeed critical to personal growth .
Self knowledge should be the integrity of facing our true self and the foundation of developing character and virtues. On our journey toward holiness, we need often stop to re-collect our self knowledge, both weakness and strength, to give an honest assessment, and re-start.

constantly

re-starting.



“…and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

Your quote from Micah is one of my favourites! On your point of “discerning between” - this is that intangible something that the Holy Spirit gifts to one and why prayer (from one angle only!) is so important as it is a channel of the Holy Spirit - His Gifts and His Fruits. If I turned to God only for what I can get or receive…I am entirely mercenary in spirituality.

Count me as one who is constantly re-starting.

I like to say I am continually arriving only to depart which means the same thing! Another way it can be put is the “conversio” (conversion) is a constant element and factor in humility and self knowledge. But let’s not forget that we are not a complete and total bundle of vices and nothing else, we have our gifts too. Humility which insights truth and Truth sees both our vices and virtues and knows that virtue is not our own but flows from God. Vices we own as our own and are connected to the false self or ego. Every sin and imperfection is in the former a voluntary and in the latter involuntary ‘act’ against God…a mini rebellion if you like which asserts self over God - reminding one of ???..we walk on sifting sands in some ways - but with trustful confidence in hope. The true or real self in God “lives and moves” and has its being on ever deepening levels.
Tension and struggle, albeit Peaceful and trustful, will be an ongoing matter on some level until death. I’ve never experienced death of course, but we say in the Hail Mary “and at the hour of our death” and so I anticipate in a loose sort of way that there may be conflict even in my dying - a struggle and in hope a Peaceful and trustful one.

On the point of “constantly restarting” - now and then my starter motor can give me real problems

God’s Blessings, His Peace…Barb

 

[brigid12]

St. Padre Pio did say, “… our first charity must be to ourselves,…” when speaking of discerning between the Spirit of God and of the demon, With the perspective that St. Teresa talks of (she could speak to God in humor - wow!) and the trustful confidence that St Therese speaks of - I need to reread both of those ladies! I’ve also decided to make a list of pros and cons of my natural strengths and weaknesses. I’m so glad we’ve a Merciful God, since my weaknesses outnumber my strengths I’ll bet. BTW, Happy Feast Day St. Faustina! Jesus, I trust in You!!! :dancing:

Interesting - Barb, to speak of imperfections as part of our mini-rebellion (I’ve been used to thinking of sins that way, even venial sins, but just not imperfections). “Tension and struggle, albeit Peaceful and trustful” 'til death do us part - I’d like that Peace and Trust!

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Feast of St. Faustina here too. Jesus we trust you! St. Faustina pray we be apostles of mercy in imitation of you.

Imperfections are not voluntary…but to me they do indicate which way the tree is leaning subconsciously and so I own them and hence become intrinsic to any 'mini rebellion", in fact venial sins most often have their origin in some sort of imperfections already present.
I was saying to my director last visit how lovely it would be if I could blame things on Satan…nahhh I own up - since God knows what I am knowing.

Knowing our weaknesses and also our strengths is a part of self- knowledge and of course any strengths are a direct gift of God freely given and so I cannot own them. I really do love the Doctrine of The Mystical Body and St. Paul’s assertion that our gifts are not given for ourselves, rather they are given to us for the whole. We are merely unprofitable servants and stewards - since any increase comes from God. Rather I owe thanks for any gifts so freely given and need to examen my conscience as to how I am serving others with these gifts. The other point that occured to me is St. Paul “when I am weak, then I am strong”…wow! I must be a tower of strength

I thought it a really good idea to sit down with two columns and on one side write one’s strengths, and on the other the weaknesses. I’ll have a go myself - thanks Brigid. This is a really practical aspect that could come out of the article.

Great post, Brigid…Thank you…Barb