I find you to be a very sincere person and like you I’ve striven to try to understand how things work. Others and how they act or what they mean, can be confusing, and it’s hard sometimes to be sure where they’re coming from. One of the ways I sorted through insights was through writing, and sometimes I share my stuff here in CAF…I always kind of wondered what do do with it, apart from having it as the basis of my thought and returning to it when I needed to. Publish it under my own name? I never have though I’ve shared the book with some…over 100, 000 words I think it is. I called it all, “a handful of wildflower’ (poetic license because I really mean, 'a handful of weedflowers.” )This is because of the gifts my sons gave me as little boys, little bunches of dandelions or clover flowers given with great love, yet many would regard such gifts as worthless. Probably many do…but I share them sometimes for those who might find they say something they need…However it’s a work in progress, always.
but this puts me in the category of those who share their religious bits and pieces. Therefore I might be able to explain what is happening. Astonishingly out of the blue once, these lines came from my middle son when he was nineteen, “In ‘New Beginnings’ I believe God has given power to desire, and creative wisdom; and voiced it as clearly as that cry of the poor which pierces the clouds. Perhaps you should no longer say, ‘of what use is it to anyone.’ You received it, and it remains…" I used to call it ‘new beginnings’…Very moving coming from one’s son.The following is one of my attempts to do justice to others and their motivations. I have various prayers and even a couple of poems where I explored about others. Oh, I know you’re not judging anyone, your question is exploratory. What I’m saying is that those who do display their religion on their sleeve may simply be enthusiastic, naive, overjoyed, straightforward, inexperienced, any number of motivations…and we just have to leave it at that. For yourself, I believe you are doing it exactly right. For you, humility is the honesty of your quiet goodness and generosity…for someone else it will be “not hiding their light under a bushel” as Jesus said, or someone else…perhaps by my experience I can encourage you! We don’t have to really worry about others’ motivations as it’s between them and God, but we can always pray for others’ integrity in revealing their spirituality in case there is something self-seeking there. But you are doing it right for you, that is clear. One tends to catch a sense of others’ spirits on this forum.
Judgement of others
Jesus, please alert us when we are tempted to judge other people. Our judgements may be based on another’s opinion, on flimsy evidence or on past observations, without full knowledge of someone’s situation and nature. Even if others appear to blatantly sin, we cannot judge them according to Your vision. Please give us grace to extend impartiality and compassion to all others, friend, foe or stranger.
We cannot know others’ motivations or all the influences affecting them, so we have doubtless misjudged others more frequently than we realise.
Give us grace to avoid unkind or scandalous gossip.
Enlighten those who see a few incidents or an isolated occurrence or appearance, even from years past, and then presume to make a permanent judgement like “he always does this.” “She always is like that.” “He is that sort of person.” How unjust to judge others in this way! Even if former perceptions happen to be accurate, who can judge that any person has not advanced in wisdom or grace!
If we defend victims of misjudgement, some accusers reconsider their opinion, while others cling to prejudice. Some people believe that their subjective view of people, reality, and events is the only valid one; therefore, we cannot expect them to be open to contrary evidence or testimony. They honestly believe that their judgements are correct. They seem not to be fully responsible for the injustice of their viewpoints.
We cannot judge even these people for perhaps they suffer from personal insecurity or desire for ascendancy over others, due to immaturity or low self-esteem. Their lack of respect and compassion may be hurtful to someone we love or respect, but let us respond with Christian maturity, without besmirching their reputations. Please expand their mental and emotional maturity so that with just and empathetic understanding of others, they—and we—may make reparation for the reputation and welfare of anyone who has been maligned or misjudged.
We trust in Your love to pardon us and to greatly bless anyone we have sinned against by judgement or unkindness. Jesus, help us truly to love our sisters and brothers, whether or not we understand them. October 1999
Judge you, my brother?
God, eternity waits for those who live the gospel to truly share in Your delight in each person. With You, we will rejoice in everyone who accepts Christ’s invitation to follow Him with prayer, penance and generosity!
How profound is the giving required by that person, and this! What happiness, what anguish is known there! What temptation is encountered! What sensitivities enfeeble or enrich and sanctify that life! How great is Your glory in the strange or ordinary facts and struggles of their existence! Yet, how can we know?
We err in applying rules of private interpretation to another’s intention or act, except as feeble measure for our compassion and charity. Only by one’s private consciousness—unless enlightened by Your Spirit of love—can each see what lies in another’s soul.
Each person is a unique expression of Your love, an individual world, some great, and some miniature, separate in existence and consciousness, yet united in You. Yet how quickly do we judge each other! We offer You our hurt and theirs in prayer for healing and forgiveness.
Let us not belittle or betray, in thought, or by gossip—the seemingly sinful, the apparently misled or foolish, the ugly, the crippled in mind or spirit. Let us celebrate their preciousness in You. Let us no longer sin against Your sacred love and creation in anyone by our judgements however seemingly justified.
Let Your Holy Spirit know and love each other person through us, with sensitivity to their emerging needs. Give us compassion for each other, however perplexed or inaccurate our perception, so that we revere each other—and ourselves—as individuals sacred to You.
Through Your Spirit, we can offer appreciation, justice and love to each other as we wait humbly on the full vision of Your meaning, purpose, and love of each person, in the final translation that follows death. Let us serve and intercede for each other person as loved child of God, in glad, trusting welcome.
… I guess i don’t like to tell people if i helped someone out, or if i am volunteering , or if i went to confession, etc. I do those things for God and don’t feel the need to be telling everyone what I did, unless it is to encourage them to do so. I think people should be more humble about doing good things.
) the nuts and bolts of the liturgy.