Stop and reflect for a moment

[E.E.N.S]

From the CCC:**1039 **In the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each man’s relationship with God will be laid bare. The Last Judgment will reveal even to its furthest consequences the good each person has done or failed to do during his earthly life:

All that the wicked do is recorded, and they do not know. When “our God comes, he does not keep silence.”. . . he will turn towards those at his left hand: . . . “I placed my poor little ones on earth for you. I as their head was seated in heaven at the right hand of my Father - but on earth my members were suffering, my members on earth were in need. If you gave anything to my members, what you gave would reach their Head. Would that you had known that my little ones were in need when I placed them on earth for you and appointed them your stewards to bring your good works into my treasury. But you have placed nothing in their hands; therefore you have found nothing in my presence.”

**2446 **St. John Chrysostom vigorously recalls this: “Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs.” “The demands of justice must be satisfied first of all; that which is already due in justice is not to be offered as a gift of charity”:

When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice.

Matthew 25:31-46

31 And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. 32 And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. 34 Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:

3**6 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. 37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? 39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? 40 And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.

41 Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. 44 Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? 45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me.

46 And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.

 

[GoldenArrow]

This definitely fosters a healthy development of “fear of the Lord.” This is a good thing though.

I often think about this day, the Last Day, and where I’ll stand.

I’ve still got a lot of self-centeredness in my soul, and I hate that about myself. I often find people ask ME questions about myself, but I forget to ask other people questions about themselves. I don’t know if it’s shyness, or if it’s disinteredness, or if I’m distracted, or if I’m just selfish. This is an area I need to work on: being interested in the lives of other people.

I also find people often compliment me, but I notice I don’t give out a lot of compliments to others. Again, I don’t know why I’m like this. It just doesn’t occur to me to compliment people. I’m polite to people, of course, and say “thank you,” and “please,” etc… but compliments seem to elude me. I need to work on this, too.

I’ll even have nightmares where I awaken and find myself amongst the Goats!

I’ve had other dreams about the Last Day where I slept through the whole thing and God forgot to judge me, and so I find myself waking up to a STRANGE place. I crawl out of my house, which is below ground because it got partially swallowed by an earthquake. I see myself in this recurring dream walking toward the Eternal City, this beaming jewel in the distance, with the Just Risen in Glory around me, not knowing my fate! I enter the gates of this city barefoot, dressed in rags, dirty and totally helpless. Under each arm, I’m carrying one of my cats, too. I am allowed entrance into some room where the King of Kings sits, and it is then that I’ll be told my fate! I’m very afraid at this point. I never find out my fate in the dream.

Of the two dreams, the LATTER makes the most sense to me. I am a bit of a dufus, you see. I am totally clueless and am totally out-of-sync with the rest of the world. You might say I march to the beat of a different drummer. Always have.

So this passage, for me, evokes a healthy fear of the Lord, and also, a lesson to NEVER be satisfied with who I am. I must always, always, to my last breath strive to be more like Him.

In short, this passages scares the #$#($#* out of me!!!

That’s a good thing though!

God Bless!

 

[DesertBrother]

This definitely fosters a healthy development of “fear of the Lord.” This is a good thing though.

I often think about this day, the Last Day, and where I’ll stand.

I’ve still got a lot of self-centeredness in my soul, and I hate that about myself. I often find people ask ME questions about myself, but I forget to ask other people questions about themselves. I don’t know if it’s shyness, or if it’s disinteredness, or if I’m distracted, or if I’m just selfish. This is an area I need to work on: being interested in the lives of other people.

I also find people often compliment me, but I notice I don’t give out a lot of compliments to others. Again, I don’t know why I’m like this. It just doesn’t occur to me to compliment people. I’m polite to people, of course, and say “thank you,” and “please,” etc… but compliments seem to elude me. I need to work on this, too.

I’ll even have nightmares where I awaken and find myself amongst the Goats!

I’ve had other dreams about the Last Day where I slept through the whole thing and God forgot to judge me, and so I find myself waking up to a STRANGE place. I crawl out of my house, which is below ground because it got partially swallowed by an earthquake. I see myself in this recurring dream walking toward the Eternal City, this beaming jewel in the distance, with the Just Risen in Glory around me, not knowing my fate! I enter the gates of this city barefoot, dressed in rags, dirty and totally helpless. Under each arm, I’m carrying one of my cats, too. I am allowed entrance into some room where the King of Kings sits, and it is then that I’ll be told my fate! I’m very afraid at this point. I never find out my fate in the dream.

Of the two dreams, the LATTER makes the most sense to me. I am a bit of a dufus, you see. I am totally clueless and am totally out-of-sync with the rest of the world. You might say I march to the beat of a different drummer. Always have.

So this passage, for me, evokes a healthy fear of the Lord, and also, a lesson to NEVER be satisfied with who I am. I must always, always, to my last breath strive to be more like Him.

In short, this passages scares the #$#($#* out of me!!!

That’s a good thing though!

God Bless!

This passage helps me a lot too, for many similar reasons. Even when I try to do good for others, I feel like I’m secretly doing it with my own hidden motivations. When those motivations have to do with eternal life, I doubt if I’m even making any progress at all. I already “receive my reward” by being oh so pleased with myself.
I’m also introverted, and constantly battling my narcissism and ego when it comes to interaction with others. I have to remind myself to seem interested in their lives, even if my interest is very slight. During conversations, I’m so focused on what I’ll say next, and if I’m saying the right thing, and what the person I’m speaking with thinks of me. No wonder they say shyness is a form of vanity! This is a social and spiritual disorder that I pray to be delivered from. Lord, help me to learn true charity before I pass away!:bowdown:

 

[mommyof4]

Of the two dreams, the LATTER makes the most sense to me. I am a bit of a dufus, you see. I am totally clueless and am totally out-of-sync with the rest of the world. You might say I march to the beat of a different drummer. Always have.

So this passage, for me, evokes a healthy fear of the Lord, and also, a lesson to NEVER be satisfied with who I am. I must always, always, to my last breath strive to be more like Him.

In short, this passages scares the #$#($#* out of me!!!

That’s a good thing though!

God Bless!

So you’re different - thank God and use your difference to his glory, somehow! Look at all of the Saints who were a bit “different.”

I personally find the above quoted passage very challenging. It really makes me take a look at my priorities and see how I spend my time a money - is it going toward furthering God’s kingdom, or is it being used for my own selfish needs and wants. Unfortunatly, most of it has been used for the latter. I’m really praying that that turns around, and soon! Whenever I need a kick in my complacent pants, I just need to read:

Matt. 36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. 37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? 39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? 40 And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.

 

[GoldenArrow]

I’m also really GREAT at sticking my foot in my mouth.

I tend to … say things without editing. I sometimes make people angry without realizing it. (Again, the clueless part). The frustrating part is that when I do finally find out I’ve made someone mad, I’ve forgotten who the person is and what I’ve said to tick them off! Unfortunately, the other person remembers ME very well and remembers everything I said that offended them. UGH!

This happened to me today.

I came in to do an eye exam.

MY morning appointment had Tri-Care insurance, the military insurance. I do most of my billing through a billing company, but this particular insurance I bill myself. Therefore, I know the benefits, which are a 10 dollar copay on the eye exam and no benefits for contact lens services, meaning, she pays 10 plus 29 to 39 for the fit.

We called the insurance company one day, they said they cover 40 towards the exam and patient has 10 copay. The patient, however, calls on her own to verify it and they tell her they cover 100% and there is no copay. We call a second time the day of her appointment and they say they cover 100%.

But I know better. I am right. If I go by what the patient says, I won’t get paid. They were both told wrong informatoin over the phone. This wouldn’t be the first time this has happened with Tri-Care. They tell us wrong information 50% of the time.

So I come out. She’s sitting at the front desk with her brows scrunched together, looking ticked off. I then explained that she has to pay part of her eye exam. She says, “I’ve never had to pay a copay with Tri-Care before, not ever.” I say, “I bill this insurance myself. The person you both spoke with on the phone gave you incorrect information. They cover 40 of this. You will have to pay the rest.” I grab her chart, turn around to write in it, and I hear her say to the office manager, in a low, gruff voice, “I don’t think I like her. I think she’s rude.” She deliberately says loud enough that I can hear.

I felt my face get red. I left the room with her chart to cool off. I cleaned off my equipment and prepped the room. One of the staff comes in and says, “Shes crying! She says you treated her like garbage.”

I go out and she says, “You’re gruff and I don’t think I like you.”

I say, “You’ve made this judgement about me after I spoke one sentence to you?”

She says, “Well, no. The other day I came in here and you walked in the door and said stuff about my insurance and** if** I have it and … well … I just think you’re rude.”

I said, “I don’t even remember you.”

She says, “Well, you should remember me! You should remember your patients!” (Keep in mind that on a typical day, I have people at me constantly, one after the other, bombarding me with questions. I never get a moment’s rest, and she probably entered in a moment of chaos. I also don’t remember patients AFTER I’ve examined them. Yes, this is bad. To me, people all look the same after awhile, and in fact, I don’t recognize most of my patients unless I’ve seen them at least 3 times. I’ve probably offended LOTS of patients just by the fact that I don’t recognize them after I’ve examined them).

I had enough. I told her, “If you don’t like me, just find another eye doctor to do your exam.”

She said, “I think I will.” She left.

Now, I don’t know if she was putting on an act — or if she’s just extremely delicate — or if I’m really just an ogre. The fact that she started crying after I told her she’d have to pay more makes me suspicious that she’s “playing” me. I don’t give in in situations like this. I know what the insurance pays, and that’s it. They can cry if they want, but that won’t change facts. Period.

Also, today, I wrote a letter to Tri-Care terminating my provider contract. This is the second patient in a week to throw a fit over this particular insurance. I bill them rarely—five total this year. It’s not worth the trouble!

Moral of the story: She’d gotten ticked off at me over something I said a week ago, stewed over it, and let me have it today. I didn’t remember what I’d said to her. I don’t even remember her at all. Totally clueless.

I also lost my temper with her today, and I’m not proud of that either. I haven’t lost my temper in quite some time — but it’s always bad when the doctor loses it. Sets a bad example.

So … I’ll probably end up on his Christ’s left, as a Goat, because I tick people off and don’t realize it. So frustrating.

 

[mommyof4]

Don’t judge yourself so harshly! Is there someone you trust that you can talk to about this? Someone who knows you well and will give you an honest answer? If (and I’m just saying IF) you need to make some adjustments in how you interact with others, are you willing to make any changes?

 

[GoldenArrow]

Well, I used to have quite a terrible temper. I’ve improved a lot, actually.

It’s just that — when you’re the doctor, and you screw up, EVERYONE is on you! It’s like the sin is multiplied by ten just because you’re the authority in the office.

To those who are given much, much is expected.

I’m just a bit frustrated with myself. I’ll just confess it, forget it, and try to do better next time. I know I’m not perfect. I do tend to be very hard on myself though. Sometimes … my patients drive me nuts!

Thanks for the pat on the back. I appreciate it.

God Bless!

 

[mommyof4]

Thanks for the pat on the back. I appreciate it.

God Bless!

Your welcome!