There is one invention that helps us improve relationships with both with our fellows and God. This invention is simple, it is a flat piece of metal, a piece of silvered or otherwise backed glass, or even still water. It is called a mirror, and it works like this. Stand in front of the mirror, call to mind what makes you mad, and say "My biggest problem in dealing with ______ is" and look in the mirror, and tada, there's your problem. This is not an easy thing to do. So expect some resistance from the person that you are accusing.
Once you get it through the head of the person in your mirror that they are the issue, you will now have the opportunity to change. Take these things in prayer to God, and you will (possibly very quickly) find your perspective will change.
I've been unhappy with these confrontations lately. I have been examining how my relationships are going, and after being forced to the mirror by unhappiness in my (in particular romantic) relationships, I've had to examine my attitudes about them, in particular my sense of entitlement. I have walked away from the experience believing that I am indeed the biggest problem I have, and I am determined to change my attitude, and as best I can, make amends to people who have been hurt by me in the past.
Along the way I've learned more about myself, I've come closer to God, and being free of my own sense of injury, I believe I can approach all my relationships in a new light of service.
Dear Father, help me to remember your Son's words, and to remove the beam from my own eye before attempting to remove the splinter from my neighbor's. Amen
Tom (Welcome!), Kat, Me, Brianne, Ben, Julia, Lindsay, Frank, and Frank. After lunch we all looked considerably, um, wider.
Location and Architecture:
Saint Benedict The Moor Parish, 2423 Grant Street, Omaha. I try really hard to not play favorites with the parishes that I have visited, but the sense of community that was present at Saint Benedict the Moor was tangible. I would like to thank the parish community for making the Mass Chaos group feel so welcome, and thank you for the invitation to return, I am planning on it. Also, the music was absolutely fantastic.
Gospel:
"...for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute." Luke 21:15
(I am going to go out of context on the Gospel reading for this week (Luke 21:5-19) and pull out this one verse.) For me, the greatest joy that I have is when I know that I have just done something or said something that God wanted me to do. A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a friend and I said something to encourage her that was so smart, so irrefutable that our friends all said immediately that they loved it. My reaction was "That just came out of my mouth?". Anytime that I say something with wisdom, I consider it to be God talking through me, rather than anything inherent in me.
The verse immediately preceding this one talks about not preparing ahead of time, and just letting God work through you. As I thought about this beforehand (i.e. preparing), I was going to mention something about a willingness to be God's instrument being a vital part of the process, but I quickly 'remembered' a couple incidents where God used some pretty unlikely people to make a point to me, so God will use who He wants, when He wants, and who are we to complain? He's God.
This being said, it is hope of mine that the more that I suppress my own desires, and make my entire life available to God, the more likely it is that it is he'll use me. "Here I am Lord", use me.
Prayers:
Please pray for:
Tom who is being deployed to Afghanistan, and his wife and two daughters.
Amy and Shannon for protection on their missions.
Kevin as he prepares for his final year of seminary and the priesthood.
Marcus as he has been accepted into seminary and will be discerning the priesthood.
My friend M., who is pregnant, please pray for her and her baby.
My mother Judy to have her back healed.
My foot for healing.
Next:
Sunday, November 21 @ 11:00am at Mass: Saint Agnes Parish, 2215 Q Street, Omaha. This Mass will be in Spanish.
Peace, Eric
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