Weeds In My Garden

Looking honestly and unflinchingly at my behavior, while at the same time having compassion for myself, is a powerful combination.
I have the opportunity to change for the better, not to demand perfection of myself or others.
My perfectionism sometimes makes me forget that I'm engaged in a process of change over time. It also lets me exaggerate both how "good" and "bad" I am.
I need to remind myself not to compare my insides with other people's outsides.
I have my own unique gifts; accepting and nurturing these gifts brings me joy and allows me to contribute to the human community.
I am capable of feeling love and compassion for others who are far from perfect.
I can learn to extend that love and compassion to myself.

Inner Demons
by Gerry Straub
No one is untouched by fears, neuross and anxieties.
Unless they are brought into the light,
they are free to terrorize us.
Life is all about healing oneself.
Face your shadow,
confront your inner demons.
We tend to deny in the darkness
what we experienced in the light.

How often do we rediscover the Psalmist’s insight: hidden quilt festers; honest admission of guilt heals!
Sin is self-love to the point of contempt for God.
The way to overcome sin is love of God to the point of contempt of self.

With joyful trust, let me own my sins before the Lord who gladly forgives.
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
For words and deeds of impatience and anger – pardon me, O Lord!
For words and deeds of selfish grasping – pardon me, O Lord!
For words and deeds of unkindness – pardon me, O Lord!
For those sins of which I am most ashamed – pardon me, O Lord!

O Lord, all my guilt lies open to you,
all my secret sins are known to you,
all my ugly ways are clear before you,
yet you never cease to offer me your redeeming love.
Have mercy on me in my pitiful attempts
to cloak my sinfulness with false bravado,
and grant me the joy that comes
with full repentance. Amen

Gathers and Reunites

Sin divides and scatters.

Sin drives us from the home that God has built for us in the depths of our hearts.

God's love gathers and reunites.

Holiness

"Holiness is not perfection
according to human criteria;
it is not reserved for
a small number of exceptional persons.
It is for everyone;
it is the Lord who
brings us to holiness,
when we are willing to
collaborate in the salvation
of the world for the glory of God,
despite our sin and
our sometimes rebellious temperament."

Pope John Paul II

Sins Forgiven

We cannot live with each other with forgiving, for each person is always at fault before others: a husband before his wife, children before their parents, parents before children, neighbors before neighbors.
We are people, living human beings, and if we were unable to forgive one another, then the whole world would turn into a hell, hate-filled chaos.
So let us begin today.
Let us call to mind all the evil there is in our lives and leave it on the threshold.
Of course, I know this is difficult, but after all it is God’s work.

-- Father Alexander Men

Father Man († 1990) was a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church and a prolific author.

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The Duck And The Devil

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm.
He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods.
He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target.
Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.
As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck.
Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved!
In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile only to see his sister watching!
Sally had seen it all but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes."
But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen."
Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?"
So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."
Sally just smiled and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help"
She whispered again, "Remember the duck?"
So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer.
He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.
Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

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Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done . . . and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.) . . .
whatever it is.
You need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.
He has seen your whole life.
He wants you to know that He LOVES you and that you are forgiven.
He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives, but He forgets
It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.

Freedoom

Today's freedom is not for myself alone.
Rather I am to use my freedom to worship God and do good to others.
Any "freedom" that does not lead me to serve God and my neighbor is not really freedom at all, but bondage to self-will and sin.

Think Before Speaking

When we are tempted to speak uncharitably or
to bring up someone’s past failures,
let us hear Jesus say:
Throw the stone only if you are free from sin.

-- from Thirsting for God: A Yearbook of Prayers and Meditations

Accepting One's Sins

"If one can accept one's sin,
one can live with it.
If one cannot accept it,
one has to suffer the inevitable consequences."

-- Carl Jung

I must come to accept my past acts before they will stop causing me pain.
I will no longer regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
Am I coming to accept myself?

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I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne'er a word said she;
But, Oh, the things I learned from her
When Sorrow walked with me!

-- Robert Browning Hamilton

I may think that forgetting the past is essential for growth and peace of mind.
It's a tempting idea: I'll start over again, I think, fresh and new.
But if I lose that old pain, I'll also lose all that I have learned.
I may repeat my mistakes, or make even worse ones next time.
Dwelling on the past is equally dangerous.
I began my journey to build a better life.
To find and maintain my balance, each area of my life needs attention.
With my remembering, I can truly experience the repentance that frees me from regret and remorse.
When I acknowledge my mistakes, I can learn from them and come to forgive myself.

Seeking Forgiveness

Seeking forgiveness is sometimes difficult work.
It is made easier by meeting people who, without trivializing our sins, assure us that God rejoices over our repentance.
Being forgiven lifts a weight and prompts us to acts of charity.