Thursday, March 14, 2013

Lent 2013, XXII


XXII. In order to be authentically human, every life must contain a mixture of both affirmation and rejection. I am not sure why, but to me the word “holiness” is always subconsciously attached to the idea of rejection, so that even the idea of praying for something I want feels subtly wrong, somehow. However this prejudice comes about, when looked at in the bright light of day, it is not compatible with the teaching of the Church. It contains traces of Manichaeism and Rigorism, and on close inspection there is even a good deal of old-fashioned pride mixed in. It is not a positive attraction to a higher good, but a negative distrust of lower goods. However, these lower goods were created by God specifically to be a path to Heaven. He put them here, not as stumbling blocks but as stepping stones. Angels do not require stepping stones but I am not called to be an Angel. I am called to be Human, fully and authentically human. Stepping stones are part of the glory of being human.

2 comments:

  1. Walk on the rocks that I stumbled on.

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  2. came across your writings on the day im having a day of prayer and reflection. its amazing how i see your writngs as God responding to me. I love the Eucharist and the feast of corpus christi is wht i have taken for my feast day. My passion for it has been fading, however i feel nourished by your writings. I wish you well and God's blessings in your work

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