Knowledge of Self: Day Five

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Day seventeen at Fish Eaters.

Day seventeen at The Catholic Company.

The first part of the reading today is from Imitation of Christ which tells us: "In all things consider the end." That's great advice for all, including atheists (the hope is: in considering the final end or destination, they may be granted the grace of knowing God through faith). But then the reading continues into some uncomfortable truth:

... how you shall stand before the strict Judge from Whom nothing is hidden and Who will pronounce judgment in all justice, accepting neither bribes nor excuses. And you, miserable and wretched sinner, who fear even the countenance of an angry man, what answer will you make to the God Who knows all your sins?

Hopefully, we will all remember not to demand justice from God, but to ask for mercy. This and the final part from Imitation of Christ provides an interpretive key for the parable of the dishonest steward in Luke, which follows: "Why do you not provide for yourself against the day of judgment?" 

The final lines may be perplexing for some (I raise my hand😏): 

And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light (Luke 16:8). 

The shrewdness of the dishonest steward is in that he prepared for the time to come, as Christians should prepare for the judgment. We should make friends for ourselves in heaven (think Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), we should forgive those who are indebted to us. The steward's worry about his future...

(What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.)

 ... should be our worry about our day of judgment. For when we die, there is nothing we can do change our provision for the future. If we're serious about being welcomed into our heavenly home, today is a great day to start. "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!"

Knowledge of Self: Day Four

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Day sixteen at Fish Eaters.

Day sixteen at The Catholic Company.

The first part of today's readings is from True Devotion and it is a recapitulation of this week's theme: knowledge of self. There are two quotes I'd like to highlight:

[We] can reflect on those three considerations of St. Bernard, the vileness of our origin, the dishonours of our present state, and our ending as the food of worms.

And,

[We] will turn to our Blessed Lady and beg her to obtain for them that great grace which is the foundation of all others, the grace of self-knowledge.

That grace of self-knowledge is humility.

The second part is from Imitation of Christ. While I was a lapsed Catholic, I had the grace to witness this tendency in other people, and indeed, it is one of the truths spoken by Jesus that had me thinking, "this guy is onto something" during my return to faith.

I see this from today's reading:

Often we are not aware that we are so blind in heart. Meanwhile we do wrong, and then do worse in excusing it. At times we are moved by passion, and we think it zeal. We take others to task for small mistakes, and overlook greater ones in ourselves. We are quick enough to feel and brood over the things we suffer from others, but we think nothing of how much others suffer from us. If a man would weigh his own deeds fully and rightly, he would find little cause to pass severe judgment on others. 

As a reflection of this from Matthew 7:1-5.

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Knowledge of Self: Day Three

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Day fifteen at Fish Eaters.

Day fifteen at The Catholic Company.

Part of today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus stresses the need for repentance.

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did."

The Greek word translated into "repent" is metanoia.  The literal translation would be "after mind." It suggests conversion, and it seems clear to me that Christ expresses a need to change. Hopefully, no one is so prideful that he cannot admit the need to change.

"Sinner to Saint" by Bob, a reproduction of a stick figure drawing by his college professor as part of an explanation about virtue ethics (labels added by Bob)

The figure above describes the situation. Everyone should identify themselves where they are at present (hint: the stick figure to the left, labeled "sinner"). The need for change should now be obvious for the visually minded. Another note: everyone, who is not God, should realize they need help. That help comes from God or those God has sent to help (ultimately, all help comes from God). This is important self-knowledge: the need to change and the need for help.

Additional reading comes from True Devotion by St. Louis de Montfort. This reading stresses two points: the emptying of self, and the dying to self. We die to ourselves so we can empty ourselves of ourselves so that ultimately we can be filled with God, Who is love. Unless we follow Christ, bear our crosses, and die to self on the cross with Christ, we will not bear fruit: "If the grain of corn falling on the earth does not die, it remains earth, and brings forth no good fruit."

This dying to self is an interior battle, which seems to me to differ from individual to individual. We are all broken in various ways. I only know that this is a hard battle, so there is no sense in delaying any further. We're like downing people who are wildly thrashing about for air, dealing with primitive forces (like the drive for life) so extreme, that we would try to climb on top of the person trying to save us (which is not a rational thing, since it makes it harder for the rescuer).

May peace be with you. Let Mary hold your hand.

Knowledge of Self: Day Two

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Day fourteen at Fish Eaters.

Day fourteen at The Catholic Company.

"There is no more troublesome, no worse enemy of the soul than you yourself, if you are not in harmony with the spirit."
~ Imitation of Christ, Book III, chapter 13

Today's reading from Imitation of Christ is probably one of the most difficult for those raised in a liberal society such as in America. In a land where all men are created equal, it's difficult for us to see others as superiors which we must obey, especially in a religious situation. While there are situations such as we should obey a boss at work, there is probably nothing comparable to an all encompassing obedience in religious life, except in the military (I recognize a certain independence or stubbornness as a military subordinate within myself in the past). And hopefully, children who have not yet reached majority still understand the need for obedience of parents. The family is the ordinary component of society which can form these young human beings.

While I acknowledge there are certain abusive situations where it is better to leave rather than obey, I think the worry about being treated "like a door mat" is exaggerated. Not every situation is an abusive one. And discernment should be made whether the superiors in any community are oriented toward the common good of that community and of society overall. If so, then even when we receive a directive we don't understand, we should obey it (the exception being if the directive is immoral), and obey it cheerfully (is that too far for some of you?). 

This paragraph from the reading might help put it all in perspective:

Because you still love yourself too inordinately, you are afraid to resign yourself wholly to the will of others. Is it such a great matter if you, who are but dust and nothingness, subject yourself to man for the sake of God, when I, the All-Powerful, the Most High, Who created all things out of nothing, humbly subjected Myself to man for your sake? I became the most humble and the lowest of all men that you might overcome your pride with My humility.

 For an "independent" person like me, I think it's a helpful reminder to be at service to others.

Knowledge of Self: Day One

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Day thirteen at Fish Eaters.

Day thirteen at The Catholic Company.

After the twelve day exercise in casting off the spirit of the world, we seek a knowledge of ourselves. In humility, we recognize that we don't know ourselves.  Psalm 19:12 admits "But who can discern his errors? Clear thou me from hidden faults." Our pride prevents us from seeing the log in our eye when we notice the speck in our brother's eye (c.f. Matthew 7:3). How do we overcome this? Well, we should ask God (and ask our friends to intercede for us).

Today's reading from the Gospel of Luke directs us toward prayer. We do not know how to pray as we ought (c.f. Romans 8:26), and so a disciple asks Jesus how we should pray. Jesus responds with Luke's version of the Lord's prayer.

More than that, Jesus continues with the importance of persistence in prayer (Luke 11:9-11):

So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Spirit of the World: Day Twelve

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Day twelve at Fish Eaters.

Day twelve at The Catholic Company.

The twelve days end with another reading from Imitation of Christ. It tells us how we might find faults in ourselves (including an examination of the faults of others which may be in ourselves). We must make an effort to overcome our faults. How much effort should we make to remove our faults, which may lead us to sin? How important is it to avoid even small sins? St. John Henry Newman writes:

The Catholic Church holds it better for the sun and moon to drop from heaven, for the earth to fail, and for all the many millions on it to die of starvation in extremest agony, as far as temporal affliction goes, than that one soul, I will not say, should be lost, but should commit one single venial sin, should tell one wilful untruth, or should steal one poor farthing without excuse.

But this is not merely a negative exercise, avoiding fault and sin, but there is a positive direction in all this: "and keep in mind the image of the Crucified. Even though you may have walked for many years on the pathway to God, you may well be ashamed if, with the image of Christ before you, you do not try to make yourself still more like Him." It's not merely a rejection of the world, but it's also an embrace of Christ and his passion.

And embracing his passion may well be more than an abstract idea. "The more violence you do to yourself, the more progress you will make." This is not necessarily about physical mortification (although it could be). No one is so humble that he can't whip his pride.

And this is a good bridge for what is to follow in the devotion. The spirit of the world is contrasted with the Spirit of Christ. In trials and temptations, failure and vice is contrasted with strength and virtue. Sin and death is contrasted with supernatural life. The choice is between the spirit of the world and the devil or sanctity and Jesus, our end.

 

Spirit of the World: Day Eleven

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Day eleven at Fish Eaters.

Day eleven at The Catholic Company.

The first part of today's reading from Imitation of Christ also calls to mind the parable of the talents (Mt 25:14-30). Specifically, it seems describe the interior conflict within the man who buried his talent. Paralyzed by fear and anxiety, he does nothing. In Imitation of Christ, the anxious man, fearful about his future, hears the divine answer, "If you knew this, what would you do? Do now what you would do then and you will be quite secure." Faith in Christ also entails trusting Christ, not merely believing in him. We trust that Jesus will be with us the whole way, and that when we fall—as most surely will—he will pick us up. It's also a reminder that the most secure path is a loving path and love is not inert, but an act.

The second part of the reading deals with our aversion to difficulty. But as has been covered in prior posts, these tests and difficulties can be a source of our growth.