Luke 11:47-54
Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 So you are witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, `I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,' 50 that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering." 53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard, and to provoke him to speak of many things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch at something he might say.
While I am castigating the Catholic church from the last few days readings, let me not not escape the shadow of guilt myself. Nor should any of us escape.
What standards do we set that we chastise others for? Ironically, the things that we see in others are in such sharp focus because that is the issue we have the most problems with ourselves. Certainly something to think about. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if we merely stood by silently and judged others in our minds. Unfortunately, there is a tendency to do what the last line of todays scripture reading says. We press hard, we provoke and we lay in wait to pounce. Does that make us feel better?
Does this come down to a self righteousness that conceals our own inadequacy?
My mom once confided in me (when I was old enough to carry on such a conversation), that she felt she had a superiority complex that masked her inferiority complex. Is that what this kind of behavior is born from?
Once again I have to remind myself and all of us, that we must first love ourselves. It should not affect our self image if we admit our failings. Good self examination is key to growth. Since we all are sinners and on a journey, isn't it better to accept our innate goodness, acknowledge our mistakes and simply move forward? Shouldn't we be more concerned about our own journey that the route someone else is taking?
Enjoy the road. If you reach a dead end, turn around.
While I am castigating the Catholic church from the last few days readings, let me not not escape the shadow of guilt myself. Nor should any of us escape.
What standards do we set that we chastise others for? Ironically, the things that we see in others are in such sharp focus because that is the issue we have the most problems with ourselves. Certainly something to think about. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if we merely stood by silently and judged others in our minds. Unfortunately, there is a tendency to do what the last line of todays scripture reading says. We press hard, we provoke and we lay in wait to pounce. Does that make us feel better?
Does this come down to a self righteousness that conceals our own inadequacy?
My mom once confided in me (when I was old enough to carry on such a conversation), that she felt she had a superiority complex that masked her inferiority complex. Is that what this kind of behavior is born from?
Once again I have to remind myself and all of us, that we must first love ourselves. It should not affect our self image if we admit our failings. Good self examination is key to growth. Since we all are sinners and on a journey, isn't it better to accept our innate goodness, acknowledge our mistakes and simply move forward? Shouldn't we be more concerned about our own journey that the route someone else is taking?
Enjoy the road. If you reach a dead end, turn around.
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