Looking at today's passages I wonder how easy it is to convince ourselves of things. I wonder what the process of self reflection is, or lack thereof, that allows us to believe things we do or how we see ourselves in a certain light.
I can think of several examples right off where I saw myself in certain light without flinching. I recall reading a psychology text in college with a whole host of aberrations listed. I thought I had many of the symptoms listed and that perhaps I was crazy. Well, perhaps I am crazy but I seem to be a highly functioning nut whoever I am.
I think another example I have come across of this phenomena is reading a patient package insert for medication. There are soooo many side affects and adverse reactions that if you didn't come away thinking you had one of them, you might easy just stop taking the medication. Sometimes the list is frightening. Sometimes it seems the side affects are the exact thing you are attempting to cure!
Perhaps a more timely example comes from a recent segment of NPR. They were discussing fake news and in regard to news in general I suppose and what people seem to believe. We are predisposed it seems to see facts in certain ways. In other words, two people can hear the same news item and each one will come away thinking that their 'side' has been bolstered. I am not sure how much critical thinking one can do during a given day without falling down in exhaustion but I think critical thinking should be something that is right up there in importance with the requisite, reading, writing and 'rithmatic.
The big problem here is how often we are swayed and convinced or easily we convince ourselves we are right about this , that or the other thing. I see it in religion and I see even more of it these days it politics. I am certainly not immune. I wish we could actually see the problem and press some kind of reset for ourselves. Perhaps some new kind of glasses so that when we put them on, we see things about life and ourselves more clearly. An alt-control-delete for our hearts and minds - our souls.
Perhaps that is one of the purposes of Lent. I always loved Baptizing babies because I could remind the parents and congregation just what a new beginning it was. How a clean slate was before us, how this child was the beginning of what we would like the world to be. Lent is our Baptism, a new beginning, a fresh start, an alt-control-delete for our soul. A period of some critical thinking for ourselves, how we see things, what we are convinced of about ourselves and others. This is a great opportunity folks!
I am not certain of how you actually set out on this journey, there is no real road map. Perhaps the road maps are are as varied as each one of us. For me, I think I need to assess my guilt. Without degrading myself, asses my flaws, recognize them, try to understand them a bit more and then hopefully come to an appreciation for everyone else out there who is on the same journey of life as I am and may have the same or worse problems.
Luke 18:9-14
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’
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