The victorious gift of mercy

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Good News ReflectionMonday of the Second Week of LentMarch 9, 2009
Today's Saint: Frances of Romehttp://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/FrancisRome.htm
Today's Readings:Daniel 9:4-10Ps 79:8, 9, 11, 13Luke 6:36-38http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/030909.shtmlAudio: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_03_09.mp3
The victorious gift of mercy
Be merciful, don't judge, don't condemn, freely forgive, and be generous, says Jesus in today's Gospel reading. This is what it means to love unconditionally.
We agree. We nod our heads in willing assent, but we frown, because we often fail. Do you know why we fail? It's because we don't treat ourselves the way we know we should treat others.
How merciful are you toward yourself? When you make a mistake, or when you discover that you're wrong, or when you realize that you've sinned, how do you handle it? After making amends, do you still condemn yourself with impatience, unkindness or self-loathing?
How quickly do you forgive yourself?
We can't give to others more mercy and compassion than we give to ourselves.
When we lack mercy, we become judgmental. How judgmental are you about your own life? When someone else's prayers are answered, do you judge yourself as unlikely to receive a similar response from God? When you're asked to do a service for your parish or community, do your judge yourself as unqualified and untalented, even though the one who asked you says you can do it?
We judge others as harshly as we judge ourselves.
What kind of a sentence do you impose on yourself after you've passed judgment? How long lasting is your self-condemnation? Are you still punishing yourself for sins you confessed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation? The right attitude — the holy attitude — is one of learning from the past in a spirit of compassionate self-encouragement.
After judging and imposing a punishment, how soon do you grant yourself a pardon?
We can't move forward in renewed relationships with others if we can't let go of our own past to embrace who we've become.
How generous are you toward yourself? Do you take time to rest from hard work? Do you make sure that your needs are met without waiting for others to read your mind? Do you applaud yourself for the good that you do? This is not prideful as long as we realize that our ability to do good comes from God.
To move forward in holiness, treat yourself with mercy, judging your sins but not your personhood. Forgive yourself so that you'll become generous in love. Love yourself so that you'll fill up with God, since he is love.
The more we give his love to ourselves, the more we will give it to others. And then, more is returned to us. We're the ones who determine how big is our measuring cup. The measure with which we give to others is THE SAME as what we give to ourselves. This isn't selfishness, not unless we keep it all for ourselves.
Today's step on the Lenten journey: Figure out something to do today to love yourself more mercifully.
© 2009 by Terry A. ModicaFor PERMISSION to copy any of my reflections, go to:http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
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