Sunshine...we all long for the light. Does this mean something amazing? Do I want to become the light or the essence of light?
Nonsense. Can't things remain simple? I make my bed, I corner it and I tuck it in. The pillows go at the top. The folded afghan rests at the foot. It is good to eat, bad to eat too much or too little. Is there such a thing as being too wrapped up in oneself? Heck Yes! There are so many people walking around who give no thought to others and want everything to bow down to their every wish because, I believe, they think themselves somehow superior to those around them.
The life well ordered. Is there such a thing? I like to the think that one day I will have an ordered life. but for now my filing system lies on the floor of my loft, in 17 different piles strewn around. Oh sure...I've got file folders. It's just so terribly hard to get them in there. In my dreams, I make a lovely dinner with minimal effort every day, drink coffee from a tea cup. Of course, that's probably not right either according to Emily Post.
Showing posts with label Mull. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mull. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Morning Reflection
Beginning this year, I have been trying to pray more, so I have been attempting the liturgy of the hours in the morning and evening. Success has been minimal, but I'm just gonna keep going on this. This morning while praying the office, I was struck by a phrase in the second psalmody, a canticle from Isaiah:
On Zion sinners are in dread,
trembling grips the impious;
"Who of us can live with the consuming fire?
Who of us can live with the everlasting flames?"
He who practices virtue and speaks honestly,
who spurns what is gained by oppression,
brushing his hands
free of contact with a bribe,
stopping his ears lest he hear of bloodshed,
closing his eyes lest he look on evil.
What captured my attention was the description of the one who practices virtue. Though the virtuous person is above evil, he does not allow himself to be exposed to it. This flies in the face of the opinion many Christians and Catholics alike hold: "I can watch immoral stuff in movies cause it doesn't affect me. I would never do that. I'm tough, I can take it." The difference between a wise man and a foolish one may be said to be determined by one thing only. That is, that the one knows his weakness and avoids it. The other denies his weakness and thinks he will become strong by exposing himself to as many evils/dangers as possible.
I'm thinking that this would be hard to live. Personally, I love murder mysteries. Closing my eyes against evil is definitely something to work on, because my curiosity may be my downfall in that. Greater vigilance is needed in the Church and in personal life.
On Zion sinners are in dread,
trembling grips the impious;
"Who of us can live with the consuming fire?
Who of us can live with the everlasting flames?"
He who practices virtue and speaks honestly,
who spurns what is gained by oppression,
brushing his hands
free of contact with a bribe,
stopping his ears lest he hear of bloodshed,
closing his eyes lest he look on evil.
What captured my attention was the description of the one who practices virtue. Though the virtuous person is above evil, he does not allow himself to be exposed to it. This flies in the face of the opinion many Christians and Catholics alike hold: "I can watch immoral stuff in movies cause it doesn't affect me. I would never do that. I'm tough, I can take it." The difference between a wise man and a foolish one may be said to be determined by one thing only. That is, that the one knows his weakness and avoids it. The other denies his weakness and thinks he will become strong by exposing himself to as many evils/dangers as possible.
I'm thinking that this would be hard to live. Personally, I love murder mysteries. Closing my eyes against evil is definitely something to work on, because my curiosity may be my downfall in that. Greater vigilance is needed in the Church and in personal life.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Loneliness
“At times (more often than I’d like to admit) I get a feeling that I’m totally cut off from the world, that there is no one out in the great big world who cares about me, and no one would miss me if I were to suddenly vanish. I want them to miss me. I want someone to talk to, with whom to share my deeper feelings, but I have no such friend. They would probably be glad not to have to send an extra Christmas card…”
Well, that sort of thinking is a little extreme toward the end, but, it expresses a certain sentiment which all social beings experience at one time or other: loneliness, the feeling that one is alone and has no one to turn to… and not by choice. Loneliness is a kennan knowledge, a knowledge which cannot be known definitions and study, but by experience. It is subjective, hence the word meaning of Lone=alone. Certain persons, by virtue of their unique temperaments, are more prone to loneliness than others, and these temperaments therefore face more difficulties in that they must be careful not to wallow in self-pity, and must make a conscious effort to prevent these thoughts from controlling them.
These persons who are particularly beset by loneliness often forget that the reason behind the loneliness is usually their own doing, is a severely self-centered feeling. Furthermore, loneliness is usually brought on by cutting the self off from one’s fellow men, either in actuality or in the mind. This is not to say that loneliness can be unavoidable, say for instance, in the case that several of his dearest friends have double crossed a certain man and then abandoned him. He is very like to feel not only sadness at the loss of friendships (or that which was perceived as such) but also loneliness, precisely because he finds himself alone. Therefore, loneliness is at times unavoidable and legitimate. At other times, though, it is one of those battles for mastery over one’s failings.
I was in one of my very lonely bouts during a difficult time in school and emotional health (they seem to affect each other overmuch for some strange reason), and my sister called me on the phone. She didn’t know what I was going through, but was excited to offer a reflection that she had recently read. “The basic cause of loneliness is the excessive desire to be loved, for this creates an atmosphere of lovelessness. The more we seek to be loved, the less we are loved. The less we are loved, the less lovable we become. And the less lovable we become, the less capable we become of loving anyone else. Like a bird caught in a net, we deepen our tragedy.” Sort of made a lot of sense, and made me feel sort of, shall me say, ashamed? =D
Cures for loneliness? I submit performing acts of charity, constant mental prayer, and focusing on doing things for other specifically because it helps others and not because you are seeking any reward or returned feelings.
Well, that sort of thinking is a little extreme toward the end, but, it expresses a certain sentiment which all social beings experience at one time or other: loneliness, the feeling that one is alone and has no one to turn to… and not by choice. Loneliness is a kennan knowledge, a knowledge which cannot be known definitions and study, but by experience. It is subjective, hence the word meaning of Lone=alone. Certain persons, by virtue of their unique temperaments, are more prone to loneliness than others, and these temperaments therefore face more difficulties in that they must be careful not to wallow in self-pity, and must make a conscious effort to prevent these thoughts from controlling them.
These persons who are particularly beset by loneliness often forget that the reason behind the loneliness is usually their own doing, is a severely self-centered feeling. Furthermore, loneliness is usually brought on by cutting the self off from one’s fellow men, either in actuality or in the mind. This is not to say that loneliness can be unavoidable, say for instance, in the case that several of his dearest friends have double crossed a certain man and then abandoned him. He is very like to feel not only sadness at the loss of friendships (or that which was perceived as such) but also loneliness, precisely because he finds himself alone. Therefore, loneliness is at times unavoidable and legitimate. At other times, though, it is one of those battles for mastery over one’s failings.
I was in one of my very lonely bouts during a difficult time in school and emotional health (they seem to affect each other overmuch for some strange reason), and my sister called me on the phone. She didn’t know what I was going through, but was excited to offer a reflection that she had recently read. “The basic cause of loneliness is the excessive desire to be loved, for this creates an atmosphere of lovelessness. The more we seek to be loved, the less we are loved. The less we are loved, the less lovable we become. And the less lovable we become, the less capable we become of loving anyone else. Like a bird caught in a net, we deepen our tragedy.” Sort of made a lot of sense, and made me feel sort of, shall me say, ashamed? =D
Cures for loneliness? I submit performing acts of charity, constant mental prayer, and focusing on doing things for other specifically because it helps others and not because you are seeking any reward or returned feelings.
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