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Posts Tagged ‘Kindness’

“Blessed are the merciful…

In 06 Scripture & Theology on 2016/09/23 at 12:00 AM

What is a merciful woman like? First of all, she is not like the morphine addict who slowly poisons herself, becoming completely unaware of the insidious and deadly effects of selfishness on the soul.

The merciful woman is one who is determined to help and support others in a kind and disinterested way. Recognizing that her own nature is flawed, and loving God in others requires her to begin over and over again, she prays for perseverance. Her loving heart is vigilant over the needs of others and on guard to protect those entrusted to her care as well as whomever God sends her way. She generously goes about doing good to others wherever she sees a need, be it spiritual or material, emotional or practical.

Above all, she is a forgiving person and not only disarms by her merciful ways those who have offended her, but does so in a manner that her forgiveness leads the offender to reconsider. The merciful woman knows that by nature it is easier for her to indulge her desires and plans rather than her duties which she at times looks at with anxiety and impatience. She is able to be merciful because she is very aware of this natural tendency to prefer her own plans rather than be self-giving, and thus she makes the effort to relinquish her plans and help those who have erred. In particular, she is conscious that everything she does has repercussions, and no action is without its impact on those which whom she deals.

In particular, she is not afraid to use opportunities that arise to gently correct family members and friends when they need to be alerted to the dangers of the ways and ideas that are contrary to what is true and right. Seek to understand others even when they seem to be unaccepting. By being a friend can cause other to open their hearts so be prepared to help them.

Show mercy and kindness to those who are sad, dejected, ill, or lonely. Comfort the grieving and the sorrowing. Never act indifferently to a suffering person; rather spend time with those who need physical or spiritual consolation. Never seek repayment or praise; that your are doing it for God in your neighbor is a rich enough reward.

We will only have mercy in our hearts when we offer mercy, when we forgive, our enemies from the example and with the help of Christ. Mercy is not simply a matter of giving alms to the poor, but also of being understanding of other people’s defects, overlooking them, helping them not only to cope with them but to love them despite whatever defects they may have. Mercy suffers and rejoices with others.

Your love of God can be measured by the way you treat those who need help. Follow Jesus’ example who was always motivated by mercy and always acted out of mercy. Lead others to turn to Our Lord and His Blessed Mother for solace, peace, and mercy.

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“Blessed are the peacemakers…”

In 06 Scripture & Theology on 2016/08/19 at 12:00 AM

True peace means being concerned about others, being interested in their plans and projects, their joys and sorrows.  God wants us Christians to bring peace and joy with us wherever we go.  Then, we can say as St. Paul ends his first letter to the Corinthians: “My love be with you in Christ Jesus.”

Peace is a clear sign of God’s nearness and closeness to us. St. Paul consistently exhorted the first Christians to live in peace, saying that the God of love and peace would be with them. True peace results from holiness. St. Augustine also describes true peace as the tranquility of order.

A peacemaker easily abandons her own agenda in order to do what God places in front of her, and she does that without complaining.  Without  making excuses or apologies, she takes on unpleasant tasks.  Share the woes of others by trying to ease their distress, reaching out to them in kindness and compassion, in attitude, words and deeds.

What does it mean to be a Christian?  A Christian views the world as Christ did and reacts to circumstances following the example of Christ’s reaction in similar situations.  He encountered every single problem we will encounter in our lives.  The appearances might be different, but the essence of the concern is the same. We should open our hearts to others and transmit to others the joy that comes from following Christ.  If others are slow to respond, we must treat them with patience, respecting each person’s circumstances. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and do not impute intentions, but rather seek by kindness to bring about reconciliation more for the other’s sake than for yours.  Never let yourself grow cold, distant or sour towards anyone, and above all, never humiliate anyone with a disdainful attitude. Avoid sharp or sarcastic comments or replies, and be patient with the irksome and cantankarous.

The peacemaker meets all angry outburst with gentleness, kindness and humility, never with harshness or vengefulness.  Her forgiveness is readily given; it is quick, sincere, and lasting.  Offenses once forgiven will not be felt and will be easy to forget.  Never, ever, harbor resentment against another because to do so is a form of spiritual suicide by the cancer of bitterness which brings death to the soul. Keep your heart clear of any trace of hostility, anger or bitterness.  Disarm insults or hostility with kindness and a positive attitude.  Clear your your mind of strife and offenses as if they had never occurred.

Be precise in your speech, even in small matters.  Do not hesitate in correcting errors you make, exaggerations or careless language.  Beware of hypocrisy and half truths, avoiding deceitful behavior at all cost.  Speak the truth prudently and without apology but with firmness born of faith. Jesus was a total revolutionary. He turned the  world upside down. His values reverse the usually accepted human values in every age.  We must follow His example and when we hear or see anything that reverses proper human values, we too must become revolutionaries, correcting the situation.

Meditate carefully on the life of Our Lord; He is your perfect model and guide.  We have been rescued because God is compassionate towards us.  Should we not extend that same compassion to those who aggravate us, dislike  us or needle us?  Instead, with sympathy and kindness, help the floundering; you will find that you gain more than you give. Turn to Our Lord and His Blessed Mother for solace and encourage others to do so.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

In 07 Observations on 2016/07/22 at 12:00 AM

Meekness is rooted in spiritual strength;  the meek are truly strong. Meekness protects from hostile attacks.  It passes over others’ impatience, irritation, irritability and even contempt, by either ignoring the attack or disarming the offender with a calm and serene smile.

Lack of meekness is born of pride and  expresses itself in outbursts, impatience and irritability, the net result of which is loss of serenity and peace of soul.  The meek person does not sulk but tells God about the problem or injury inflicted.

A woman bereft of meekness is critical, neglectful and forgetful of others because she in centered on herself.  To be meek, one must do battle with the natural tendency to have the last word, to be the center of attention, to think of oneself as essential, and above all to see others in negative ways.  A meek woman is not a show off.  She is not boastful, but she does acknowledge her natural talents as gifts of God.

The meek woman never refuses to speak to anyone.  She acknowledges that God places next to her people  in some need that she cannot ignore or just pass by. She opens herself to others with words of comfort; she uses her speech to console, teach, correct in a kind and generous manner. She is being Christlike when she act meekly in dealing well with others, particularly making those around her happy. She does this with kind words, gestures, support, and encouragement as well as readiness to forgive, to let thing of no consequence just slide off. Kind-heartedness and patience understanding conquer. When she act in a meek manner she recognizes that the neighbor Christ tells you to love is whomever happens to be near her or come into her life.

Meek women avoid like a plague: useless chatter, gossiping, irrelevant arguments, sarcasm and calumny.  They have their tongues under control and know when to be silent.  They show a willingness to bite their tongue when injured or insulted by not retaliating.  Thus, they accept the humiliations life brings and seek to use them to grow.   Instead they act kindly by showing understanding of the flaws and errors of others without correcting them.  

Friendly affability warms, dispels loneliness, warms hearts as does a friendly hello, giving a small complement or making a caring comment or inquiry.

The meek woman is careful not to answer back quickly or speak hurtful words.  Instead, she awaits the better time and gives way in matter of opinion.  She does not try to be right about everything and on the contrary, is sufficiently docile to accept advice.    A readiness and willingness to change her mind indicates she is aware that there are more than one solution to a problem.

To be meek means to have self-mastery, to be self possessed and hard to rattle.  The meek will inherit the earth because they are not slaves to impatience and bad temper.  Instead, they are serene in the possession of God with their souls in seeking Him in prayer.

Docility is essential for growth in meekness.   You cannot be docile/meek if you insist stubbornly on what you have already decided is right.  The meek woman recognizes that she is not her own best advisor, and takes advantage of the suggestions and advice given her by others whom God has placed in her path as aides.We need to have  a prudent distrust of our own judgment because our ego can derail us.  We must permit God to mould us through others and the circumstances of our lives.

We learn to be meek and humble of heart by meditating on the Passion of our Lord who suffered so many humiliations, and by considering His humility in the Holy Eucharist where He waits for us to visit Him and speak with him. Therefore, we can walk the way of meekness accepting humiliations, accepting our defects and struggling to overcome them.  Then, we will find in Him, who carries the greatest portion of our burdens, a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light.