Lent 9 - The need to be right

“As long as we continue to live as if we are what we do, what we have, and what other people think about us, we will remain filled with judgments, opinions, evaluations, and condemnations. We will remain addicted to putting people and things in their "right" place.”

― Henri J.M. Nouwen

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Ah Mr. Dualism

or is that Ms. Dualism

you and I are often “like this”

woven together

in a macabre intimacy

which drives me into a rigid world

of judgment

and condemnation

a world of “us” and “them”

“win” or “lose”

“right” or “wrong”

that I regret

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O Sacred one

you modeled how you want us to be

in Jesus

who showed us what it means to be truly human

to be reflections of your image

Jesus was not what he did or what he had

although what he did reflected profoundly

that he was Love

He did  not worry about what people thought about him,

he merely lived out his calling to be

the Light

It is not that Jesus was blind to the ills of the world

or the weaknesses of others

but he saw more

much more

he saw not only the failure, but the promise

not only the darkness but the light

not only the human container

but also the sacred seed

and he did not have to be “right” while they were wrong

he simply wanted to be present,

and by his loving presence

to transform and heal

O God

Forgive me for my need to be right

Forgive me for those times when I use the wrong things to define myself or others

Help me to be present for others

And be

a reflection of your love

Amen!