The Proud Peacock

"Dear children. I am beside you because I desire to help you to overcome trials, which this time of purification puts before you. My children, one of those is not to forgive, and not to ask for forgiveness. Every sin offends love and distances you from it – and love is my Son. Therefore, my children, if you desire to walk with me towards the peace of God's love, you must learn to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. Thank you." BVM, September 02 2010 Message to Mirjana


What is it that keeps us from forgiving others, or for not asking forgiveness from someone we have injured?

It has been said that pride is the root of all evil, that it started in heaven when Satan said, “I will not serve, I want to be like God!” That same cry can be heard today, not only in the world around us, but at work, school, home, even in our own hearts and minds. We strut, much like the proud peacock, loudly crying out , “I will not serve. You can’t tell me what to do!” We are often quick to notice the flaws in our neighbor while ignoring or justifying the flaws that are our own. We are blind to our own faults but have the eye of the eagle when it comes to others.


The remedy for pride is humility. To forgive other people or to seek forgiveness we must acknowledge our spirit of pride and in turn pray for a spirit of humility.

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.


From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…

Lord, may the only pride I seek be that of serving you to the best of my ability, in Your Holy Name I pray.....Amen

Forgiveness, The Journey Continues

Yesterday is gone.
Tomorrow has not yet come.
We have only today.
Let us begin. ... Mother Teresa




Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves;

We dwell on what we have done,

We dwell on what we have failed to do.

This keeps us focued on ourselves,

Rather than focusing on God.


Prayer:

Thank you Lord for making me just the way I am,


For You are the creator and I am the created.


Thank you for the parts of myself that I struggle with,


For it is in this struggle that I come closer to you.


May I give to others what you have given me,


with generosity and gratefulness. Amen