February 25, 2010
From My Confessor
"Nobody likes to be confronted about the injustice and meanness with which we treat each other, but we must not lash out or react ungratefully when it happens. Truth is, many times we don't know how we come off, how we are perceived. Most of the time we don't know that we are dismissing, disrespecting, and bullying each other. So when we are confronted on these things we must respond with gratitude instead of allowing the old Adam to react with anger. If we have treated this one brother poorly, we will keep doing the same thing to others. We must be grateful to the one let us know by confronting us on our behavior, and thank God for his courage."
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3 comments:
Excellent insight. Which I had kept my cool earlier this week when the old Adam came out twice. Drove me to the confessional. When we fail and we truly know it, it breaks ones heart. Mine was put back together by a good Franciscan priest who reminded me of a few things. My own observation: 'It's easy to talk the talk but it's harder to walk...' well, you get it.
Br. Charles,
Thank you for sharing this today. Having found myself in the shoes of the one who spoke up and is bearing the displeasure of the confronted one this week, your post was like an answer to my prayer.
I deeply appreciate your honesty on this blog.
Pax Christi.
Father Charles, thanks for this. I have a lot of work on toning down my "sheep dog" demeanor. I don't like wasting time when it comes to work, and tend to be pretty dismissive and brusk when people start talking in tangents or gossip. My impulse is to try and corral them and get them back on track, but I can see how some can (and most likely do) take this as bullying.
Thank your confessor for holding up the mirror here (whether you meant to or not : )
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