11-12-02
JMJ
To all of my brothers and sisters in Christ:
Recently, I was reminded that personal sins harm more than just the
individual; that we are all members of one body, which is the Church and
mystical body of Christ; and that just as St Paul made up for what was
lacking in this body through his heroic virtues and sufferings, it stands to
reason that, through personal commision of sins and sins of ommision, one
can also bring "HARM" to other members of this body! This, then, is to all
those I've harmed or caused to stumble or sin in any way. I ask for your
forgiveness and prayers for me.
More than the eternal loss of my own soul, I dread to think that I may
have been responsible for the loss of another, (or several), because of the
effect my sins may have had on them! Is'nt it true that the first sin in the
garden by one individual brought sickness, death and the privation of good
to all of humanity? I have not found anything in Scripture that says this can
no longer happen! On the contrary, Scripture tells us that "sin will be with
us to the end...but woe to those through whom sin comes!"
I must first give thanks to God for giving me this moment of clarity in
which I see the miserable state I am in and for the courage to act! I pray
that this grace remains with me to the end!
I now begin with love, or rather, my lack of it. If, as St Paul tells, us,
"Love is patient and kind, not jealous, pompous, inflated or rude, then I
have not loved. If love does not seek it's own interests and is not quick
tempered, nor broods over injury, nor rejoices over wrongdoing, then I
have not known love nor have I had it for God or others. If love bears all
things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things, then I
have not known love! (1 Cor 13) The only love I have had, has been a
selfish love!
I do not know to what extent or specifically how my personal sins effect
others; whether they commit the same sins or some other sin as a direct or
indirect result of my sins, or they are simply weakened by my sins, as a
diseased organ weakens the body. I have seen various examples that may
or may not have been attributable to me in some way. I am not ignorant of
the fact that each of us also commits personal sin not attributable to
another.
By my sins of pride, I have exalted myself above others, considering
myself better than others and even more favored by God. My sins of pride
are rooted in self love, and many of my sins spring forth from this pride.
My pride causes a desire to be praised and honored by others. It prevents
me from taking counsel or correction. My pride causes me to disobey and
do my own will; It causes me to make rash judgements about others, and to
speak evil against them. My pride causes me to reveal hidden faults and
defects in others; It also causes me to be impatient and angry with others
and incite others to anger, impatience and rash judgements also! My pride
causes me to gossip and listen to idle talk; My pride incites me to rage at
times and in turn, incites others to a defensive rage.
My self love has caused a lack of charity and compassion. I have been
overly concerned about what others may think or say about me, and so I
have taken on a defensive nature, not permitting anyone to provoke me
without incurring my wrath! My self love gives birth to envy and greed,
always seeking comfort and ease. This self love has caused me to reduce
women, in my heart, to mere objects to satisfy my own lower animal
desires; and by this, I have insulted and harmed the dignity of all women! I
would never tolerate a man treating my daughters or my sisters the way I
have treated and looked upon other women!
Now that you know the harm I have caused, not only to myself, but to the
Body of Christ, to you my brothers and sisters, I ask for your forgiveness
and prayers. Now that you know me a little better, so that you can guard
yourselves from what I have been and the likes of me, I also ask for you to
help me keep the firm purpose of ammendment I now make, to live in such
a way as to bring healing, instead of harm, to those parts of the Body I have
wounded. I pray that with God's help, and your loving support, I can make
attonement to all of you by way of virtues and unconditional love for you!
So, my dear brothers and sisters, the next time I begin to gossip or judge or
speak out in anger, or say or do anything offensive to the Body of Christ,
please, please remind me of my promise, and tell me that I am hurting you
as well as others! Refer me to chapter 6 of Galations, which tells me to:
"Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. For
if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deluding himself.
Each one must examine his own work..."
If I become angry with someone, I will first determine if it is justified
anger by whether or not they have offended God. If it is holy, justified
anger, I resolve to discuss, in private, with this person, and afterwards, let
go of the anger, never to rehash the offense with others! If someone begins
to gossip or consults me about another's offense or faults, I will refer them
to the person they are discussing. and to Jesus and Mary in prayer. If they
persist in grumbling or gossiping, I resolve to leave their company and go to
Jesus and pray. If I see or hear someone sin, I resolve to look at myself
first, make the sign of the cross and refer the matter to Jesus. I may ask the
person, in private, if what they said or did might be displeasing to God and
then let the matter go if it is not serious...or defer to my Spiritual Director
or the Church if it is serious.
Finally, please remind me often, that if I am not saying and doing
everything to glorify God, then I am glorifying myself! God Love Ya!
Your Brother In Christ,
Tom (Fulton)
JMJ
To all of my brothers and sisters in Christ:
Recently, I was reminded that personal sins harm more than just the
individual; that we are all members of one body, which is the Church and
mystical body of Christ; and that just as St Paul made up for what was
lacking in this body through his heroic virtues and sufferings, it stands to
reason that, through personal commision of sins and sins of ommision, one
can also bring "HARM" to other members of this body! This, then, is to all
those I've harmed or caused to stumble or sin in any way. I ask for your
forgiveness and prayers for me.
More than the eternal loss of my own soul, I dread to think that I may
have been responsible for the loss of another, (or several), because of the
effect my sins may have had on them! Is'nt it true that the first sin in the
garden by one individual brought sickness, death and the privation of good
to all of humanity? I have not found anything in Scripture that says this can
no longer happen! On the contrary, Scripture tells us that "sin will be with
us to the end...but woe to those through whom sin comes!"
I must first give thanks to God for giving me this moment of clarity in
which I see the miserable state I am in and for the courage to act! I pray
that this grace remains with me to the end!
I now begin with love, or rather, my lack of it. If, as St Paul tells, us,
"Love is patient and kind, not jealous, pompous, inflated or rude, then I
have not loved. If love does not seek it's own interests and is not quick
tempered, nor broods over injury, nor rejoices over wrongdoing, then I
have not known love nor have I had it for God or others. If love bears all
things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things, then I
have not known love! (1 Cor 13) The only love I have had, has been a
selfish love!
I do not know to what extent or specifically how my personal sins effect
others; whether they commit the same sins or some other sin as a direct or
indirect result of my sins, or they are simply weakened by my sins, as a
diseased organ weakens the body. I have seen various examples that may
or may not have been attributable to me in some way. I am not ignorant of
the fact that each of us also commits personal sin not attributable to
another.
By my sins of pride, I have exalted myself above others, considering
myself better than others and even more favored by God. My sins of pride
are rooted in self love, and many of my sins spring forth from this pride.
My pride causes a desire to be praised and honored by others. It prevents
me from taking counsel or correction. My pride causes me to disobey and
do my own will; It causes me to make rash judgements about others, and to
speak evil against them. My pride causes me to reveal hidden faults and
defects in others; It also causes me to be impatient and angry with others
and incite others to anger, impatience and rash judgements also! My pride
causes me to gossip and listen to idle talk; My pride incites me to rage at
times and in turn, incites others to a defensive rage.
My self love has caused a lack of charity and compassion. I have been
overly concerned about what others may think or say about me, and so I
have taken on a defensive nature, not permitting anyone to provoke me
without incurring my wrath! My self love gives birth to envy and greed,
always seeking comfort and ease. This self love has caused me to reduce
women, in my heart, to mere objects to satisfy my own lower animal
desires; and by this, I have insulted and harmed the dignity of all women! I
would never tolerate a man treating my daughters or my sisters the way I
have treated and looked upon other women!
Now that you know the harm I have caused, not only to myself, but to the
Body of Christ, to you my brothers and sisters, I ask for your forgiveness
and prayers. Now that you know me a little better, so that you can guard
yourselves from what I have been and the likes of me, I also ask for you to
help me keep the firm purpose of ammendment I now make, to live in such
a way as to bring healing, instead of harm, to those parts of the Body I have
wounded. I pray that with God's help, and your loving support, I can make
attonement to all of you by way of virtues and unconditional love for you!
So, my dear brothers and sisters, the next time I begin to gossip or judge or
speak out in anger, or say or do anything offensive to the Body of Christ,
please, please remind me of my promise, and tell me that I am hurting you
as well as others! Refer me to chapter 6 of Galations, which tells me to:
"Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. For
if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deluding himself.
Each one must examine his own work..."
If I become angry with someone, I will first determine if it is justified
anger by whether or not they have offended God. If it is holy, justified
anger, I resolve to discuss, in private, with this person, and afterwards, let
go of the anger, never to rehash the offense with others! If someone begins
to gossip or consults me about another's offense or faults, I will refer them
to the person they are discussing. and to Jesus and Mary in prayer. If they
persist in grumbling or gossiping, I resolve to leave their company and go to
Jesus and pray. If I see or hear someone sin, I resolve to look at myself
first, make the sign of the cross and refer the matter to Jesus. I may ask the
person, in private, if what they said or did might be displeasing to God and
then let the matter go if it is not serious...or defer to my Spiritual Director
or the Church if it is serious.
Finally, please remind me often, that if I am not saying and doing
everything to glorify God, then I am glorifying myself! God Love Ya!
Your Brother In Christ,
Tom (Fulton)
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