FACING UP

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 15, 11 September 1984, Page 12

FACING UP

Inner healing Part II The great healer is love. Seeing my own inadequacy, I learn to receive compassion and kindness others offer me. I learn to have compassion on myself. I discover that 6ven if others cannot forgive me for something, God does, and has. Too many people are angry with themselves and punish themselves, refusing to forgive themselves, — or they are angry with their parents or friends, and their anger makes them feel guilty. If only they would submit the whole thing to love, especially the love God has for them, and receive forgiveness, and decide to forgive themselves and others, they would be released from guilt and experience a deep and lasting joy they need never lose. Perhaps the deepest wound of all in us is a damaged relationship with God. This memory can cause a deep-seated dissatisfaction. It can make me cut myself off from others as well as from God. Modern psychology has brought to light the sad fact that many, many people hate themselves and are convinced they are not lovable. This wound is also healed when we seek to open our hearts to receive love, both human and divine. If we do this we will gradually come to realise we really are worthwhile, useful, appreciated persons, loved of God and man, that we really are forgiven, and chosen from eternity, lifted up by Christ, called by name. And then, when our relationship with God is put right, our relationships with others will follow suit and will be healed too. Jesus Christ came not only to proclaim a message, but to heal. He wants to heal because we have wounds which paralyse genuine love: wounds that make us deaf to his word, blind to what we need to see. His healing brings happiness and freedom so that we can carry our own burdens and so.be so much more able to heln others carrv theirs.

Fr Bernie

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