Seeing ourselves clearly

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 38, 4 March 1986, Page 12

Seeing ourselves clearly

A large number of *Christians are facing up to their inadequacies as they keep the church season of Lent, that forty day period that precedes Easter. Lent means 'spring', and comes from the Saxon language. Originally, in the northern hemisphere, it occurred in spring as well. Not so, for us in the southern hemisphere. Whether we know it or not, to take stock of our lives is very important. It is a good mental health practice, to look carefully at ourselves, and thus determine what in fact is wrong. Of course, if we take that look, and then do nothing about it we are fooling ourselves. Often we are more able to see the faults of other people than we are able to face up to our own faults. Many people just know" that they can do the job better than the person doing it. They are very aware of the indolent and lazy, the incompetent and those who are 'ripping off the system. Sadly, this has divided and polarised our nation for bitterness and resentment are the fruits of envy. Taking the inventory of

another person partakes oi the sins of pride and envy, two of the seven deadly sins about which the church is so concerned and which are so clearly marked in the Christian scriptures, the Holy Bible.

Perhaps some of our major national problems might be the result of personal sin. I wonder if there are not three million people who need to 'face up' to themselves.

Fr.

Bob

Peck