June, the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
May I ask myself what is it with me?
If I look in the mirror and see the real person I am, will my response to myself be honest, or cover over the defects? Now, it isn’t that we should be searching the very depths of our personality, emotions, or the flaws we may be carrying around. But to be honest about what could become of our friendships, our family, and most especially our God when we bury within our persona a person who is pretty on the outside while something inside is trying to get out.
We are told to prepare ourselves spiritually before confession, reflecting on any failures that have become a nuance within our faithfulness that offends God. One issue that we must remember is the church is not a haven for saints, but a safety net for sinners. There is a saying that states saints are sinners who keep trying. Jesus said he did not come for those who are well but those who need a physician. It could be said that he came to a massive hospital filled with sick people. That would be all of us.
When Jesus was nailed to the cross at Calvary, he was already reaching out to each person with a malady that would have kept us from heaven. The main focus of the Father was to save his creatures from eternal death and he needed to send a younger physician to bring healing through forgiveness of their sins.
Healing then becomes the ultimate manner which the divine physician will use to redeem that person who is able to see his own weakness by looking at himself internally. It takes an honest person that will admit to weakness and seek a way to correct it.
There is one false attribute that will always stand in the way of any decision to correct or at least begin to change; it is called Pride! The pride from the fear of the scorn from others who will ridicule this person trying to convince themselves that change is necessary.
Using a mirror is the most efficacious tool to look inside of yourself. The reflection we see is really the inside of our senses, a deep interlude of our mind, and the maladies that lie hidden deep within our persona. Why these are buried deep within is to cover their real existence which remains covered until admittance of their existence becomes known. That knowledge can only be opened by the person looking at themself.
As we went through the 40 days of Lent, celebrated the Resurrection of Christ, and prepared for the Ascension of Christ, the hidden personality of each one still remains buried. Turn the mirror around and look inside; find the real you by digging yourself out of emptiness to the glory that really is you through the Risen Christ.
Ralph B. Hathaway