{"id":23025,"date":"2016-02-20T00:00:33","date_gmt":"2016-02-20T06:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=23025"},"modified":"2017-04-17T21:58:31","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T01:58:31","slug":"my-boo-boo-your-benefit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/my-boo-boo-your-benefit\/","title":{"rendered":"My Boo-boo…Your Benefit","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

For those who are taking the Lenten Retreat, I made a boo-boo. There are 40 days in Lent, not counting Sundays\u00a0(because they are the “Day of the Lord<\/a>“)<\/i>. However, I did a meditation for last Sunday. So as of today, we are essentially caught up. I will resume Day 11 on Monday morning.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

However, this provides a wonderful unintended pause for those who need a pause\u2014that is, for those who are despairing as they look into the mirror, those who are discouraged, afraid, and disgusted to the point that they practically hate themselves. Self-knowledge must lead to the Savior\u2014not self-hatred.\u00a0<\/i>I have two writings for you that are perhaps critical at this moment, otherwise, one\u00a0could lose the most necessary perspective in the interior life: that of keeping one’s\u00a0eyes always fixed upon Jesus and His\u00a0mercy…<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

The first writing below called\u00a0<\/em>Unhealthy Introspection<\/a><\/strong> is from a meditation I did on the Mass readings a couple of Christmas’ ago. The other is the powerful words of Jesus to humanity, conveyed through St. Faustina, that I gleaned from her diary.\u00a0It is one of my favorite writings, for\u00a0I personally make constant recourse to it because, like everyone else, I too am a poor sinner. You can read that here:\u00a0<\/em>The Great Refuge and Safe Harbour<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bless you, and see you Monday morning…<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

SAME<\/strong> angel. Same news: beyond all possible odds, a baby is going to be born. In yesterday’s Gospel, it would be John the Baptist; in today’s, it is Jesus Christ. But how<\/em> Zechariah and the Virgin Mary responded to the news was completely different.<\/p>\n

When Zechariah was told his wife would conceive, he replied:<\/p>\n

\n

How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. (Luke 1:18)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The angel Gabriel chided Zechariah for doubting. Mary, on the other hand, replied:<\/p>\n

\n

How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Mary did not doubt. Rather, unlike Zechariah and Elizabeth who were <\/em>having relations, she wasn’t, and so her inquiry was justified. When told the answer, she did not respond: “What? The Holy Spirit? That’s impossible! Besides, why not with Joseph, my beloved spouse? Why not…. etc.” Instead, she replied:<\/p>\n

\n

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What incredible faith! Presented with these two Gospels one day after another, we are forced to see the comparison. We should be compelled to ask, which response is more like my own?<\/em><\/p>\n

You see, Zechariah was a good man, a high priest, faithful to his duties. But in that moment, he revealed a character flaw many good, well-meaning Christians have: a tendency to an unhealthy introspection. And this usually takes one of three forms.<\/p>\n

The first is the most obvious. It takes the form of narcissism, a grandiose view of oneself, one’s talents, looks, etc. What this introspective soul lacks is the humility of Mary.<\/p>\n

The second form is less obvious, and the one that Zechariah adopted that day\u2014that of self-pity. It comes with a litany of excuses: “I am too old; too sick; too tired; too untalented; too this, too that…” Such a soul does not look up long enough to hear the Angel Gabriel say to them as well: “With God, all things are possible.<\/em>” In Christ, we are a new creation. We have been given in Him “every spiritual blessing in the heavens<\/em>.” [1]<\/sup><\/a>cf. Eph 1:3<\/span><\/span>