Thought of the Day February 22, 2016
| "How do we befriend our inner enemies lust and anger? By listening to what they are saying. They say, "I have some unfulfilled needs" and "Who really loves me?" Instead of pushing our lust and anger away as unwelcome guests, we can recognize that our anxious, driven hearts need some healing. Our restlessness calls us to look for the true inner rest where lust and anger can be converted into a deeper way of loving. There is a lot of unruly energy in lust and anger! When that energy can be directed toward loving well, we can transform not only ourselves but even those who might otherwise become the victims of our anger and lust. This takes patience, but it is possible." (Henri Nouwen) Isn't it great to hear that these and other "spiritual addictions" can be transformed by the grace of God and our response? Isn't this one of the purposes of Lent? We are called to confront the enemies within and to bring them to the cross and to replace them with something more noble and beautiful, namely Jesus, to whom our hearts belong. It doesn't happen overnight or in one Lent. But it can happen over a period of time and endurance. |
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