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-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 8:00 and 12:30 Sunday
Pusillanimous!
Small souled! That's what pusillanimous means. To be of a small soul. Magnanimous means to be of large soul. The condition of the rich young man is a oxymoron. He is large in this world's standard of success, But small in his capacity of soul.
We are beginning the year of faith, can we be enlarged in our soul? Jesus was clearly trying to grow the soul, increase the faith, stretch this good, young man.... of small soul.
Can we see the smallness of our soul? Are we interested in re-igniting our faith? I'm not sure we need it? I'm not sure we want it? I'm not sure we're capable of allowing it.
Wow.
3 comments:
Yes, I can see the smallness of my soul, and that is the first step to be scaled, achieved, mounted. Really, as Christians it's like a progress report, we can think about the good we're doing, but within each "good" that we're doing, we can always give more and more fully, there is ALWAYS more! Proficiency in EVERYTHING requires constant growth and striving to give more in all the situations faced daily. Proof is in the fruits of the Spirit, how much fruit...scraggly bunch of grapes or a big, full, lush bunch!
You've made me realize something, an example right now...my brothers & I have round-the-clock care for BOTH my parents, they are VERY sick. One brother is sad because he has not taken the invitation before him to enter in. Fine. Poor guy doesn't even realize why he is sad. The rest of us are realizing WHAT we do is one thing. My parents have to be helped to wash, clothed, toileted, etc. HOW we do it is another. I've noticed the more I give my all in the moment (sell all that I have) with a cheerful attitude, gentleness, responding quickly, have conversation, etc. AUTOMATICALLY I am following Christ, He is there. It's truly a Gift and Blessing we are being given in the midst of very, very difficult times.
We are giving up our lives and our comforts & routines (& sleep!) to follow Christ, and when I see my brothers (and a sister-in-law) giving their all, it makes me realize the Kingdom of God is among us. WOW is right!
I read a reflection earlier this week that used the example of the Alzheimer patient as being one who clearly deserves reverence - he/she is made in the image of God and yet their mind is gone. In other words - "we are NOT our minds - we are bigger than our thinking."
We are not our minds - we are not our possessions - we are not our jobs - we are not our ethnic group - or our political party. Stripped of all these things we are humble creatures - yet still made in the image of God. We must allow ourselves to be interdependent with others in all ways and for all things.
I think for me that is one way of seeing pusillanimous/magnanimous. Emerging from a confusion of what is important - and throwing myself into the hands of God, trusting in His way. Giving it all up - and from there still giving myself away. Wow...and - Yikes!
I couldn't help but be reminded of the Magnificat.
"he casts the mighty from their thrones and raises those of low degree...he feeds the hungry as his own, the rich depart in poverty"
Haven't we all had moments where we have been both the mighty and the lowly? Sometimes even in the same situation?
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