Lord, it's amazing how we humans
can make excuses,
reasons for our "shortcomings."
From being late.
(I lost track of the time.)
To having an affair.
(My needs weren't being met.)
To failing an exam.
(The teacher didn't make it clear.)
To being stingy.
(It was the way I was raised.)
To "stretching" the truth.
(Made her feel better.)
We're masters at passing the buck.
As someone said, "Adam blamed Eve,
Eve blamed the serpent,
and we've been doing it ever since!"
At the same time, Lord,
we are happy to take the credit for our "strengths,"
"assets"
and the good things we do.
That gift I gave - out of my generosity.
That raise I got at work - obviously, my talents.
That phone call I made - out of my compassion.
That reassuring touch - my sensitivity, of course.
Those accomplishments - the result of my dedication
and hard work.
We don't take blame?
but how we love to take credit!
I kind of think we can't have it both ways, can we Lord?
Taking credit for the good stuff
while passing the buck for the bad stuff.
If I've learned anything about myself, Lord,
it's that I'm a mixed-up jumble of good and bad,
strengths and weaknesses,
sin and saintliness.
It doesn't do me much good -
in the sense of changing my behavior -
to try to figure out where what came from.
It does do me a lot of good
to accept all the parts of me.
The good. (That's easy, of course!)
The bad and the ugly.(Not so easy!)
In fact my experience suggests that
I can't fully appreciate and enjoy the good
if I don't accept the bad.
As if the road to fullness
leads through everything that I am.
That means everything, doesn't it Lord?
Richard Rohr says that's what St. Francis found out -
he saw nothing good in himself
saw everything good from you-
which is probably why he was so happy!
What's that, Lord?
You know us better than we know ourselves
and still love us?
That's truly good news, Lord!
Thank you.
Bill
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