As I was celebrating Mass in the Cathedral today, I happened to look out of the window and noticed a car parked on the side of the building. A bird was attacking its reflection in the car window.
At the end of Mass I noticed that the same bird was still there!
This beautiful bird had wasted all that time attacking an illusionary competitor.
As I have said before, I learn a lot by watching animals. We have a lot in common with them.
I have had the experience at times of experiencing a dislike to someone only to realise that what I was disliking them was stuff that I disliked in myself!
That bird was not able to recognise the beauty of itself in the reflection that it was attacking.
So often we do not see ourselves for who we really are. We can dwell on past mistakes, past sins. We can keep hearing in our head some hurtful things that others have done to us. We can still smart because of hurtful actions that have been done to us. We can keep on comparing ourselves to others.
The ego is our insecure judgemental self.
A child needs to be told that they are beautiful, clever, able to do good things, lovable, etc.
If a child is not affirmed they will not believe that they are lovable, capable, and a good person.
I once heard someone saying that we spend the first thirty or so years of our life gaining an ego, and then the ret of our lives trying to loose it!
If I still rely on the affirmation of others so that I can feel and be good about myself, then I have not grown up yet!
I am not saying that affirming each other is not desirable, good, and important. It is very important!
However, we need to learn to believe in our God-given goodness, that we are unconditionally loved and that we are lovable.
The Resurrection of Jesus proclaims this truth loudly.
If I believe this about myself I can also believe it about others. If I am constantly judging others badly and being constantly critical of them, it is telling me something about me and my attitude.
Hopefully we can grow wiser and stop fighting phantoms!
God Bless you today.
+Charles Gauci
Bishop of Darwin