envy

Deliver me from myself

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment

Mother Teresa via Picryl

Lord, when I think that my heart is overflowing with love
    and realize in a moment’s honesty
    that it is only myself that I love in the loved one.
Deliver me from myself.

Lord, when I think I have given all that I have to give
    and realize in a moment’s honesty
    that it is I who am the recipient,
Deliver me from myself.

Lord, when I have convinced myself that I am poor
    and realize in a moment’s honesty
    that I am rich in pride and envy,
Delivery me from myself.

And, Lord, when the Kingdom of Heaven
    merges deceptively
    with the kingdoms of this world,
Let nothing satisfy me but God.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 1910-1997
HarperCollins Book of Prayers

______________________

Psalm 40:11-13

Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
For troubles without number surround me;
    my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
    and my heart fails within me.
Be pleased to save me, Lord;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.

___________________________

Question

Have you had moments of honesty like these,
  where you realized that your best actions
  included mixed, impure motives?

things I know that I should not wish for

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Do Not Covet (THE COMMANDMENTS)
image by loswl via Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
 
Father, I know that I should not wish for my neighbor’s (nicer) house, 
    or my neighbor’s (more beautiful/ handsome) spouse.  
I must not think to myself that I should have anything belonging to someone else –
    not ever the smallest thing. Not even their dog.
 
In the other nine commandments you have forbidden 
    all injuries and evil practices against my neighbors.  
Now you charge me to beware of thinking any evil thoughts against them.
 
And for this reason I have great reason to praise you.  
You care about my home and everything I own, even my dog, 
    and you command everyone else never to wish they had all my things, 
    instead of me.
 
The apostle said we should be 
    “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 
It is true, and I find it true. 
In this way you care for us, and so you would have us care for one another.
 
But gracious Lord, I must confess that I have forgotten 
    and have broken this commandment, and I still do every day.  
I am wishing and coveting every minute of every hour.  
I could have been content, 
    but I have always thought my neighbor had too much, and I too little.  
And the dregs of these things, Lord, are not quite out of my heart.  
I deserve your severe justice.
 
But keep in mind the frailty of my flesh, 
    the corruptions of my nature, and the many temptations.  
Remember how I am able to do nothing of myself – 
    and how I would come to nothing if left to myself.  
Be merciful and pardon me in this way also, for the sake of your son. 
Amen.
 
John Bradford, 1510-1555, English reformer and martyr
 
___________________________
 
 
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; 
you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, 
or his male servant, or his female servant, 
or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.

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