I Take off the MASK!

The life of the body is a heart at peace,
but envy rots the bones.
-Proverbs 14:30, WEB

Why compare yourself with another? If you find that they are better, wouldn’t your envy just be aroused? If you find that you are far better, wouldn’t pride just fill your heart?

For what is the point in always being conscious of where we stand as compared with another? What is the point of always competing and striving to be the very best?

God has made only one person that is you, there is no other. If you would like to be the best, be the best of who you are and you will find your peace.

“Our Christian destiny is, in fact, a great one: but we cannot achieve greatness unless we lose all interest in being great. For our own idea of greatness is illusory, and if we pay too much attention to it we will be lured out of the peace and stability of the being God gave us, and seek to live in a myth we have created for ourselves. And when we are truly ourselves we lose most of the futile self-consciousness that keeps us constantly comparing ourselves with others in order to see how big we are.” – Thomas Merton

“Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.” – Harold Coffin

Many times, we do things without proper contemplation and we reap the consequences of our negligence.

All of a sudden, fear grips our hearts. We may even run away to escape. We live a life of lies. All these because we are afraid to face the results of our actions.

Something happens though when we finally find the courage to face the shadows of our past. Something happens when we finally decide to do what is right, to be set free from our lies, to pursue the light instead of staying suffocated in the dark.

Fear threatens to cripple us, but courage will help us restore what we have lost and claim all the good things the future holds for us.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

“How did it get so late so soon?” – Dr. Seuss

A lot of things change when we try to look at them within the perspective of time. What could taste good at the moment may be seen as displeasing when taken over and over again. What could please us for a short time may turn to be disgusting if seen in a longer period of time. On the other hand, some things that could be displeasing or even painful now may yield for us good fruits in the future that will benefit us even for eternity!

What are we doing now that we won’t regret doing later on? Is there something within our limited perspective of time that we need to expand so we can better see where all our present endeavors are actually leading us?

If we could see our future selves through a time machine, we’d be so disgusted with our foolish actions that we may change our present lives beyond utter recognition.

So teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
-Psalm 90:12, WEB

“An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie; for an excuse is a lie guarded.” – Alexander Pope

Our problem is that quite often, we already have an idea of the truth but we excuse ourselves from doing what is right and say that it doesn’t apply to us because of this or because of that.

Are we really searching for the truth? Or do we desire only to gather evidences that will support our own desires?

If we really seek for the answers, we shall find it. But if we do not really want to see them, we won’t even bother looking. We’d rather close our eyes and remain blind than open them and see what we’re afraid to see.

Are your eyes open? Or do you have excuses for remaining blind?

Only those who sincerely seek for the truth will dare to open their eyes to see what they’re looking for.

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
“Teacher,” the blind man answered, “I want to see again.”
-Mark 10:51,GNT

Some characters will succeed in reforming themselves only by the loving contemplation of the divine Master; for we imitate those whom we love, without being conscious of doing so. – Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange OP

What is it that your heart desires the most? Whom do you love? For what treasures are you willing to offer your very life?

Quite often, we fill our hearts and minds with many things. We dream those dreams everybody else is dreaming. We love those things everybody else is seeking.

We have to pause every now and then however to see if such things are really worth pursuing. We need to know how valuable they really are and what meaning they add to our lives.

In the pursuit of such things, how are we being transformed? Are we becoming better persons? Are we learning to be generous? Or are we becoming selfish? Are we being set free? Or are we being imprisoned?

If we give our hearts to such things, to whom are we surrendering who we are?

“Every man becomes the image of the God he adores.
He whose worship is directed to a dead thing becomes dead.
He who loves corruption rots.
He who loves a shadow becomes, himself, a shadow.
He who loves things that must perish lives in dread of their perishing.”
– Thomas Merton

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” – Luke 12:34, WEB