24 December 2007

Selfishness

I just finished reading the Ralph Martin book, Fulfillment of All Desire. It is an amazing work and I will be rereading it many times.

As I sit here the on Christmas Eve, I can't stop thinking about the section on selfishness. It describes how our own selfishness masks sin, how it effects our perception, how it effects our relationships, how it keeps us from God.

There is a quote from G.K. Chesterton that I never really understood until now. His response to the question "What is wrong with the world?" is "I AM". I now see this with such clarity (Not him being the problem with the world...I am the problem).

Even though I try desperately to be a good Catholic, I still spend (waste) time thinking of how others have wronged me...how I wish I didn't have to deal with this person or that person...how I am the victim in many situations.

Instead of realizing how selfish I am to try to put my feelings onto other people, I should be thinking of how this is my chance to help those people (i.e. humility, charity, evangelizing, etc.). How simple...how incredibly hard...how necessary!

Please God, forgive me for not recognizing the opportunities you have given me to get closer to you!