LOCKDOWN 3:9

NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: FOURTH DAY -HOW DO I SEE MYSELF?

HOW DOES GOD SEE ME?

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

Psalm 139:16 “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”

1 Samuel 17:7 “the Lord sees not as humans see: humans look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Matthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father knowing. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

REFLECTION FOR THE FOURTH DAY

How do you see yourself?

Pause for a moment and think about it.

What thoughts have you had about yourself today?

So many of us find ourselves basing our self-worth

on how others see us and on our accomplishments,

feeling shame from our past,

setting unrealistic standards for ourselves.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

If only we could see ourselves as God sees us! When as young people we leave home, many of us have “internalized parents” who are now voices in our head that tell us what we should do, what is important, and how we should do things. Have you ever been in a situation where you have to make a decision and you can hear your parents saying, “That’s not responsible…” or “I told you that would happen?”

If we are living to make sure that others love us, we give people the power to determine our self-worth.

You may feel controlled by a secret.

You may have had something happen to you that you have revealed to no-one, or perhaps to only a few people.

Perhaps you feel shame about some habits. Maybe you are ashamed of some things you have done, or of something that has been done to you. If we don’t deal with issues from our past, they will continue to control us in our present.

"Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations. Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect.

Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows. Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken. Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly. So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin colour. Let the warmth of the sun melt our selfishness. So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrows of our neighbours. And let the light of the sun be so strong that we will see all people as our neighbours. Let the earth, nourished by rain, bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty. And let the mountains teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven." Rabbi Harold S. Kushner

TODAY’S PRAYER

Great God, you wrap us round with love, like a mighty, gentle mother,

and you carry us like a strong and tender father, setting us on our feet

to be your free, mature and joyful daughters and sons. Now, in our weakness, we pray to you because we cannot come through life’s troubles unscathed; Heal us and help us, comfort and strengthen us, deepen our joy. As you look upon us with love in your eyes, may we react with that same love to reflect your love for all that you have made.