Daily Reflections - January 11,2013

your internal image is important

 

A wild angry dog wandered off to a cave full of mirrors. Seeing the many reflections surrounding him, he barked at each of them. Seeing that each reflection barked back at him, he ran out of the cave, saying, “This is such an angry world I live in!”

A domesticated pet dog wandered into the same cave of mirrors. Seeing the many reflections around, he smiled and wagged his tail to each of them. Each image did the same and the dog came out of the cave, saying, “It’s a friendly world I live in.”

Moral of the story: What happens without is to a great extent, affected by what is happening within. If you are an angry individual, you will most probably see the world through glasses with angry shades. Similarly, a joyful individual will most probably see the world in colorful shades.

Our thoughts and expectations do influence our external state of affairs. While we do not always get what we deserve in life, we usually get no more than we expect. As the principle says, we receive what we believe.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a man with leprosy. A leper is rejected, isolated, stripped of his rights to community, and barred from considering himself a member of humanity. Every leper should know his place and remind himself of these as he is required by law to shout, “Unclean, unclean!” (Leviticus 13:44), whenever he finds himself within hearing distance of people.

We see none of these in the leper of today’s Gospel. He resisted to be treated as one of the living dead. He boldly approached the Lord, believing within what is rightful to every believing Jew. His external circumstance tells him he is as good as dead. His internal image tells him, “I am a child of the Lord.” Jesus affirmed his faith.

The Holy Book says, “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). God’s power is unlimited; it is limited only by our lack of faith. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Psychologists and sociologists teach that 20 percent of our life is determined by what happens to us, and 80 percent by how we respond to the 20 percent that happens to us. Which percentage do you allow to dominate your life?

 

God our Father, help me go through life with the joy and confidence of knowing that I am Your child. Amen.