So, this is how my brain works! Just in case you were wondering :-)
Thank you all for your comments to my rant on snarkiness! But, after leaving the ballgame and after posting I found myself breaking my promise to return later that day with a positive post. The reason being that I started thinking... What did I do wrong in that circumstance. I felt very proud of myself although my anxiety flared while doing it lol. But, in hindsight I wondered if I was being too proud, too full of myself. Did I think I was better than the other parents? At that moment? YES! I did..... This made me feel bad because I get myself all confused.
How do you balance humility with what has to be some type of God given pride? God couldn't have made us, designed us, saved us just so we would think we were nothing could he? That doesn't make sense to me. It's not logical. I think he must have wanted us to feel good about ourselves at least some of the time! I have to believe this because with my current dance with depression I can't believe otherwise or I think it would be bad for my health! ::haha::
So my dear readers I ask these questions of you! Please consider sharing your thoughts with me on the subject of humility. Can it be taken too far? Is some pride a God given gift?
My brain hurts and I'm still confused...
7 comments:
This is a subject I contemplate often and I've yet to come up with a pat answer. It seems natural that we should acknowledge the goodness in ourselves as we do in others, but proud can easily become prideful.
There are certain things I personally take as warning signs. For example, I regularly ask myself whether I'm proud because I did good or because I did better? In other words, am I taking pleasure in the idea that I'm superior?
Someone (don't remember who) told us a long time ago that humility is truth. I think that means not denying the goodness that is part of you. And how does one keep that awareness of the truth of who you are from becoming arrogance? I like to think of St. Francis who said something like "What I am before God, that I am, and nothing more."
It seems to me that sometimes we think when we stand up for something that we truly believe down deep in our hearts is the right thing to stand up for, that we are not being humble. I truly believe that it mostly depends on "how" we stand up for something. There is a time and a place, perhaps that is better..there are ways that are better...there is an attitude that is better, but clearly, if we love Christ, we will stand up for Him. Take the abortion issue, for example. If we don't stand up concerning this issue, then how can we defend the unborn child? If I stand outside of Planned Parenthood and pray a rosary by myself or with a group of other Christians, is that not being humble in the right way? In the case of what happened at the ball field, our children clearly need to see a good example set. You were not standing up to something that wasn't important. In one of our teachings as in a Spiritual Work of Mercy, I believe, we are told that sometimes we may need to admonish the sinner. If children had not been involved and this was just some silly adult dispute, then perhaps you could turn away and let it go, but you truly felt it was important and I do too. I hope this helps and I hope it made sense, as sometimes I'm not clear on what I'm trying to put across, but I try! :) Oh and there is something that you, as a new and upcoming Catholic might not have learned much about yet..its called "Catholic Guilt" LOL...It mostly means that we are just sorry about everything. Catholics go around saying "I'm sorry," or "Excuse me" almost to a sickening degree. They mean well, but we do not need to apologize about EVERYTHING! Maybe in the "way" we handle something and yes, surely about many things we do wrong, but what you did, was not NOT being humble..I am almost sure of it and if you go to a priest and just ask him, I'm fairly sure that he will give you some peace of mind and heart about this. Honest! :)
So, don't let "Catholic Guilt" get the best of you, because also, alot of people who are not Catholic, know that we are like that and they almost expect us to be overly apologetic when we need to say what we mean and mean what we say in a loving way because we truly believe it would be what Jesus might very well want us to say. Okay..lol I'm finished. Ha! ;)
But “zealous anger” is not sinful, according to the Angelic Doctor. On the contrary, “if one is angry in accordance with right reason, one’s anger is deserving of praise.” (Summa, II-II,158.1) Aquinas continues:
Anger may stand in a twofold relation to reason. First, antecedently; in that it withdraws reason from its rectitude, and has therefore the character of evil. Secondly, consequently, inasmuch as the movement of the sensitive appetite is directed against vice and in accordance with reason. This anger is good, and is called “zealous anger” (Summa, II-II,158.1). Added note..It is odd that I just went to read somethings on "Catholic Exchange" and there was an article and I just copied and pasted a small section of it for you here.
I also like what Sister Ann Marie said. Anyway, this is a good post you have and a good question to discuss.
wdomburg, that is a very good way to think of it! I will start asking myself that question :-) Do you have a blog too that I can check out? It wont let me see your profile.
Sr. Ann Marie, Thank you! I love this blogsphere! It is so wonderful to be able to ask questions like these and have people take it seriously :-) If I had asked a family member I think they would have laughed..
Suzanne, Thank you for all of that! It is wonderful how we find just what we need to know in random places huh? ;-)
Thank you all for your comments, for taking the time to really think about your answers. It means the world to me!
My personal blog is at LiveJournal. I haven't updated very often in recent months, in part because of a demanding work schedule and a new daughter, but also because I've been wrestling with questions of faith and identity.
Though born into a Catholic family, we were largely non-practicing, so I haven't been to church in twenty years outside the occasional funeral or wedding. I don't know what I believe now, but I've gradually realized at least my ethos and demeanour are closely aligned with - if not informed by - Catholic principle.
(Apologies for blathering on a tangent like that, but I felt some background was appropriate since my journal doesn't reflect my current state especially well.)
No need to apologize! Questioning faith can be such a growing experience. I should know... I've been doing it all my life! lol
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