Page 121 - Built For God Handbook (Annotated and Explained Edition) - The Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching - The New Evangelization - Pope John Paul II

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This chapter plumbs the depths of the human heart and spirit, contrasting
honor and humility on the one hand, with ego and false pride on the other.
We can rightly claim honor and humility to be feared, in the sense of striking
awe in our persons. This is because both truly put us in touch with the
powerful, paradoxical love of God, who is both glorious beyond measure,
yet humble beyond comprehension. That is why Mary, that humble young
maiden chosen to conceive the Son of God in her womb, could truthfully
exclaim, “From now on all peoples will call me blessed!” She knew she was
honored beyond all others, yet was humbly aware that all was a gift from
God.

On the other hand, the human ego can be a great misfortune if, in our
human insecurity from a lack of love in our lives or even trauma, we over-
attach to it, over-identify with it, and think it is our true self. But at its core, it
is, in reality, an inability to love ourselves, resulting in a false self that we
mask behind a front of false pride. This often becomes a source of suffering
for us because we are then easily wounded or hurt when the world does not
treat us the way we think our inflated sense of self should be treated.

At the same time, we need not fear the suffering that comes our way
because we have a God who, amazingly, freely suffered for us. There are
some life lessons we will learn only through suffering. The key to allowing
that suffering to become redemptive is to accept it and go through it without
bitterness or resentment, as did Jesus on the cross. Then, our suffering
takes on deep meaning and purpose and even helps build up the kingdom
of God.

Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor as ourselves. We can love
ourselves because, in the end, we are precious and honored in God’s sight
simply because God loves us. We can then truly be at home in the world, at
peace with it and life itself.

a Matthew 23:27-32; Isaiah 13:11; Luke 14:11; James 4:6;
b Deuteronomy 11:11-12; John 15:9-17; Luke 9:25; Numbers 35:33-34