Friday, January 21, 2011

Mirror

Flannery O'Connor traced the contours of truth in her writings. With finesse she outlined both the beauty and ugliness of revealed truth through the development of characters in her stories.


One can hardly read a story and not be teased by her pursuit of truth in whatever form it manifests itself.


For a long time I thought when truth surfaced it would elicit a "Wow!" Sometimes it does, often it doesn't. The longer I live I find that truth often reveals the dark, sinister, underbelly side of life.


Open the newspaper, listen to webcasts, pay attention to radio and television and you will agree that when truth surfaces it often reveals tales of horror and grief. Whether it is a shooting or violence, when the truth is told it reveals darkness.


O'Connor said, "truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it emotionally...there are long periods in the lives of all of us, and of the saints, when the truth revealed by faith is hideous, emotionally disturbing, down right repulsive."


Now, isn't that encouraging?


Yet, this same truth can set us free from all of those things. 


Interesting.


Here is my prayer today. "Lord, help me to see myself as you see me, not like I want you to see me. Help me to face the truth of what you see in me." 

Today I will look in the mirror of his grace....



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