The least of me

"What if the “least of these” that Jesus talks about turns out to be part of our own selves? The parts of ourselves that are sick and homeless and hungry and thirsty and naked.

We are called to love ourselves in our entirety: to honour every part of ourselves — not just our strengths but our manifold weaknesses. Even our anger and despair and doubt.

We are called to accept all in ourselves that we have abandoned and hidden or denied or undervalued, to drop the pretence and posturing we adopt to make ourselves acceptable, to reconcile our inner conflict and division against ourselves, judging ourselves harshly and badly, neglecting ourselves — to love ourselves as we are loved by God.

We are called to face our true centre, to resolve to live out of the selves that have been loved since the foundation of the world.

We are called, too, to love one other as we love ourselves. Indeed, how we love ourselves will determine how well we can love the other: we are all made in the image of God.

So who do we find most difficult to love? Aren’t they people who remind us of the parts of ourselves we fear or dislike?  We are called to love each other in our entirety. Even the parts, especially the
parts, we would prefer to ignore, deny or overlook. We are called to value each other equally. And we are called to love even those we make the outsider, who represent the things that we have banished."
-Sheena McMain

Edwina Gately's Balance

So much struggling –

realizing that I need a balance

between reaching out and reaching in.

I need to do some things just for me,

like paint and play

and read and build sandcastles.

I need to stop for a long time

to think about that.

Where did I miss it? Lose it?

For joy is the centre of ministry.

Joy should precede ministry,

nurture it and fulfil it.

But I am so intense about ministry,

and take it so solemnly

(as if I were responsible for it)

that I become weighed down,

by its ups and downs,

its disappointments and its failures.

I suffocate joy with

seriousness …

I imagine everything depends on me –

when everything is God’s business,

and God has already taken care of

all her creation

and all her people.

We are only to talk with each other

be with each other,

love each other,

God’s is the healing, the growing, and the fulfilling.

When I lose perspective

and imagine everything,

(or most things)

revolving around myself,

I make myself

a little god,

and lose my joy.

For I was never made

to be a little god – only

to be loved

by the Great God.

Perhaps I am too busy

trying to love other people

instead of learning to love myself.

When I can do that

I might begin to understand

how great God’s love is.

When I go through

darkness, heaviness and anxiety,

it is God’s invitation

for me to stop

looking outwards

and start

looking inwards.

And be loving and gentle

with myself.

I am called to minister

for my own joy.

When my joy diminishes,

so does my ministry.

When I have fun and

enjoy myself

God does.

Then I am most like God –

Who is joy!