Show Notes
Overall Takeaways
Dr. Peter: We despise in others what we don’t tolerate in ourselves.
Dr. Gerry: Stop mislabeling yourself.
Key Verses from Sunday Readings
“Share your bread with the hungry,
shelter the oppressed and the homeless;
clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed”
“His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
His justice shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.”
“Jesus said to his disciples:
‘You are the salt of the earth ….
You are the light of the world.’
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.”
Where Catholicism Meets Psychology
* Christ says clearly that if we do good deeds, our wounds will be healed. Sometimes reaching out to others helps us get outside of ourselves and does help heal wounds.
* However, we have to remember to start with ourselves. We have to have our own house in order: making sure we are not hungry, naked and homeless from a psychological perspective. It’s hard to help others if we don’t trust that God will take care of us.
* At the same time, we can’t be only attentive to ourselves and our relationship to God. Christ calls us to be that light to the world by our actions.
* We often take one negative belief and generalize it for ourselves and others, which is unhealthy. Often we learn these negative messages early on and suffer from a malformed conscious.
* Look for the perceived benefit in the negative belief. For example, if a parent calls a child an idiot and he calls himself an idiot, that may be the only way he can connect with the parent.
* Christ is calling us out of our shame to be the light of the world.
Action Items
Dr. Gerry: Notice the lie in mislabeling yourself this week. Remind yourself of the truth. Take one small action to demonstrate that truth.
Dr. Peter: Ask God or Mary, “what’s getting in the way of my light shining?” It could be fear or failure to trust God.