Transcript

Speaker 1: I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, working at the wheel. Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.

Speaker 2: Welcome back to Scripture for your inner outcasts. It's July 30th, 2020 sixth Thursday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time. Today we're joined by Bridget Adams, who is a member care coordinator for the Resilient Catholics Community by Souls and Hearts.

Speaker 1: Hello to everyone joining our scripture for your Inner Outcast episode today. It's wonderful to be here with you as we reflect on today's reading from Jeremiah chapter 18, verses three through four. I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at the wheel whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased. Although this scriptural analogy isn't perfect, I find consolation imagining that my innermost self is working with my parts as if they were malleable and adaptable, which they are. I can see how the work with our parts can be very messy, like a potter's wheel, and that our best attempts might be somewhat less appealing than what we had in mind. I especially love the image of the potter trying again and making the clay into another object of whatever sort he pleased. For you exiled parts. Maybe this gives you hope, this idea that your innermost self, like the potter from this Scripture verse, can work with you and rework with you, that your innermost self will be gentle and persistent with you, and that your innermost self will be deeply invested in your transformation and your beauty. What a gift it would be to hear your innermost self say to you exiled parts indeed, like clay in the hands of the potter, so are you in my hand. You blessed little exile parts. Our innermost self has some beautiful qualities, including creativity and compassion. Our innermost self has gifts and abilities to work with you, exiled parts in a way that is calm and connected with courage and curiosity. And yes, it might be very challenging for some of your protector parts to imagine what new role they might play when you're transformed. But the truth is this in an unburdened system, all the parts are better able to connect and love internally, externally, and internally.

Speaker 2: Listeners are invited to learn more about the innermost self, which was mentioned in today's episode by checking out our sister podcast, Interior Integration for Catholics episode 158.

Speaker 1: Our lady, our mother Untier of knots. Pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.