Looking at Myself
(An Exercise on 1Cor 13: 4-8a)

We believe that “God is Love” (1 John 4:8). Jesus tells us that the two greatest commandments are to love God and our neighbor. Below is the description on love described by St. Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians.

  Go through the list rating how often you demonstrate that characteristic.

Always------Most of the Time------Occasionally------Never

1. I am patient

2. I am kind

3. I don’t envy

4. I don’t boast

5. I am not proud

6. I am not rude

7. I am not self-seeking

8. I am not easily angered

9. I keep no record of wrongs

10. I don’t delight in evil

11. I rejoice in the truth

12. I always protect

13. I always trust

14. I always hope

15. I always persevere

16. I never fail people

If God were filling this out He would have checked “always” for all 16. We are called to be “God-like.” When we aren’t we end up hurting ourselves, others, and even other part’s of God’s Creation.

List some ways we can and maybe have hurt God’s Creation (including our self) by not being “loving.”

1.                                                                     5.

2.                                                                     6.

3.                                                                     7.

4.                                                                     8.

Remember, this is how you perceive yourself. Other people and especially God may and probably see you a bit differently. St. Gregory of Sinai tells us that, “to truly know yourself, is a feat greater than raising the dead.”

What do you think he meant by that?

How do you think this relates to the Church’s teaching about going to confession?

Discuss your answers with your parish priest as part of your next confession.