C: Create in me a clean heart, O God.
I confess to you the things of which I am ashamed.Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
I confess to you the things for which I wish to make excuses, or would rather hide the truth.
I confess to you the things for which I have blamed others.
I confess my resentment for when I have been wrongfully blamed.
I confess my satisfaction at the downfall of the arrogant.
I confess my gladness when the crooked are caught in their own snares.
I confess my eagerness to hear evil of those I despise.
I confess that I despise those whom you love, and that I wish to justify it.
I confess my willingness to repeat evil tales.
I confess my fondness for complaining or arguing.
P: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
4 comments:
That's a powerful prayer.
Thank you, Martin. I need to pray it more often ...
Take care & God bless
Anne / WF
I am not sure it is always a sin to rejoice at the downfall of the arrogant from places of power. Not only does it prevent them from harming new victims, it is also frequently a necessary medicine before they can repent. Consider Mary's words in the Magnificat:
"He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty." (Luke 1:51-53)
Are these verses sinful?
I do however admit that it is very difficult, given our own contamination by sin, to desire the humbling of the wicked in a truly godly way, without scratching our own itches of resentment and bigotry. Our Lord takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they would turn from their wicked ways and live. And there is certainly no excuse for hoping to "hear evil of those [we] despise".
So the question for our consciences is not whether *somebody* could in principle feel this passion without sinning, but whether *we* can in fact do so. "Therefore let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall!" (1 Cor 10:12)
Funny you should mention that. I struggled with the same point when I was writing it. I figure it's far more likely that we're doing sinfully. I've considered alternate wordings of that petition such as "unwholesome satisfaction" or "satisfaction ... tainted with spite" (which is the current front-runner, if I ever do a v2 of that).
Thank you for your thoughtful contribution.
Take care & God bless
Anne / WF
Post a Comment