Hosea 6:1-6, Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21, Luke 18:9-14
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BEYOND COMPARE
"The Pharisee with head unbowed prayed in this fashion: 'I give You
thanks, O God, that I am not like the rest of men.' " —Luke 18:11
The Pharisee compared himself with the tax collector. He fell into the sin
of pride, was not justified, and even deteriorated to the point of
"holding everyone else in contempt" (Lk 18:9).
Cain compared himself with Abel and became resentful and crestfallen (Gn
4:6). "Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him" (Gn 4:8), becoming
the first murderer.
Aaron and Miriam compared themselves to Moses. "So angry was the Lord
against them that when He departed, and the cloud withdrew from the tent,
there was Miriam, a snow-white leper!" (Nm 12:9-10)
Saul compared himself to David. "Saul was jealous of David. The next day
an evil spirit...came over Saul, and he raged in his house" (1 Sm
18:9-10). Saul tried to kill David, was eventually involved in the occult,
and finally committed suicide.
Some religious leaders compared themselves with Jesus. They became so
jealous they handed Jesus over to be crucified (Mt 27:18). They took part
in the worst murder ever.
The high priest and Sadducees compared themselves with the apostles. They
became so jealous they arrested the apostles, threw them into jail, and
threatened to kill them (Acts 5:17-18).
Comparing ourselves with others is a "no-win situation." It leads to
either pride or jealousy, which in turn leads to self-hatred. If we
believe our heavenly Father loves us, we have no need to compare ourselves
with others. Through Jesus and in the Spirit, be secure in your Father's
love.
Prayer: Abba...
Promise: "It is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God
rather than holocausts." —Hos 6:6
Praise: Andrew's lifestyle has reformed since he began confessing his
tendency to be competitive.
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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
February 1, 2010 through March 31, 2010
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of
Cincinnati, August 11, 2009
The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.
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