Reproving myself

There are many people in the world who are intent on proving themselves.

My ambition is to be intent on reproving myself.

On one level I mean this as a pun: I have to re-prove myself, for I – to refashion a phrase from the Alma Redemptoris Mater – have fallen, yet strive to rise again and to prove myself again by the grace of God.

On another level, fallen as I am, I have many reasons to reprove myself. Indeed, this season of Lent is a good opportunity for me to focus on my many weaknesses and pray that God’s grace may come to greater fruition in me.

On yet another level, there is the reproving mentioned in today’s first reading (Leviticus 19:1-2,11-18):

You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove him,
do not incur sin because of him.

For those of us who have been undeservedly blessed to have had even a modicum of education in the truths of our faith, it is easy to see how many people fall short of the fullness of that truth and even oppose it.

It is also easy to see the peril those people therefore face and to feel the urgency of helping them to the right path. Indeed, we cannot "stand idly by while (our) neighbor’s life is at stake."

And yet even our efforts to help may themselves be fraught with peril: for example, if we are not careful, our righteous indignation at the offense can easily turn to hatred of the person and our "superior" knowledge can lead to pride and to the overlooking of our own faults.

You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.
Though you may have to reprove him,
do not incur sin because of him.

We must remember that we are all sinners and that as we reprove others we must also be reproving ourselves.

Hence the bottom line of today’s first reading:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD.