Often we are not sorry for our actions because we are willfully ignorant of how they affect others. When Nathan confronts David over his sin, he becomes deeply angry at the injustice of his own actions. How do we deal with being confronted by someone else, especially when they are right and we are in the wrong? How do we deal with the guilt of doing wrong?
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LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on her method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.
L – Listen (Receive the Word.)
If you’d rather watch the video, you can do that here.
O – Observe (Choose one or more of the following personality approaches to connect the passage to your life and recent events.)
F | Franciscan – To whom do you need to go to ask for forgiveness? Do that this week.
I | Ignatian – Read Nathan’s story of the rich man who takes a poor man’s pet lamb to feed a visiting guest, despite having a huge flock of sheep of his own. What does the little pet lamb smell and feel like? Are you the rich man or the poor man in the story? What is Jesus saying to you?
A | Augustinian – One of the telling things about guilt is that it creates great anger in our souls towards others who are guilty of the same thing we are guilty of. Our anger and judgment is focused on them but in reality it is the fear of exposure and the judgment we know we deserve. This is called projecting.
At whom are you currently angry or judgmental? Is there any projection occurring in your heart and mind?
T | Thomistic – Psalm 51 is David’s response to the exposure and disclosure of his guilt. Read Psalm 51, here, and take a look at how it breaks down into three simple prayers:
Verses 1-6 Prayer of Confession and Contrition
Verses 7-12 Prayer for Restoration
Verses 13-17 Prayer of Thanksgiving
What important lessons do you learn on how to overcome guilt?
V – Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.)
Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin.
E – Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!)
O God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee and I detest all my sins, because I fear the loss of heaven and the pangs of hell, but most of all because You are all good and worthy of all my love. I resolve, therefore, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.+
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*Find out your prayer temperament with this quiz! LOVE the Word® exercises are offered according to FIAT: the four personalities, or “prayer forms,” explored in Prayer and Temperament, by Chester Michael and Marie Norrisey: Franciscan, Ignatian, Augustinian, and Thomistic: FIAT! These prayer forms correspond to the Myers-Briggs personality types.
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