Father Tim Lemlin
A few thoughts on the readings for this weekend. . .
Thomas Merton used the terms "true self" and "false self" to distinguish between who we are in relationship with God, and who we are not in relationship with God. The disciples in our gospel reading this weekend are operating out of their "false selves" when they begin comparing and competing with each other. The end result is always people relating in an adversarial way ("I'm right and you are wrong," or "I am better than you"). When we are living out of our "true self" (something, it seems, that we can only do periodically) we receive our sense of worth from our relationship with God. Hence, we don't have to compare, compete, or be adversarial in order to be someone.
We can simply be who we are.
