Clemency

Sometimes a quote grabs me. Often it sends me to the dictionary!

 

"The beginning of divine wisdom is clemency and gentleness,

which arise from greatness of soul and the bearing of infirmities."

St. Isaac of Ninevah

Clemency:

n.

1. A disposition to show mercy, especially toward an offender or enemy.

2. A merciful, kind, or lenient act.

Often I wonder if we are divinely wise towards ourselves? Do we have merciful, kind or lenient thoughts towards ourselves? Many of us spend most of our waking hours criticizing and belittling ourselves, driving home the message again and again that we will never measure up, we are never good enough. How might our day change if we saw ourselves through a lens of gentleness and clemency?

St. Isaac of Ninevah said the beginning of divine wisdom arises from greatness of soul and the bearing of infirmities. Often our infirimities are inner, located between our ears. A deadly stream of volatile negativity can pollute our every attempt to live in righteousness and holiness. If we are to follow after Jesus and be remade in His image, we must believe what God our Father says about us. We must begin to see ourselves as He sees us, covered over with the robe of righteousness that Jesus bought for us by His blood.

Through the trial of this relentless itching I have had to repeatedly adopt an attitude of clemency towards myself. Truly I have tried other means first. At times I have told myself, "Okay. This is a new day and you do not have to cave over itching." That did not work. Another day, "Okay. Do not even act or behave as if something is wrong today. Get dressed, go about your activities, and try to rise above this." That did not work either.

All my best lessons have come from acceptance of where I am Right Now and clemency towards this poor body that has 3 doctors confused and befuddled.

Divine wisdom I often lack. The Word assures me I can begin to obtain it.

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Boredom over being drugged into the state of a slug has driven me to try to arise at least mentally when my skin is in a turmoil. His grace is there at all times. Can I reach to it? With prayers and God's help, I can.

If I could I would draw a picture of my hand reaching up out of the mud puddle called my brain. Could not even find an image of that I liked on line. Perhaps you get the picture?

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