Intentions of the Holy Father for April

Ecology and Justice. That governments may foster the protection of creation and the just distribution of natural resources.
Hope for the Sick. That the Risen Lord may fill with hope the hearts of those who are being tested by pain and sickness.

Criteria of Emotional Maturity

I came across this list of seven criteria for qualifying one's own emotional maturity.  According to the little slip of paper with the list, emotionally mature people:

  1. Have the ability to deal constructively with reality;
  2. Have the capacity to adapt to change;
  3. Have a relative freedom from symptoms that are produced by tensions and anxiety;
  4. Have the capacity to find more satisfaction in giving than in receiving;
  5. Have the capacity to relate to other people in a consistent manner with mutual satisfaction and helpfulness;
  6. Have the capacity to sublimate, that is, to direct one's instinctive (hostile) energy into creative outlets;
  7. Have the capacity to love.
Of course, those of us who are immature are likely to still give ourselves passing marks.  Dietrich von Hildebrand tells us that we must always confront our actions, thoughts, and feelings with the person of Jesus, hold them up to Him as if to a mirror.  In doing so, we may come to feel judged or scolded - that is a temptation from the devil to believe that God is judging us.  We must not believe it.  The voice of Jesus calls out like a shepherd to sheep (Jn 10), and as we come to know Him better, we will hear His gentle voice leading us in the paths we should take, to be the men and women we should be.  If we try to listen to Him, He will not speak to us as He spoke to the spiritually-deaf pharisees.  When He speaks to us, even to say something very hard, as He must sometimes do, He will be as gentle as possible.  Very often, His message will arise in our hearts as a simple recognition of a hard truth about ourselves.

"If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts," (Ps 95:7-8; Heb 3:15)

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