How to handle the "Herod" at your dinner table without losing your soul
The Default Mode
You are heading into a week of social gatherings. Inevitably, someone will say something that annoys you. It might be political, theological, or personal. Your pulse will quicken. The "Default Mode" screams that you must correct them. You must defend your position. You must set the record straight. We convince ourselves we are "standing for truth," but often, we are just feeding our own pride and need for validation.
The Carmelite Shift
St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that prudence guides charity. Unless it is necessary to speak up to prevent genuine harm, don't.
- When a relative baits you into an argument? Embrace the poverty of silence.
- When are you misunderstood? Embrace the poverty of reputation.
- When you are doing the dishes while everyone else watches football? Embrace the poverty of comfort.
Standing up for yourself often embellishes your pride. Silence, when your ego wants to scream, is a severe mortification. It is a way of mortifying the pride in your heart to make room for the humility of the Manger. This week, let them be wrong. You be holy.
The Bridge
If you are tired of the gap between what you know and how you live, you need a practical way to bridge that distance.
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