All of our spiritual and emotional issues stem from an unconscious unwillingness to acknowledge the darkness in ourselves. In order to resist conscious "seeing" and acknowledging and doing something about the ugly truths in ourselves, we project them onto others, we distract ourselves, and in doing so, we disown parts of ourselves and those parts begin their tyranny. When enough of us do this, our world becomes as disordered as we are inside.

It's through conflicts and suffering that enough emotion can break through, consciously, to alert us of what we are not seeing. Eden shows us that if we see and acknowledge it - whatever the darkness is - we can take it to the Holy Spirit to help us heal and order it properly. If Adam and Eve had done this, rather than allowing themselves to be distracted by what was easier and more attractive in the moment, they would have had the knowledge of good and evil without the suffering, because the evil was with them in the Garden the whole time; they just didn't notice or acknowledge it as such.

Matthew 18, the Beatitudes, and Old Testament Jacob as a case study, help us with proper healing and ordering: working through pop quizzes, "turning back" to acknowledge and rescue the inner child, setting good boundaries for ourselves and others, and forgiveness for all. 

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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 Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.  

L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.)

 

O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.)

Does looking at the Eden story from a psychological point of view help you understand why working through pop quizzes, "turning back" to the inner child, setting good boundaries, and forgiveness are so important to your growth and health? What do you want to say to the Holy Spirit about that?

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 (Rest in the Word.)

Dearest Jesus, my love, in the words of little Therese, "For me to become great is impossible." Help me bear with myself and my many imperfections as I seek to follow her means of getting to heaven by a little way--very short and very straight, The Little Way of the Child. Amen +

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What We Discussed | Show Notes

Overview:

Minutes 00:00-12:00 – Review of Matthew 18 concepts, addition of the Beatitudes for understanding of the processes

Minutes 12:01-24:00 – Adam and Eve; the "shadow" or darkness inside; Jacob and deceit; Jacob's pop quizzes 

Minutes 24:01-36:00 – How the processes work for individuals vs. Christian brothers and sisters

Minutes 36:01-48:00 – Forgiveness

Transcript

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