I have nothing against self-esteem if you like that kind of thing, but there’s nothing to get you out of bed in the morning like a solid guilt trip.
The liturgical season the Chaldean Church is in right now is all about repentance (and that’s a good name for it if you ask me, rather than the remarkably lame “Summer”), and the act of repentance (turning back to God) requires two moods to overlap simultaneously:
- Caring enough about yourself because you are a precious and valuable human being.
- Realizing you’re a living joke and a garbage person.
Without both of these together there’s no repentance. If there’s only the first, you’re a narcissist (called a “Karen” today). If there’s only the second, you need a hug and some better friends. But with both, and some of God’s grace, you can get some of that sweet repentance action.
Anyway here’s a hymn from the tradition that will help you be ashamed of yourself:
* O soul that aged in wickedness,
awake, be new through penitence!
* With pain and tears, take medicine
and bandage up your fallen face.
* Cry out and lay out all your sins,
that the Kind One may pity you.
* Because you loved passing beauty,
yours is destroyed, daughter of Light.
* You ruined your body’s temple,
through weakness, you made it a slave.
* O wretched one, til when will you
take comfort in such passing things?
* Quake and be frightened of that fire
that you enkindle with your deeds.
* So many sins have drowned your head
like water, from the time of youth.
* You drown in the sea of despair,
because you dismissed penitence.
* O you who are slave to desire,
remember those who came before.
* How long will your Judge be patient,
while you keep drowning in your sins?
* Do not forget that awful day
when your secrets will be revealed.
* Who will make an excuse for you?
There, each one will defend himself.
* Sufferings will pour out like soldiers,
will ruin you, and will move on.
* Good Hope who dawned upon our lives,
pity the soul that forgets you!
* I am your sheep, but I was trapped
by the devil in wickedness.
* Come, Lord, find me – seek what is yours,
for I wasted your inheritance.
* You bore the cross for all sinners:
I am of them – remember me!
* The devil has robbed me from you,
strike him and take me from his hands.
* O Lover of Mankind, love me,
for I have no hope beside you.
* Glory to you, O Son of God,
who is so patient with sinners.
* Thanksgiving to you from the lost,
whom you have found and saved from death.
* All glory to your Father, ours,
and to the Spirit, Paraclete.
* Let us all lift up praise to you,
forever and ever, amen.
Thank you for sharing the hymn. I especially like the line,
“The devil has robbed me from you,
strike him and take me from his hands.”
That’s what my soul feels like sometimes.
Nice post thanks for shaaring