“A man is whole only when he takes into account his shadow.”
- Djuna Barnes
We, naturally and much easily, see things as all-good or all-bad, we have failed to learn how to carry the shadow side of things. We have not learned to carry the paschal mystery—with its suffering, death, and resurrection—within ourselves, the church, history, or in reality itself.
It is easier to give in to our fallen nature, to ego-deceptions, and judge all things as either good or evil. We fail to accept things as both “crucified and resurrected” at the same time, as Christ is.
It seems we all try to avoid this mystery in human life, instead of learning how to carry it patiently. Patience comes not from expecting or demanding a perfect reality, but from accepting an always-mixed reality. We just end up being resentful and judgmental, which is what has characterized much of our Christian history.
We need conflicts, relationship challenges, moral failures, and even perceived enemies. They are our necessary mirrors.
Grateful people emerge in a world where shadows are not rejected but are taken as opportunities for compassion and forgiveness.
Romans 5:20 “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.”
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