Saturday, April 4, 2020 –
Many moons ago, when I taught 3rd grade CCD, I did a lesson every year with my students on selfish vs. selfless. It was a precursor for them learning the works of mercy the next year, but it was also to get them thinking outside themselves.
The lesson centered around a “sticky board” (a Velcro board) divided in two with, you guessed it, “Selfish” on one side and “Selfless” on the other. The students lined up next to a bucket of various words, phrases, and actions. They would take turns pulling out a word and sticking it onto the board under the appropriate heading.
EX: “generous,” “feeding the hungry,” and “good listener” would go under selfless
Where am I going with this? Well, I’ve been trying to take more thorough stock of my actions during this Lent and pandemic to see if I’m focused inward or doing what I can for others.
Am I being selfish and self-centered? Or, am I being selfless and generous with my time, treasure, and talents?
We all should take a moment every day to review our actions. A good daily examination of conscience is always recommended. Personally, I like to use this one HERE. Andrew and I usually roll our daily examen into night prayer with a few moments of quiet prayer before getting started, but that’s not a hard, fast rule.
Side note, I found when I started doing a daily examination of conscience, I also started going to Confession more frequently. Not a bad thing, just something to note. When you take stock more often, you find you need the Sacrament of Penance more often too (wink, wink).
