Tonight we will be looking at Chapter 5 “Gentleness as a Mindset” in Dr. Albert Rossi’s Becoming a Healing Presence. One of the points made in this chapter by Dr. Rossi is that gentleness respects boundaries. Being gentle means allowing others to live their own lives and carry their own burdens. We are to be a healing presence to others, not their savior. The key is to actively listen to the other person without interrogation or advice (unless requested). Within my practice of law, most cases settle once the offending party has had the opportunity to be heard. Only once they understand that someone has listened to them and understands their issues are they willing to resolve the dispute. At least for me, it’s difficult not to want to “fix” someone else, but that is the job of the Holy Spirit, not ours. As you finish up the chapter today, think through how you have seen this teaching of Dr. Rossi work in your own life, or not. Dr. Rossi’s teaching isn’t intended to fix us either but is simply intended to allow us to become the healing presence of Christ for others.
Dinner is at 6. The menu is Pasta with Italian Sausage. Discussion about 6:45. Hope to see you here, and please bring a guest.
At some thoughts, one stands perplexed, especially at the sight of men’s sin, and wonders whether one should use force or humble love. Always decide to use humble love. If you resolve on that once for all, you may subdue the whole world. Loving humility is marvelously strong, the strongest of all things, and there is nothing else like it.
Fr. Zossima, The Brothers Karamazov