Reflect
One of Jesus’ greatest commandments, rooted deep in his Jewish heritage, is that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. But many of us, because of childhood trauma, critical parents, or other challenges, may be far less kind or compassionate to ourselves than we would ever be to those around us.
Pray
Beloved God,
Please help us see ourselves
with the same love and compassion
with which you see us.
May we extend that care and kindness
to everyone we meet—
especially the poor and vulnerable.
Act
The next time you’re tempted to beat yourself up or be overly self-critical, ask whether you’d say or do the same thing to someone you love. You can’t pour water from an empty cup, so make sure you take care of yourself. That’s the only way you’ll be able to be there for others.
