"In devout circles, it's common to speak of putting oneself third: God comes first, and then we serve anyone who needs us, and finally, we tend to ourselves. It's a good formula, and a much-needed check on the aggressive selfishness of our age.
"At the same time, there's a subtle temptation that comes with putting oneself last. We forget that, as members of the body of Christ, there's not really any such thing as 'just me.' We are all thoroughly intertwined with each other. It really doesn't do the head any good when the arm is bleeding unchecked. The heart doesn't appreciate it if you ignore an infection in the foot. For better or worse, we're stuck with each other, and we must be sure that putting ourselves last doesn't mean neglecting ourselves altogether -- or giving into pride or imprudence and calling it self-sacrifice.
"Sometimes, in our desire to practice sacrificial love, we end up sacrificing each other -- and that's not love at all."
In a recent commentary, writer Simcha Fisher reflected on the importance of self care as part of our ministry to others.
To access Ms. Fisher’s complete post, please visit:
National Catholic Rgister: Blogs: Simcha Fisher: When Self Care Is About Other People (25 MAY 16)
"At the same time, there's a subtle temptation that comes with putting oneself last. We forget that, as members of the body of Christ, there's not really any such thing as 'just me.' We are all thoroughly intertwined with each other. It really doesn't do the head any good when the arm is bleeding unchecked. The heart doesn't appreciate it if you ignore an infection in the foot. For better or worse, we're stuck with each other, and we must be sure that putting ourselves last doesn't mean neglecting ourselves altogether -- or giving into pride or imprudence and calling it self-sacrifice.
"Sometimes, in our desire to practice sacrificial love, we end up sacrificing each other -- and that's not love at all."
In a recent commentary, writer Simcha Fisher reflected on the importance of self care as part of our ministry to others.
To access Ms. Fisher’s complete post, please visit:
National Catholic Rgister: Blogs: Simcha Fisher: When Self Care Is About Other People (25 MAY 16)
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