Legalism, or Phariseeism, is something that I have seen in myself and have tried repeatedly to eradicate. Well it is not so easy. It creeps in and takes us little by little. It is linked to our pride, our desire to be someone or something. We want to be a Saint, we read all about the Saints and we start to imitate the Saints, as best as we can, and we justify our short comings to make us feel better about not being able to fast for 40 days with only Holy Communion to sustain us. I know I am exaggerating here for we all know that this in impossible for almost everyone, however it is to prove a point. This justification then leads to others that we really could do something about, but we justify rather than do something about it.
So how do we protect ourselves? How do we escape this trap? I have found that for me I have to not justify, a very hard thing to do, and do the best that I can and admit my faults and shortcomings to myself and God. The Prayers of confession are helpful and the Psalms. Most of all remembrance that I am a sinner and that I can do nothing good except by the Grace of God is of exceptional help. As I had said, not justifying myself is very hard to do. I make a mistake at work and am called to task about it, perhaps it was carelessness or ignorance or some other thing, my immediate impulse is to justify or give an excuse. Yes there is nothing wrong with telling the reason for the mistake, and in some cases it may indeed not be my fault, but I am referring to what is my fault. I want to look good, I want to make my employer want to keep me because I am an important person, therefore I excuse or justify.
How does this pertain to the Spiritual? The Church teaches that the physical and the Spiritual are linked together in us. What we do physically impacts the Spiritual. Now the example I gave can also turn itself against me. “Look at me see how Spiritual I am”. This then will lead me to justify myself in some other way. I am tired tonight, it is an hour past my bedtime, I will skip my evening prayers, God will understand. I have let my guard down and that night I may struggle with dreams that I would not have struggled with had I said my prayers. But then I have to watch out, “Look at me I am so Spiritual, I don’t skip my prayer”. I fail to mention that when it is an hour after I am suppose to go to bed, and I am tired that I “shorten” my evening prayers. Now this is beginning to sound like a Pharisee. Do you see how it creeps up? When it is all said and done, have I done anything that is beyond what God wants from me? He wants me to do all things as He does them, so have I done anything “Great”? No I have only done what is expected of me. As long as I remember this, and most importantly, I believe it in my heart, I have a chance to escape legalism or Phariseeism.
I had expected this to be longer, 10 pages or so, but it seems that I am done now with not even 1 page of words. I guess I really don’t know as much as I thought I did. I hope this is of some help.
Reader Benjamin
