Meditation for May 15, On Accepting Corrections

If the Blessed Virgin appeared to me to tell me of my faults, with what joy would I accept the correction and what strength her maternal charity and kindly service would give me.

Why not accept with as much faith and love the corrections I deserve or that others think they should make?

Of course the Blessed Virgin does not appear to me, but if I had more faith I would be able to see in my superior the person appointed by God to make known His designs to me.

What peace would then be mine! What gratitude I ought to show to the representatives of divine authority who have the charity to correct me.

To inform someone of her faults is a very difficult task, and often those who are charged with it hesitate to do so at the risk of either failing in their duty, or of procrastinating in its discharge, thus allowing bad example to grow in the community.

They would be willing to speak. but they foresee the welcome they will receive. They wait, they are silent, they put off the correction. As a result, the evil spreads, the defect grows, the existing disorder is aggra­vated - and the duty of correction becomes more difficult each day.

"Lord, make me affable in welcoming every reprimand, however painful, or undeserved it may be. Never permit me to increase the burden of my superiors. Incline me not only to accept cor­rection willingly, but to ask for it."

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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)