"Satan's heights are the heights of doing things on one's own authority, of uninhibitedly determining oneself in possessing all things and being permitted all things... The height of the mountain of crucifixion consists of Jesus' having relinquished all possessions and privileges all the way down to the pure nothingness of complete nakedness, which then does not even have a place on the ground any more."
-Pope Benedict XVI (Cardinal Ratzinger), A New Song for the Lord
What strikes me most here is the simplicity one is left with upon reflecting on the Pope's words: the way of life is found in giving, for in giving, we receive.
So you find yourself, NOT by defining yourself according to your own authority. You find yourself by losing yourself, by offering the gift of yourself for the sake of others, by sacrificing self-determination for redemptive love.
That is like looking in the mirror and saying, "Today is not about me. I am here for someone else. I need to focus really well on listening to others, seeing others, and being there for someone else."
This isn't about you trying to do or be for everyone all the time. That is impossible, and is evident by the fact that doing such ends up being about you.
This is about being there for one other person who isn't you. Allowing your inward focus to die, so that your outward attention may grow. This about living out, "I am here for you."
