Beginning at Home

Some say that, as long as there is a human being by my side who is in pain, I do not have the right to think about my own happiness.

These words sound fine. They seem to be true but, in fact there is no truth in them. As we observe the mystery of man, statements like these will become obvious to us: those who are loved will love in return; those who are loved cannot help but to love.

Only the free can liberate; the free always set others free. A master who is a model of maturity and stability will have stable and mature disciples, and this will be achieved without the use of many words. It is the same with parents and their children. On the other hand, even if a master is crowned with a profusion of academic degrees, and yet is insecure and inhibited, he will engulf his disciples in a cloud of insecurity.

We will make others happy inasmuch as we ourselves are happy. The only way to really love our neighbor is to be reconciled with ourselves, to accept and love ourselves.

We must begin with ourselves.

Extracted from the book “From Suffering to Peace” by Father Ignacio Larrañaga