One of the tangles that the saints can easily find themselves in is that of too much self reflection. And this exhortation should be handled with care because some of you might be prone to reflect on how self-reflective you are. This is the guy who gets lost in the hall of mirrors and eventually settles down in there, saying, “Well, I’m not much but I’m all I ever think about.” Let’s grant that this temptation is one you are familiar with. What is to be done about it?

First, realize that this temptation is common to man. You are not the only one in the hall of mirrors. Second, speaking of other people, take a look at these other humans around you. Put them on the screen of your mind instead of yourself. Pray for their welfare and intercede for them in their trouble. Then, do the next practical good work that is within reach and within your abilities. Self-forgetfulness is bliss. It is the stuff Christian martyrs are made of, and we seem to grow in that bliss of self-forgetfulness when we labor at the good works God has prepared for us to do.