Have you ever struggled with your own sense of perfection? Do you notice how hard we work every day to show our confidence and knowledge to the world? Yet, sometimes, we have to ask ourselves, “Is this the real me?”
On Wednesday, September 21, 2022, Rev. David Fitzgerald gave a beautiful explanation on the “Spirituality of Imperfection” during our show, TRUTH Talk. Truth talk is a ministry of spreading the Truth of God’s Good News through online media with an emphasis on Theology, Right relationship, Unconditional Love, Transparency, and Human happiness, in close harmony with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Fr. David candidly introduces himself as an alcoholic and an addict. Yes, a priest, who one would never imagine could fall into a pit of despair and hopelessness was once broken and helpless. It was by God’s grace that Fr. David shares how he did as Jesus told the man sitting at the pool waiting to be healed for 38 years, “Get up, pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8). What a beautiful analogy of being stuck with affliction and unable to stand on one’s own feet. It is here that we see our imperfections can hold us back from achieving our goals. We become ashamed, lost, lonely and afraid but with a little bit of love and guidance we can take those first steps to healing and step out of the shadows and walk in the light of peace.
I am reminded of all the times I suffered being bullied at school and at work. It was so easy to hide away and pretend to forget that everything was ok. I, too, felt imperfect and broken.
It remained this way until, I found the courage to listen to my family who said it’s time to do something about it and so I took action to bring myself out of the pit of despair and plant new seeds of faith in my own life.
Fr. David shares a story from the book of Spirituality of Imperfection by Ernest Kurst and Kathryn Ketcham, the story of the Cracked Pot by Melissa Glazer. Essentially, we all have flaws, but we are not useless. Our flaws are also our gifts. Just as the cracked pot watered the seeds and grew beautiful flowers on the path, so too, are we invited to “embrace our brokenness and grow our spirituality.” This show was extremely touching, and we should all be aware that we can repair our brokenness with a little bit of love, hope and trust in our Lord. It is through Christ that we can light up the world with our stories and offer hope to others who may be thinking they are also a “cracked pot.”
Anna Hamilton, Managing Director, Wordnet Productions