Shame

Self-love: Love that counteracts shame

Some people might read this column’s headline and think it is self-indulgent and not appropriate for the month of love. However, self-love must be present before we can love others. The greatest impediment to self-love is shame. The late John Bradshaw, counselor and motivational speaker, explains “the feeling of shame has a demonic potential to encompass our whole personality … a person can come to believe that his (or her) whole self is fundamentally flawed and defective.”

A sacrament for healing shame

It is always surprising to me that people turn out in such great numbers for Ash Wednesday Mass. The symbol of ashes on the forehead is an ancient symbol of repentance. It is an acknowledgment that I have sinned and I need God’s mercy. Perhaps so many people come on Ash Wednesday because deep down they recognize a basic human need ­— the need to be freed from shame.

Guilt and shame can lead to changing for the good

I struggle a lot with guilt and shame. What should I do about it?
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