In ancient Greek Mythology there is the story of Narssius, a young boy who was said to have been struck by Cupid’s arrow of love and attraction and then looked into a lake, saw his reflection and then fell in love with himself, destined to forever stare into the lake in love with his own image. This is the root of Narcissism.
Reading a book called “The Culture of Narcissism” a compelling read about America.
America is a country born out of immancipation, freedom from past. Man wants to free himself from the past and all that came with it or is implied. An inability to identify with posterity leads to no dependence and a lack of future looking. A psychological disorder that has become a societal. The world has become a mirror that is to reflect myself back to me.People don’t want salvation but personal peace of mind.
Love Rejected turns back to self hatred. The child must take time to see that his need is inside and the gratification is outside and he is not all powerful. 2nd is annul pain of disappoint and to nullify rage against those who don’t succumb to needs.
Ego has been able to distinguish self from outside. Needs admiration but does not want dependence. They want to fill themselves with deep grandeous idea but have not inner support. Devaluing others reinforces inner emptiness. No personal attachment but seeks the personal affirmation needed. The Emptiness within shows a need of others.
Peace I leave you my peace I give you, not as the world gives. The world thus gives a partial peace, a fragmented peace.
Where does the renewal come from? Not in me: All renewal comes from above, “coming out of heaven from God!”, this is where man’s renewal comes from. The reliance then becomes also not only not on the self, nor even on the strongest, but “On the Lamb who becomes the light.”
Cardinal Newman “Ideas exist in play of Mind”, No new or great ideas ever come from ourselves.
Bishop Barron says that things must change to stay the same God is always wanting us to renew ourselves and change, to stay the image and child of God that we are.
During mass the Host is broken and we are presented a broken yet healed savior, a lamb standing as those it were slain. We must have a deep personal relation and reliance on Jesus, identify the narcissism within man.