“This is my chosen Son; Listen to Him” Luke 9:28b-36
Reflection by Tom Carani, ECHO Program
“Remember who you are.”
It’s my grandpa’s favorite catchphrase to use when I’m leaving family gatherings. He says it while gripping my hand and looking me straight in the eye. His stare reminds me that when I go out into the world, I bring my family’s reputation and love along with me. It’s a nice thing for a grandpa to say, but in the context of this Gospel story my grandpa’s advice takes on a greater meaning. Luke paints a picture of the Divine breaking into the everyday and blinding us with the truth that our primary identity that we carry into the world is that we are God’s beloved daughters and sons, and our destiny is eternal glory.
It’s my grandpa’s favorite catchphrase to use when I’m leaving family gatherings. He says it while gripping my hand and looking me straight in the eye. His stare reminds me that when I go out into the world, I bring my family’s reputation and love along with me. It’s a nice thing for a grandpa to say, but in the context of this Gospel story my grandpa’s advice takes on a greater meaning. Luke paints a picture of the Divine breaking into the everyday and blinding us with the truth that our primary identity that we carry into the world is that we are God’s beloved daughters and sons, and our destiny is eternal glory. Often we choose to reject our belovedness and choose to identify only as broken and incapable of repair. Lent usually exacerbates this feeling, but this penitential season does not have to be a time for self-rejection. We are not so broken that the mercy and love of God cannot fix us. In fact, this mid-Lent Gospel reminds me that despite our brokenness, God still has our glory in mind.
Let us use the remainder of Lent to remember who we really are. We are not children of the world or people without a future. We are chosen, beloved daughters and sons of God, and it is our joyful task to open ourselves to God’s transforming love so that we might appear in glory with Him at the end of time.
Prayer
[Insert your name here],
All I want to say to you is “You are the Beloved,” and all I
hope is that you can hear these words as spoken to you with
all the tenderness and force that love can hold. My only desire
to make these words reverberate in every corner of your
being—“You are the Beloved.” (Life of the Beloved, Henri Nouwen)
Lord, I give your Spirit permission to enter into my wounds
and isolation with the healing light of Jesus’ Transfiguration.
May His light illumine the deepest truth of my identity:
that I am a beloved child of God.
Amen.
Focus on: Spirituality
We’re so comfortable hiding behind our brokenness that it is difficult to believe God loves us unconditionally and destines us for greatness. Like Peter, we stand gawking at other holy people when God’s plan for us is to follow Jesus and become holy ourselves. The path to holiness is difficult and requires that we expose our wounds to our Father so He can bathe them in His love and transform them. This Lent, consecrate your weaknesses to God so that He might make them the cause of your glory.
Service Suggestion:
Whether the idea of being God’s beloved is easy for you to grasp or not, it’s a message the world needs to hear. Uniquely and authentically communicate your love for another person today. Write your spouse a letter reminding him/her why you love him/her and what it is you love about him/her. Do a great act of service for that friend who listens to your griping and complaining. Perform some action today in order to show others that they, too, are the beloved.
This reflection is part of our Lenten Series – Download the Lenten Guide Here
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