Son of God

The gospel for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time this year ends with the testimony from John the Baptist, “This is the Son of God” (John 1.29-34).

The Son of God is a high title for Jesus and has much theological history to it. It has roots in the Old Testament and it is connected to the baptism of Jesus. The voice from heaven declaring, “this is my Son, the Beloved” (Matthew 3.17) gives roots to this title for Jesus. Son of God is not just a theological point in the life of Jesus, it is way for us to see in him our journey and desires to be children of God.

This week as I read and reflected on the gospel those three words just stood out for me. Son of God. They echoed in my ears and have been reflection in my eyes. The Son of God – Jesus – where do I hear his voice, where do I see him in my daily living, who is he to me and for me?

Son of God – 
our brother, our savior, our way
present in our living, in our prayers, in our hearts
gift given, freedom, depth of relationship.

Son of God,
you are always so near to me,
you are here with me,
you are one of us,
drawing all people and creation 
into the love which you know and offer,
you are a reflection of God;
making God known to me and all people.

Son of God,
you knowing my journey
seeing my ups and downs
and being present in them.

You are gift,
you are life,
you with us…
thank you raises up in each breath.

I desire to dwell in you and with you.
I desire to know you more 
and to celebrate you 
and your love present.

I desire that my life 
be a reflection of all you are:
Beloved,
Son of God,
you here with me.

Living as Beloved

Living as Beloved. Ultimately is this not what as Christians are striving for, to live as the beloved? “Here is my son, the beloved” which was testified by God at the baptism of Jesus is said of each of us at our baptism as well.

As I ponder that, I must ask myself if it is only at my baptism that I claim my belovedness and live as a beloved Child of God? Should it not be each day of my life? In my daily living and being, my life is ultimately a reflection of how I embrace being beloved. It causes me pause as I reflect on my ways, words, thoughts and deeds. Am I reflecting Christ? Am I carrying the gift of him born; the gift of Christmas with me into every day living? Am I fulfilling my baptismal promises of priest, prophet and king?

These questions awaken me to what living as beloved is all about. Living as beloved is about transformation. Opening myself up to the life of Christ and surrendering my all into Him who entered this world and lived in it. Transformation can feel scary, it can seem unattainable and even abstract. Yet realistically transformation begins with our first breaths and in baptism and continues through each stage of life. Transformation leads us closer to Christ, deeper into God’s love and free to surrender into the Holy Spirit’s life-giving breath.

Why do we fear transformation so much? I think it is because we build upon scary, unattainable and abstract instead of the hope, realistic and concrete gift that transformation is for the journey. We build on the scary part when we allow our fears, judgments and others perspectives to taint our being beloved. Transformation can feel unattainable when we leave it simply as broken resolutions, empty promises and fledgling vows. Transformation is only abstract when we create illusions of who we are as beloved instead of leaning into the gift and discovering the graces which come with it.

Christmas is the reminder of how our lives were transformed by and in love. God came among us and decided to stay among us. Christmas is at the root of our being beloved. It is God affirming how much God loves the world and us and how we are called to life in this love. Now as the Christmas Season fades away and the mid-point of month one of 2020 draws near this transforming love must once again settle into our bones and lives. Not just in nice words, quick hopes and fancy wishes, but in how we embrace the gift of being beloved, how we help others encounter this gift and how we allow the Beloved One to dwell in our hearts.

I know that for myself embracing the transforming gift of being God’s child is only possible by consciously choosing to see it each day. I can easily get caught up in the: “Me, I’m not beloved” cycle of self loathing, empty promises and failed attempts. When I do this, I am allowing fear to take hold, not God’s heart. Transformation; embracing being beloved is a daily choice and daily gift. I am rediscovering this as I have been settling into new ministry and surroundings over the past few months. I so often want it to be instant and lasting forever. Transformation doesn’t work this way, it is ongoing, it is piece by piece, it is allowing being beloved to penetrate not only my head and ideas but more so my hear, my actions and every cell of my body.

Claiming this belovedness is realizing what St. Irenaeus of Lyon said: “Jesus became what we are that he might make us what he is.” And what Jesus is, is the Beloved One. Which means, yes, we are too! We are divinized (made beloved/holy) and become like God because God first loved us is another way of saying it. This calls us to transforming love, which the letter of John reminds us, “we love because he first loved us” (1 John 4.19)

 Love is in our very DNA.

Love is transformational,

Love is the gift of baptism and each breath we take

because it awakens us to the truth:

“Here is my child, you are my beloved.”

How can we deny ourselves this gift?

I know it doesn’t make sense to do so, rather I am striving to embrace it more each day.

“By the power of your birth (and baptism), 

make us new persons, O Lord.”

- Morning Prayer Friday after Epiphany

Epiphany: New Year and New Roads

The gospel for Epiphany (Matthew 2.1-12) ends with, 
“They (Wise Men) left for their own country by another road.” 

This line has echoed in my thoughts as 2020 begins. A new year has dawned and for many of us what was yesterday is the same today and will be the same tomorrow. However, if we take our cues from the wise men then we know that even in our “own country” or homeland we must take another road. Taking another road need not be major changes to life. I suggest it is simply the invitation to review where we have come from and what we must do in the journey ahead. Many of us will not go to a different a country or even face significant changes in this new year, but how will let the light shine which has been entrusted to us? How will we will live in the light that dawned in our lives? What little paths must we take in this year?

I have always been fascinated by the Wise Men and their trust in following a star. Trusting that they would be guided through valleys low and mountains high to their destination. Their destination being the Light of the World – God-Hero; Wonderful Counselor; the Prince of Peace. This small child who would illumine their lives and cause them to present their humble gifts but also awaken them to trust the message of their dream to return home by another road. This small child who they would only encounter as a helpless infant in a manger bed clearly awakened them to more.

As I gaze up at the vast night sky and as I am reassured by the twinkling of Christmas lights on the winter horizon, I have to ask myself:

How do I trust that the Light of the World is illumining my paths in this new year?
How do I present my gifts? 
        Do I present them or do I hoard them?
How do I listen to the dreams God presents to me? 
       Are they hints and visions for renewed living in my “own country”? 
       Are they “another road” for the journey of 2020?

These are the questions which are swirling around and through me as 2020 begins. I am happy to have faithful companions like the Wise Men to remind me of the journey. With insights from their journey I too, in each month of this journey we call 2020, will present my gifts to the Christ Child and pay him homage with my life. With insights from the journey which has been my own, with the hopes and dreams which I carry and with promises of a new year unfolding, I too will arise and shine for my light has come (Isaiah 60.1) and give praise to God for what has been and what will be.

God of wonders - 
God of new beginnings - 
God of the stars and the sun,

As this new year unfolds
awaken me to new paths
to walk in the familiar grounds
of “my own country”.

As the Wise Men of old
followed a star
with trust and focus
and fell down in 
wonder and awe before
your son – the Christ Child
may I too trust in your ways,
and be filled with wonder and awe
in all that will unfold in the year ahead.

God of vision –
God of newness – 
God of life,

2020 vision is about clarity and sharpness
may I seek the clarity which you give,
may I strive for the sharpness of sight
which reveals you in my everyday living
in each moment of this year.

As the Wise Men of old
presented their gifts to Your Son,
I too desire to do the same
with my gifts and abilities
as I encounter you in
my brothers and sisters
and all of creation.

God of light – 
God of love – 
God of all,

Your love is the light for my path,
your love is the light which illumines my darkness,
drawing me closer to you and 
guiding me in ways which are everlasting.

As the Wise Men of old
were overwhelmed with joy
may I too be aware of the joys in life
as I lift up my eyes to see your glory
and give praise for the birth of your Son
in my life each day.

Amen.

Happy Epiphany!

“Go before us with heavenly light, 

O Lord, always and everywhere.” 

- Epiphany Prayer After Communion

Happy New Year! 

Let us walk in the light in 2020 

and bring light to others all the days of 2020!