We are Loved - and Blessed to be a Blessing...

Life is dominated by a sense that we must ‘perform’ and to demonstrate our value and capacity. There is great pressure on all of us to prove our worth on the stage of the world, the media, social media, amongst colleagues and acquaintances. We strive to get enough ‘likes’ or ‘retweets’ or plaudits, to be regarded as worthwhile, successful and above average. We are driven to seek our own inner genius, that skill or gift we possess that will set us apart. Perhaps it is an heroic action in the world beyond, conquering a mountain, sailing the world, something great, that will give us status and standing in the world around. Such ‘performance’ is largely unconscious but the pressure and stress to achieve lies heavily upon us.

When we fail to achieve such stand-out performance, when we fail in our endeavour to be ‘magnificent,’ as we mostly will, we have a strong sense of failure and there is inherent guilt and anxiety that we simply aren’t good enough. There is the sense that everyone is achieving their own greatness, and we need to cultivate the sense of success and put our best face forward, whilst inwardly we, and everyone else around us, silently fears our own inherent failure. We simply aren’t good enough, worthy enough. 

Within our society there is a pandemic of mental illness – anxiety, despair, depression, suicide. Amongst younger generations, mental health is the most common and extensive critical health issue. There is immense pressure to perform, to prove worthy and to achieve and when we don’t there is guilt, failure and angst of the highest levels.

The sad reality is that this cyclic pattern of performing, failure, better performance, more failure… only intensifies the sense of failure. The more we try, the more we fail to set ourselves apart, to compete with the world and be magnificent in our own right. Even when we find a way to the top, it is stressful and impossible to maintain our brilliance. We must keep striving for more, to stay ahead of the pack. Even in triumph, there is little time for satisfaction and contentment.

Into this reality of human life in the 21st century, we hear an ancient story. It is the story of Jesus’ baptism (Luke 3:15-22).  It comes around every year from the perspective of a different Gospel writer.  The scene is set when people come out of the city to hear John the Baptist, a raw, honest prophetic voice calling people to come and have minds, being and hearts turned upside down and inside out, to become the people God created them to be.  He invites people into a repentance, a turning around and opening of mind, heart and spirit and to live in a new, hope-filled, compassionate way.  They came in droves, expectantly and hopefully to find a new and different way in life.

John’s preaching is against the backdrop of struggle, harsh life and people yearn for something more, something hopeful and real. His words are sometimes harsh, strong, pointed and always grounded in love, compassion, generosity, justice and peace.  John offers a baptism, a ritual cleansing that symbolises their turning around and embracing a new way in God.  The people respond to John and believe he is the Messiah, sent by God to lead the people back to where they need to be.  John recoils from this expectation, pointing to one who will come, who is greater and will baptise in cleansing, renewing fire and life-giving Holy Spirit.

At the end of the passage Jesus appears but we aren’t clear about whether his baptism is by John or others because John is said to have been arrested by the King, whom his words have upset and caused anger.  Jesus was baptised, cleansed, renewed and offering himself into this way of deep life, love and grace.  After rising through the waters, Jesus prayed.  He prays often in Luke’s Gospel and his prayers are efficacious in bringing new awareness and understanding, new directions and they change everything.  Whilst praying there is the mysterious mystical experience whereby the heavens open and the Spirit descends like a dove, and he receives Divine blessing and the pronouncement that ‘You are my Son the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ Jesus is blessed and affirmed as God’s own, the beloved! He lives out of this blessing and offers it freely and generously through his ministry amongst other people – all are God’s children!

After baptism and blessing, Jesus is driven into the wilderness, the place of testing, temptation, seduction/temptation to let go of this way, this journey, this ideology and expectation of God.  The voice says: ‘Let go and be magnificent – prove yourself by rising to the top.’ Jesus resists as he does throughout his life and mission and follows the way of God; a way of compassionate, engaged, just life that is lived in blinding technicolour. 

Henri Nouwen shares a story of when he was chaplain at the L’Arche Daybreak Community in Toronto. One of the members of the community, Janet, stopped him and asked him for a blessing. He responded by marking the sign of the cross on her forehead and saying the words of blessing, but she brushed his hand away, suggesting that she needed a real blessing. He promised that he would give her such a blessing after the prayer service that night.

After the service, he spoke to the group of about 30 people, explaining that Janet was having a hard time and needed a blessing. He still wasn’t sure what she really wanted but she left him in no doubt by walking forward, placing her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest. Henri responded by offering Janet a blessing, saying that she was a beloved daughter of God, deeply loved and special. She was loved by the community and all who knew her for her wonderful smile, her care and laughter. She was loved by God and everyone gathered… As he finished, she stepped back with a deep smile on her face. Others quickly asked if they, too, could be blessed and most of the group came forward. At the end one of the students on work experience asked if he might receive a blessing as well. Henri blessed John, saying that he too was a beloved son of God, deeply loved and he was a special gift to the community in his care, openness and willingness to learn and be present to everyone. Henri said that though there would be tough times in life to always remember he was the beloved of God! John stepped back and with tears in his eyes, said, ‘Thank you. Thank you so much!’

The reality we hear in these stories is that we are blessed by God, we are the beloved children of God, and we are loved! We don’t have to prove ourselves worthy because our worth comes from beyond us, from the heart and love of God, who declares us worthy and beloved. This seems to be a message that our world needs desperately. We don’t need to perform and try and prove ourselves. We can claim our worth and sense of value from God’s claim that we are each beloved children of God! We are people of unique worth, each valued and special, loved by God as we are and invited to live in freedom and love!