First Reading: Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm: Psalm 29
Second Reading: Acts 10:34-43
Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17
This week's Gospel finds Jesus at the beginning of his ministry, a ministry that shows what a difference to world history a year or two can make. Notice that Jesus begins with baptism. I love the fact that the Revised Common Lectionary returns us to the baptism of Jesus to start every year. What a difference from the secular ways we start the year. In today's Gospel, instead of harsh resolutions, we get the words of God: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
We tend to see Jesus as special. We can't imagine God saying the same thing about us. But in fact, from everything we can tell, God does feel that way about us. God takes on human form in its most vulnerable, as a little baby. How much more of a demonstration of love do we need?
For those of us who are big believers in affirmations, we should print out those words and paste them on our bathroom mirrors. What does it mean, if we believe God is well pleased with us?
Many of us dwell in the land of self-loathing this time of year. Maybe we've spent too much money on our Christmas festivities. Maybe we've eaten too much in that time between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Maybe we've already broken our New Year's resolutions. We look in our mirrors and see multiple reasons to hate ourselves.
The world looks at us and feeds us criticism: too fat, too plain, too wrinkled, too odd, too tall, too short. A diet of that commentary quickly leaves us malnourished. The world looks at us and judges us in terms of all the things we haven't accomplished yet: no child or children who don't measure up, lack of business success, a house that's too small or in the wrong neighborhood, no publication credits, no worthy creative products, the wrong kind of degree or no degree at all. Seeing ourselves through the eyes of the world means we compare ourselves to others and hold ourselves to impossible standards.
No one wins this game.
Try a different practice for a week or two or 52. Look in the mirror and see yourself not as the world sees you. Look in the mirror and know that God loves you. God chose you. God delights in you.
God chose you. God delights in you. God loves you.
God loves you the way you are right now, not the future you that will be better adjusted, thinner, more accomplished, more worthy. Some theologians would go further and say that God created you because the world needs the you that you are right now, in all the ways you are so original and the ways that you are imperfect.
We've lived in the land of self-loathing long enough. Why cripple ourselves with this kind of thinking? There's work to be done, and the world cannot afford for you to waste time feeling bad for all the ways you've failed. Begin the day by remembering that you are perfectly made and return to that thought regularly throughout the day--perhaps as you say grace before you eat.
God loves you. Love yourself as deeply as God loves you.
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