Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2015

Mathew 3:13-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

My beloved

Christmas comes and goes as does my family—my mother, brothers, sister and of course, children and grandchildren.

They depart and what remains is awareness of the belovedness in which I hold them in my heart, especially my son, daughter and their children. They exhaust me, and I am glad when they depart and return to their lives so I can get some rest.

But I let them go with a smile. I wish I could see all they are doing, the way they are at their jobs, with colleagues and with their friends because I am proud of them. They make the world a more beautiful place by who they are and what they do.

I am well pleased with them because they love who they are, what they do and the children and friends that surround them. They live from their hearts, doing work and making decisions according to what they feel deep within. Yes, they struggle like everyone else with jobs, relationships and conflicting needs, but this only burnishes the glow and warmth that surrounds them within my heart.

When I am with them, when I see who they are and what they do, I want to proclaim to the world, “This one is mine, my daughter, my son, my grandchildren, my beloved. Look at them and see how wondrously alive they are; see their exquisite beauty and ecstatic joy. See it. It will make you more alive; at least that is what it does for me.

I hear something like this in the voice at Jesus baptism: Look at him. I am well pleased with him. He is my beloved. Look at him and see what I love, what I treasure, what I think most beautiful, what I want for this world … and for you.

Jesus lives in awareness of this divine belovedness. This is his identity, unshakable and true, which he lives and gives to all who will look at him and see.  

Pr. David L. Miller