Every human person has a deep need for a sense of self-worth. Where does this come from? Many voices in our world tell us that our value depends on how we look, how much money we make or how popular we are, etc… Our neighborhood in Lawrence has many barber shops and beauty and nail salons. It is not a bad thing to want to have a dignified appearance but what is my motive for this?  Do I believe my value depends on impressing others?

When St. John Paul II instituted the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary he chose the Baptism of the Lord as the first of these. It is truly a key moment in the life of Jesus. The Holy Trinity is manifested; the Father speaks, and the Son is proclaimed as the Holy Spirit descends on Him in the form of a dove. The voice of the Father says: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.” St. John Paul also taught us that these words were meant for all of us who by our own baptism become members of the Mystical Body of Christ, adopted sons and daughters of the Father. Here we find our true self-worth., in the unconditional love of God for us. It is a free gift, not anything that we earn or buy. Like little children, we can only accept it with gratitude and strive to give back what we receive. Of course, we can also reject the gift by choosing to sin.

This is the truth that sets us free (John 8:32), free from needless anxiety about what others think, or living a lie of prideful superiority to others. Surely we must strive to use our gifts to bring about good and build up the Kingdom of God, but not in a vain attempt to prove my value. “We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us” (1Jn 4:16), so says the disciple whom Jesus loved. Do I believe this?

Let us pray for the grace to accept the unconditional love of our Father in Heaven that comes to us through His Beloved Son and through the maternal mediation of our Blessed Mother. And let us pray that all God’s children would be given the gift of this faith in the Truth that sets us free. God bless you.

Fr. Peter