Core Identity: Beloved

You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Mark 1:11

We all know someone who does not believe they are beloved. Perhaps, it is a family member or friend. Perhaps it is a colleague. Or, perhaps, it is you.   Be it you or another, the invitation of Lent is to remember who we are in Christ: Beloved of the Lord!

Be at peace if this reality does not come easily to you. For some, deep un-learning must precede deep knowing. The Lenten journey affords us opportunity to empty ourselves of all that is not of God. Even Jesus needed confirmation of his core identity as the Beloved. Note the movement of the text in the gospel of Mark.

Three times the gospel gives confession to Jesus' identity as the Son of God: at his baptism, on the mount of Transfiguration, and then on the cross. First God speaks to Jesus: You are my beloved Son (1:11). Then God speaks to the disciples: This is my beloved Son (9:7). Finally, at the foot of the cross a Roman centurion confesses: Truly, this was the Son of God (15:39).

Robert McGee in The Search for Significance identifies four ways in which we trade out our identity as beloved of God:

-       The Performance Trap (placing our self worth in our performance and other people's opinions);

-       Approval Addiction (seeking the approval of others in order to feel good about ourselves);

-       The Blame Game (believing that those who fail, including ourselves, are unworthy of love and deserve to be punished); and

-       The Shame Trap (trapped in the belief that one is hopeless and deserves to fail).

For far too many of us, our sense of self-worth is tied to performance and other people's opinions of us. Our lived beliefs get in the way of our experiencing our core identity as Beloved. From the cradle, we are trained to place our identity in that we can be taken away. The season of Lent offers another way. In the words of Paul, Lent invites us to participate in the formational journey of Jesus and "be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Author and artist Jan Richardson offers a blessing for the journey--this week's holy habit.

With love in Christ,

Debbie

Holy Habit: Beloved!

As you begin your Lenten journey, begin with God's blessing:

Beloved Is Where We Begin

A Blessing for Entering Lent

If you would enter

into the wilderness,

do not begin

without a blessing.

Do not leave

without hearing

who you are:

Beloved,

named by the one

who has traveled this path

before you.

Do not go

without letting it echo

in your ears,

and if you find

it is hard

to let it into your heart,

do not despair.

That is what

this journey is for.

I cannot promise

this blessing will free you

from danger, from fear,

from hunger or thirst,

from the scorching of sun

or the fall of the night.

But I can tell you

that on this path

there will be help.

I can tell you

that on this way

there will be rest.

I can tell you

that you will know

the strange graces

that come to our aid

only on a road

such as this,

that fly to meet us

bearing comfort

and strength,

that come alongside us

for no other cause

than to lean themselves

toward our ear 

and with their

curious insistence

whisper our name:

Beloved.

Beloved.

Beloved.

Note: You might also want to consider participating in an online retreat with Jan. For more information: http://janrichardson.com/lentenretreat .

The 10-minute dramatic monologue "Should I Give Up?' portrays an 83-year-old woman seeking meaning and purpose in her last years. This piece engages the audience with questions, challenging them to take action to assist the elderly and disabled. Discussion, led by the presenter, follows the performance and usually lasts 30-45 minutes.

"Should I Give Up?" has been performed at

• Fairmount Presbyterian Church, Cleveland Heights for deacons' training
• The Area Agency on Aging for staff and nursing home volunteers
• Catholic Charities Adult Day Services for staff
• Hospice of the Western Reserve for volunteers and staff
• Walsh University for nursing and education students
• Call to Activism Play Festival, Stony Point Center, Stony Point, New York.

The presentation is free, as it is part of a sabbatical research project. There are no production requirements other than a wheelchair and seating space for a group of 5-50 people. Allow at least one hour for the presentation and discussion.

If your organization is planning a program on the needs of elderly and/or disabled people for a general audience, for staff, or for youth or family caregivers, please consider including "Should I Give Up?"

To schedule a performance in spring 2015, or for more information, please contact Mary Giffin at 330-244-4688 or mgiffin@walsh.edu.

"WHEREVER YOU GO... Helpful Prayers for the Journey (Dealing with cancer - when it's difficult and you don't know what to pray)

Prayer Booklet by Alice Phillips (Creston)

I wrote this prayer booklet for those dealing with cancer.  As many of you know, I had breast cancer and had mastectomy surgery one year ago on January 22, 2014. I felt a deep desire in my heart from the Lord to write this prayer booklet to help individuals experiencing cancer. 

When I found out I had cancer, my mind was in a whirlwind, and often I found it difficult to know what to pray. Yet I was extremely grateful to be sustained by the prayers of many, many individuals. The booklet is divided into five sections:  The Waiting Game (waiting for test results), The Dreaded Diagnosis (when you hear you have cancer); Treament Time (dealing with treatments); Hope and Healing (healing after treatment and hope for better days); and Rejoicing in God's Goodness (moving beyond cancer into the future)

It contains 35 scripture readings with accompanying prayers. The Romich Foundation is graciously handling printing costs.  Copies are free; however, if you would like to make a donation to the Romich Foundation in memory/honor of someone or to just donate to help the booklets be given to others, it would be greatly appreciated. (Suggested donation is $4.00/copy to cover printing and mailing.) You can contact me at revalp@neo.rr.com for more information or to order copies.

Blessings in Jesus!
Alice