Who are you? (Who who, who, who…Sorry, I couldn’t resist. The worst part is that it’s going to be stuck in your head the rest of the day. Just sing the Flintstones theme song and it will go away.)
Anyway, I’m heading south this weekend to teach a Bible study (Genesis to Jesus) at a parish in Houston. And in going over my notes in preparation, I was once again reminded of our who we are as Catholics – our ultimate identity.
The Bible is a love story. It’s a story of God’s overwhelming love for his children. And that’s the key to our identity. We’re children of God the perfect Father.
Typically we identify ourselves by what we do, not by who we actually are. “I’m Matthew Leonard, speaker and author.” “I’m Roger Daltrey, lead singer for The Who.” etc… But our identity doesn’t just lie in what we do. Our identity rests mainly in who we are and what we’re made to be. Namely, we’re children of God destined to become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pt 1:4). This changes everything!
And truly understanding our identity has several benefits, too. (I mean aside from the obvious benefit that no one in their right mind would say their dad could beat up yours). First, if we constantly remind ourselves of our place in the family of God, it encourages us when things aren’t going our way. We know we can trust our perfect Father to work things out in a way that ultimately benefits us. (Rom 8:28)
Second, it helps us keep proper perspective of what we do in this life. Our job is not our main identifier, nor should it consume our lives. This is a big one for me personally. I’m a bit of a workaholic, and remembering to not focus so much on my work is a must. I don’t have to do it all. My Father’s got my back.
Finally, living as God’s child is a huge witness to those who don’t. Once we really understand and embrace who we are in God, we can’t help but be more peaceful and happy. Every person on the this planet has a Catholic-shaped hole. We’re designed by God to desire life with him, both now and forever. When other people see His children living full, happy, fruitful lives, they’re going to want what we’ve got.
When did you first realize who you are in Jesus Christ? Leave a comment and let me know.
