Being the Beloved

Being the Beloved, by Henri Nouwen

The demon tempts Jesus in the desert by saying, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread” (Mt 4:3).  The demon tempts Jesus to 'prove it', but Jesus' identity is not defined by what he does:  God has already said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The demon then tempts Jesus by saying, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down [from the parapet…].  With their hands, [the angels] will support you” (Mt 4:6).  But Jesus' identity is not defined by whom He knows or who will act on his behalf:  God has already said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The demon then tempts Jesus with all the kingdoms of the world, saying, “All these will I give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me” (Mt 4:9).  But Jesus' identity is not defined by what he has:  God has already said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Like Jesus, we are not defined by what we do, nor by what we have, nor by the actions of others.  Our identity comes from the God who made us as His beloved daughters and sons; this is the only identity we need. During this season of Lent we need to remind ourselves that we are God's daughters and sons and to live upright in that truth, worthy of the call we have received.

Start by checking out this powerful reflection from the late Fr. Henri Nouwen entitled, “Being the Beloved,” by clicking on the video above!  Then, for part two of the video, go to:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AAHT4l3jVY

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