Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I worry that both my writing and preaching are too focused on myself. There’s a real danger to this, and it was something that I was cautioned against when I was in seminary. I was told that people love to learn and know about their priest, but too much of that can be problematic. That said, many people do comment that my approach to preaching and writing is very down to earth and personable and that they appreciate it. But I strive to find the right balance even in this letter.
Last week, I celebrated my 39 th birthday. I received many warm wishes and prayers for another trip around the Sun. And it’s all great and wonderful and I truly appreciate each and every one who reached out; in person, or with a card, or on Facebook. It’s very humbling to see how much acknowledgment there is and I know that it comes from a place of love. So, before going any further, let me say once again, thank you to one and all.
But birthdays are a bit weird for me. My birthdays have always been both a big deal as well as a bit out of place. Given the August timeframe, for many years as a kid and a teenager, it fell in a week where I was away on vacation or at Scout camp. In some ways, that made it more special, but in other ways, it meant that it was also simpler. I suppose I have a unique perspective on birthdays, given those experiences.
But there is an intersection between birthdays and faith. At an objective level, celebrating a person just because they were born seems a bit silly. What did they do to really to make it a special occasion? It’s not a merit-based celebration. Even in myself, I feel sometimes that my birthday is nothing special because it’s not tied to anything that I’ve done. But that’s the point. Birthdays are a celebration of the person, not any accomplishment. And that’s a beautiful thing.
It’s the same in our lives of faith. There’s a tendency and a temptation to think that God loves us because of everything we do for Him and for others. We have to be productive Christians to get all of God’s love. And it’s not that we shouldn’t do things that are pleasing to God such as prayer and fasting and we can’t forgo caring for those in need or the less fortunate. That’s all important and necessary. But God loves well and truly before we could ever do a single thing. He loves us for simply being who we are. He delights simply in the fact that we exist.
And if we can accept God’s love just like we can birthday greetings and wishes and prayers, then there’s a tremendous freedom and joy to be found within it. I hope you know of God’s love for you!
Peace and Goodness,
Fr. Dan
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