As I sit watching my daughter open some early birthday gifts, I find myself ensnared by the profound paradox of our existence. We, beings of sublime origin, fashioned in the celestial likeness of God, are thrust into a world that seems anything but divine. Our arrival into this realm is heralded by the rawness of birth, a visceral reminder of our humble origins—emerging into the world amidst the mundane and the profane, fragile yet untouched in our innocence.
As we traverse this earth, marked by its indignities, we are perpetually confronted with our own frailties. The world unveils our illusions, strips us of our masks, and brings us to our knees in humility. It is in these very moments of abasement that we turn to Christ, our beacon amid life and death’s vast expanse.
Still, within our faith, we grapple with the boundaries of our dignity, unsure where it ends and another’s begins. The flesh urges us to retort against harsh words, to elevate ourselves above what seems base. Such actions appear to preserve our dignity. Yet, in truth, when we belittle another, we erode our own sense of dignity.
Dignity is not a mantle to be worn with pride or superiority but a sacred essence to be acknowledged and revered. It is an inherent divine endowment, untouchable and eternal. Our task is to cultivate this sense of dignity, to recall and honor the worth bestowed upon us by God. When we perceive every human being as inherently dignified, our understanding transforms. We begin to see that our dignity is enmeshed with the dignity of others. Our capacity for love broadens, and we become conduits of God’s grace in a world yearning for such light.
Our walk is not about claiming supremacy but recognizing the divine within each soul we meet. It is about embracing our origins in humility and allowing that humility to nourish our compassion and empathy.
May we walk this path with grace, secure in our dignity through Christ, and may we bestow that same grace upon others, honoring the divine essence in all. And may we gain the wisdom to set boundaries that nourish our souls and uphold the sacred dignity granted to us by God.
Affectionately,
Nico.
Verses for thought:
Genesis 1:27
Philippians 2:3-4
Micah 6:81
Peter 5:5-6
Proverbs 22:4