Who Am I?

Guest blogger: love of my life, Jay!

It is often said . . . “when people tell you who they really are, believe them.”  If you meet someone and listen carefully . . . or watch their actions . . . you will know a lot about them in a short period of time. If someone is rude to the waiter or waitress, it is just a matter of time before they will show their rudeness toward you or a loved one. If someone is flirting with the waiter or waitress in front of their spouse, you can take it to the bank that they are disrespecting their spouse when they are away from them. If a potential business partner shares how they did something shady in another deal, it is just a matter of time before you may experience their antics.

Before proceeding further and/or professing to walk on water, I want to re-introduce the concept of “dualism.” Recently, I heard Anne, a lay apostle speak about how all of us have both good and bad traits. People are neither just good or just bad . . . we are all shades of one more than the other. The big question here at the turn of this new year is not only who other’s say that I am (what do they see . . . how would they describe my personality), but who do I say I am (what is my true character when no one is around . . . no one is watching).

In today’s Gospel (John 1:35-42), Jesus wants to know what others see:

John was standing with two of his disciples,
 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
 “Behold, the Lamb of God.”
 The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
 “What are you looking for?” 
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),
 “where are you staying?”
 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.
 So they went and saw where he was staying,
 and they stayed with him that day.
 It was about four in the afternoon.
 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, 
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
 He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
 “We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ.
 Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, 
“You are Simon the son of John;
 you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.

In Volume Two, Jesus reinforces we are not defined by our past:

“I wish to tell My souls about the joys of heaven. My children, there is no bitterness in heaven. Bitterness and distress are not intended for you, even on earth. These are experienced by every soul
at some time during their earthly time, but souls should not see bitterness and distress as the defining characteristics of their life. My child, if you feel you struggle often with these destructive patterns, you must spend time with Me. I am the Divine Healer. I can remove all hardness from your hearts so that you are liberated to love with no barrier. In that way, you become a more effective servant because you are open to receiving love, as well as giving love.”

Lay apostles, the beauty of Jesus’s message is that we are free to change. If we haven’t become our best selves yet, there is still time. We are not defined by our past. With His help . . . His forgiveness . . . His Love, we are free to start anew. We are free to begin again with a fresh slate . . . and to begin shading our lives with more goodness today. In this New Year we are being invited . . . and challenged . . . to change the way we think . . . the way we act . . . so that we become better men and women. We will benefit and so will everyone who comes in contact with us.

May 2014 be the best and most blessed year for all of you.

Gratefully and humbly,

Jay