Christian Identity

[This was part of my homily for the feast of The Baptism of the Lord]

During the days leading up to Christmas I heard from an old friend. He has just finished college and has decided to travel the world in search of his identity. He explained it was a great way for him to figure things out in life and to find himself. In other words, a way to find his identity.

Some years ago I read the international bestseller The Alchemist by Brazilian author Paolo Cohelo. The main character of the story, Santiago, leaves his native Spain on a journey to find himself. After a long and strenuous journey that takes him all the way to Egypt, he realizes that the treasure he was looking for all along could be found at home. He found the treasure of life in following his dreams and realizing that every happy person in the world carries God within.

These two adventurous people searched for their personal identity through long and difficult journeys. As a contrast, in today’s Gospel, Jesus’ identity is revealed very clearly. I doubt Jesus had an identity crisis, He knew well who He was, but His identity is revealed for our own benefit. His identity is established for all to know because in His identity we find ours: Jesus is the beloved Son of God on whom God is well pleased.

People today are in search of an identity, especially the youth who are bombarded with many and often conflicting ideas and views of self. Parents may say one thing while MTV and Hollywood show another. Youth group at Church teaches one thing but then contradicting views are shared at school. The questions everyone yearns to answers are “who am I?” and “what will make me the happiest?” but the there are so many answers floating out there in the world.

Many become depressed due to a lack of identity, even though they may be young. Some join gangs or dangerous groups and cults to find an identity. They certainly find an identity there, but it is a harmful and erroneous one. Some unfortunately commit suicide. The demographic group with the highest suicide rate currently in the USA are Hispanic teenage girls. These young girls find themselves caught in the middle of two cultures, wanting to belong to both but feeling they belong to neither. They question who they are, they question their identity.

We the baptized are fortunate because we don’t have to spend our lifetimes searching for an identity. We don’t need to go on a journey like my friend or Santiago. Jesus Christ gives us our identity, and this identity is our personal foundation.

Our Christian identity is clear. Who we are as human beings and the value we have as human beings, we have because God has created us in his image and likeness.

Our identity does not depend on what we accomplish in life nor does it depend on how many people love us and accept us. It does not depend on our successes or failures. Our identity is given to us by God and depends entirely on God.

Each one of us has been baptized in Christ and share in the anointing of Jesus by God the Father. We are all adopted sons and daughters of the Father through Jesus Christ. The day we were baptized and God the Son entered deep into our being, God the Father looked down upon us at the baptismal font and said, “This is my beloved son on whom I am well pleased. This is my beloved daughter on whom I am well pleased.”

This is the source of our identity and no one can take it away from us. Our identity is intrinsically tied up with Jesus’ identity: He gives it to us. Once we belong to God, we always remain in Him because God will never let go of us. He remains faithful even if we do not.