“…for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” Luke 1:48a
This year most of our
gospel readings come from the gospel of Luke.
And one of the themes of Luke is about who Jesus ‘sees.’ Who does Jesus regard? Who does Jesus favor? In the verse above, from the Magnificat, Mary
the mother of Jesus is proclaiming her praise for God and celebrating being
‘favored’ by God. She certainly does not
see herself as anyone who is deserving of God’s favor. She is a poor, young girl born into the
underclass and culturally destined to stay there. Yet God favors her, and it changes her life.
It’s a big deal to be
‘seen, regarded and favored’ by God…especially when you don’t think you deserve
it. It gives a sense of worth. Being ‘seen’ satisfies one of the deepest
human longings.
And one of the most
significant things God does for us is ‘see’ us.
God regards us and looks upon us with favor.
Jesus ‘sees’ us, with all
our faults and brokenness…and he regards us as having worth…and through him, we
receive God’s favor…just as we are. We
do not become worthy of God’s favor because of anything we do…and we are not
unworthy because of anything we have done or failed to do. We are worthy because God loves us. In and through Jesus Christ, God makes us
worthy.
And once we realize that we
are ‘seen’ by God as worthy, the season of Lent actually becomes less about
‘giving up’ something and more about embracing what we have received from
God. Lent becomes not so much about
‘self-denial,’ but about embodying the worthiness that comes from being a
person favored by God...a person loved just as you are. It’s not about us and what we do as much as
it is about God and what God has done for us.
So rather than spend Lent
focusing on ‘giving up’ something, I’m proposing that we try a different kind
of Lent. I’m inviting you to ponder what
it means that you are ‘seen’ by God and ‘favored.’ And I encourage you to consider what your life
would be like if you, like Mary, celebrated being ‘favored’ by God. How might your life change if you truly embraced
this gift and lived as a person whom God has ‘looked upon with favor?’
“for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and
holy is his name.” Luke 1:49
Blessings,
revroy+ 
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