Who Are You?

Mattia Preti - "St. John the Baptist Preaching"When the priests and Levites questioned John the Baptist in the wilderness, they asked him “Who are you?” John responded by testifying “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’” (John 1:19–23)

As we labor in these weeks of Advent, we have the opportunity to face that same question and give our own testimony. Who are you? What is your voice, your life, crying out in the wilderness to proclaim?This is the desert experience when all our trappings of ego and image are dropped.

Each of us has our own calling, our own message of love to be expressed with our lives. Who are you? What is your voice crying out in the wilderness to proclaim?John captured his answer in 18 words. Can you capture yours in Facebook post? In a blog comment? In a tweet? In a Christmas card? In a moment of prayer?

Before this message of love can be fully realized at Christmas, we must be able to articulate it at least for ourselves. Who are you? What is your voice crying out in the wilderness to proclaim?

Image by Mattia Preti, public domain via Wikipedia.

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Lisa Kelly is a wife, mother, and Ignatian Associate living in Omaha, Nebraska. She works to help organizations integrate spirituality into their planning and systems. She and her husband, Tom, completed the 19th Annotation in 2005, just prior to spending two years living in the Dominican Republic with their three young children, supporting the work of the Jesuit Institute for Latin American Concern. Additionally they have lived in El Salvador and Bolivia for extended periods.

13 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you so much.I am the beloved daughter of the Father and feel his presence near as I cope with breast cancer.How blessed we are to be enfolded in his love Sr

    • I recently read a blessing described as a circle of light drawn around to protect a person…to heal, to strengthen! When a blessing is invoked, a window opens in eternal time!
      May God bless you Sister!
      I will also pray to Archangel St Raphael, ‘Medicine of God’ for you.

  2. Who am I, I’m an ardent admirer of my creator who took up our humanity and blessed us with His example and supreme sacrifice.
    Thank you!

  3. I read this late in the evening, quickly —” Who am I?” [“I donno, ….”]. and then the words following that echoed in my heart: “In a Moment In Prayer.”
    I recalled a way back time when I had prayed with Isaiah [?43}’… I have called you by name…’ and I remember hearing , “Daughter”. [Which took a lot of wrestling with, to own my ‘name’…”God, You’ve got so many daughters; half the people in the world!”
    Until I remembered how it felt, when I called one of my female kids, not by her birth-name, but “Daughter”…
    Thak you, Lisa!

  4. Thanks Lisa. Who Are You? – It’s a thought-provoking question. Action is bound to be the outcome for a healthy and happy exercise in world-rebuilding.

  5. Lisa, thanks so much for your reflective sharing😊 I met you, Tom, and two of your children in Villa El Salvador. Saludos a Tom! S. Sheila

  6. Who am I? One finding inner peace each and everyday in the solace of the room and in the presence of the Almighty. A repentant sinner.

  7. I love your reflection ,Lisa And what a lovely surprise when I realized who you were. Graciasc,Muchas gracias Clarita in Peru

  8. Who am I ? A child of God and all that involves ! Does my voice , my life proclaim this though ? I thank God for his gift of life and ask pardon for all those times that I don’t live as a child of God , of love.
    Thank you for this post .

  9. Earlier this year God called me to write a Christian devotional blog. At 75? How great is that? It seems God has a purpose for us all no matter what age.

    • Jane, your post was beautiful! Thank you for sharing it! The editors at Loyola Press identify all the photos to go with the blog posts so I had no idea they would use the same one. It is a powerful image.

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