BY BIRTH,
NOT BY WORTH
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. – 1 John 3:1
Remember the Parable of the Prodigal Son? When the son found himself in the pig-pit of life, hungry, he decided to make a shameful comeback to his father’s house. He then decided to write a speech to convince his father to take him back. He wrote:
“Dear Dad, I’ve sinned against heaven, against you, against everyone, and I am no longer worthy to be your son...” (paraphrased from Luke 15:18-19).
There’s a problem with his speech. What does he mean by, “I am no longer worthy”? When was he ever worthy? He was never worthy in the first place (so was the other brother).
Friend, we have never been and will never be worthy enough to be called beloved children of God. It’s never been about how good or bad we are. Being God’s son or daughter has nothing to do with being worthy. We are His children by birth, not by worth. Our sonship is not based on our performance, but on the finished performance of Christ and our faith in His finished work. Mike Viñas (mikemichaelfcv@yahoo.com)
Reflection: God’s love for you as His child is not a result of your own efforts. It’s pure grace. Embrace it.
Father, thank You, for it is by grace that I have been saved through faith — and this is not from me, it is Your gift. It is not from my works, so I cannot boast. Amen.
St. Genevieve, pray for us.
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