Illusions, and a reality...

During our short lives the question that guides much of our behaviour is: 'Who are we?' Although we may seldom pose that question in a formal way, we live it very concretely in our day-to-day decisions.

The three answers that we generally live - not necessarily give - are: 'We are what we do, we are what others say about us and we are what we have,' or in other words: 'We are our success, we are our popularity, we are our power.'

Jesus came to announce to us that an identity based on success, popularity and power is a false identity - an illusion. Loudly and clearly he says: 'You are not what the world makes you; but you are children of God.'

Henri Nouwen, from Here and Now: Living in the Spirit with thanks to inward/outward