Pleasing to God

It can be difficult going through life always trying to please other people. Most of our time is spent trying to please those in authority. Our boss at work, our teacher in school, even our spouse, are all the object of our devotion to please them. It isn’t bad, but it isn’t good either.

At that time, Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by John for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, added this to them all, that he shut up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 3.19-22

As we begin another season in Church after the celebration of the Holy Cross, the Church returns our attention to the beginning of Christ’s ministry. After His baptism by John, the Holy Trinity was revealed to us with a tone of inspiration.

When God told the world that Jesus, His Only Begotten Son, was pleasing to Him, He was telling us something too. Jesus Christ was sent to lead us to heaven. He was sent to unite us to God. He was sent to show us the way to ‘be like’ God, how to please God.

Jesus showed us how to pray when He taught the disciples the Lord’s Prayer. He taught us how to fast when He fasted in the wilderness. He taught us how to forgive when He forgave those who mocked and killed Him. He taught us how to have the will of the Father.

Everything Jesus did on earth was the will of The Father. Unlike our ancestors in the Garden who turned their backs on God, Jesus always faced Him. That is the challenge for us too. If we want to please God, we must always face Him. We must be like His Son.

For the past two weeks the Church has focused our attention on the Cross. We have been invited by Christ to follow Him into heaven carrying our cross. Now with the cross ‘on our back’ I invite you to reorient yourself to face God around every turn.

It isn’t bad pleasing your boss etc., but pleasing other human beings won’t help us face God. We must have the state of mind that if others are pleased when they see us facing God, then may it be blessed. The role of Christ was to first please His Father. That is our role too.

Today may not be New Years Day, but that doesn’t mean we can’t reset our priorities. The Church begins a new season today, so let’s take advantage of the new season to reorient our lives to face God. Let’s focus on being pleasing to God.