My siblings and I were very blessed to have my paternal grandparents live across the street from our childhood home. Many afternoons, after school, as well as weekends were spent with our grandparents there. 

Their home was like any grandparent’s home of that generation. The living room furniture was covered in plastic. There were countless ceramic figurines keep inside curio cabinets, that were not to be touched. The shelves in their butler’s pantry was lined with colorful depression era glass, that were sidelined by the more child-friendly “Bozo the Clown” plastic cups. Their rotary phone was a favorite “toy” for us, as our parents had the more technologically advanced push-button phone. Their basement was the location of my grandfather’s woodshop, filled with seemingly every possible tool. And their garden was perpetually blooming with the most beautiful roses, that were the envy of the entire neighborhood.

Spending time with our grandparents was always a memorable experience. The many items in their house filled our minds with a sense of enchantment. But all of that paled in comparison to the affection they would give us. I have many memories of them hugging me and whispering in Spanish, “Eres mi consentido!” The proper translation for “consentido” would be “spoiled.” So, directly translated that means “You are my spoiled one.” But, contextually, in families this is often used to mean, “You are my favorite,” or “You are my beloved.” 

Eventually, I discovered that my grandparents were saying this to all my siblings and not just me. Even so, to know I was loved in this way meant the world to me. As a child, no other words brought me more joy, than these. Most importantly, no good grades on my report card or any other accomplishment were even required for the utterance of these words. I was loved simply for being me, no matter what “me” was present at the time.

The word “beloved” is used repeatedly in this Sunday’s readings for the Second Sunday in Lent. We first hear the word being used in reference to Abraham’s beloved son, Isaac. And then we hear it again in the gospel’s story of the Transfiguration, as the voice from the cloud declares, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

If there is any overarching message of Lent, it is this; “we are God’s beloved.” Through baptism we all became God’s beloved children. The most difficult challenge we may face during Lent is not if we will successfully give up whatever we’ve decided to give up. The biggest challenge will be for us to hear the voice of God say to us, “You are my beloved,” regardless of how successful our Lent may or may not be.

Our world is filled with constant messages that intentionally and unintentionally tell us, “You’re not good enough.” We may hear these messages as we compare our lives with the lives of others on Instagram. We may hear these messages in performance reviews. We may hear these messages in the criticism (well-meaning or otherwise) from others. We may even hear them in the Sacred Scriptures being proclaimed, in homilies, and in Church teachings. The temptation then might be to approach the season of Lent as a spiritual boot camp so that we might be good enough, so that God may love us. Sadly, nothing could be further from the truth. There is nothing we can do or say to win God’s love for us. We already have it, no matter where we are in life, and regardless of what others might say. 

We can still give up this or that for Lent, but let’s not make it a military exercise. Much better for us instead would be to give up the “not good enough” messages we tend to pay attention to, or even say to ourselves. Only then will we hear the voice that is always calling out to us, saying, “Eres mi consentido. You are my beloved.” Nothing we can say or do can make God utter these words. They are pronounced over us simply for us being "us," no matter what “us” is present at any time. 

Save the Date: Feb. 8 Screening of Angst

The Saint Andrew School Advisory Board, as part of its Parents are Partners initiative, invites you to attend a screening of the widely-celebrated film Angst on Thursday, February 8, at 6:30pm in the Auditorium. Produced by Impactful Films, Angst aims to remove the stigma and open up the conversation about mental health, helping our youth and their families understand that a certain amount of anxiety is healthy - and how to recognize when it's too much. Our evening program, running until 8pm, will include a panel discussion to help parents recognize symptoms and tips as to when to reach out for help. All parents in the Saint Andrew Community are invited.  Angst Reservation Form

Baby Bulldogs Registration- All are Welcome!

It's coming back! Baby Bulldogs will be back in January. This fun program is open to all infants, toddlers and their caregivers in our community.  Registration is now open. Baby Bulldogs Winter 2024 Registration. 

Applications are now open for 24-25! Do you have a friend or neighbor that is considering applying to the best school in Chicago? Sign up for a tour here: schedule a tour New student applications for the 24-25 can be found here: New Student Application