Just a teenager, Joan was living in a time of terrible political confusion, escalating violence and an uncertain future.

She heard a call from God, a nudge of the Holy Spirit, a deep and unmistakable conviction that God wanted her to step into the fight, not become a victim of it.

Despite the catastrophic situation and her certain death, St Joan of Arc boldly declared:

I am not afraid, for God is with me. I was born for this.

How can we make the words of St Joan of Arc, our own? We first have to know who we are.

In the Gospel accounts, Jesus goes to the River Jordan and is baptized by John his cousin. Did Jesus need to be baptized? Absolutely not! Jesus goes to the River Jordan and submits to John’s baptism to receive power from on High and to witness what it means to be in relationship with His Heavenly Father – a relationship anchored in trust.

The Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life, comes and rests upon Him, and the Father announces, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”

The Father bestows the identity upon Jesus the Son in the SPIRIT. Immediately after this dramatic event, the Spirit leads Jesus into the desert where He is tempted. Tempted how? Three times Satan begins by saying, “If you are the Son of God…”. The opponent tempts Jesus to forget His true identity. Jesus shows us how to fight! He wields God’s Word and defeats the Enemy by speaking truth. The Gospels similarly attest that the Enemy flees and Jesus launches His public ministry.

Notice, that Jesus doesn’t have to prove His Worth to the Father. It only is for Jesus to receive His true identity and to dare to live forth from it. There is nothing to be earned.

The LORD declares in baptism: there is nothing to be earned. Our true and lasting identity as God’s beloved child is a free gift. On our part we only need to receive and remember to Whom we belong.

We must remember, and never forget, and help others remember their true identity.

I am not afraid, for God is with me. I was born for this.