Dignity

At the very center of the incarnation is the concrete expression of what dignity means. When God became human in the person of Jesus, God bestowed on the human person

a dignity beyond expression. In simple terms, the human person, every human person, is created with the inalienable right to be valued and honored simply because they are human.

I recently had the opportunity to spend a morning with young woman from Incarnate Word High School. They were on campus for a day-long retreat, and part of their day was spent in the Chapel and in the Heritage Center, learning about the Sisters, and about our spirituality - incarnational spirituality.

In the middle of my talk with one of the groups, I remembered the movie, The Help. One of the main characters, a black maid, is comforting the little child she takes care of, a little white girl. She says something to her that I couldn't quite recall; but, one of the young girls in the group remembered! Adie (the help) says to the little girl (Mae Mobley): "You is kind, you is smart, you is important." Adie recognizes the inherent dignity of Mae Mobley who isn't shown much affection by her mother, and through her neglect, doesn't recognize the dignity of that little child.

I challenged every young woman to say that to themselves every day; to recognize in themselves their worthiness, their dignity, that they are loved by God. Then, I asked them to look across to someone else, right then, and say to them: you is kind, you is smart, you is important.

YOU is kind. YOU is smart. YOU is important. And so is everyone else. Take that with you every day; at home, at work, at play, at prayer.

You is kind, you is smart, you is important.