St. John Chrystostom Oratorical Festival 2013
Topic 5. “Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments” (Psalm 118/119,
verse 73).
Beauty: What is it? It is a word
that is commonly used, but hardly ever defined. There are two dictionary
definitions for the word. The first definition is, “A combination of qualities,
such as shape, color, or form, which pleases the aesthetic senses, especially
the sight.” In today’s society, this is the definition that has determined what
people consider to be “beautiful.” Common “beauty” standards we hear about
today that determine whether a woman is beautiful or not are: full lips, a
symmetrical face, big boobs, a small waist, a big butt, and skinny legs. Not
only that, but the woman is expected to shave her legs, armpits, or whatever
other area that might have “excess” or “gross” hair. On top of that, a
“beautiful” woman is expected to have straight, white teeth and flawless skin.
Basically, women need to be less human. Our nation’s vision of “beauty” has
been distorted over the years.
One could go on forever about
physical appearances and the unattainable standards people try to live by today,
but that is not the sole purpose of this topic. The second definition of beauty
is, “a combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense.” God
is this exact definition. Since we were created in God’s image and likeness, we
are also naturally like this. This
cannot be disputed by Christians because in Genesis, God made man and “[He] saw all that he had made, and it was very
good”
(Genesis 1:31). Many people who strive for “beauty” are headed in a direction
that strays away from this definition. Most try to become perfect and beautiful
by obtaining money, getting plastic surgery, and by acting like people they are
not. They do these things to be accepted into society: a society which either
embraces the “unusual” or casts them out. With the possibility of being an
outcast hanging in the air, people most often take the road that makes them
just like everyone else.
While the pursuit of happiness is
every person’s natural right, it is important to think about what will bring a
person “true” happiness. And although material things may bring temporary
happiness, there are more lasting means of attaining it. Surely being perfect
would bring someone happiness –and it is certainly something we should strive
for- but everyone knows that perfection is unattainable for humans. Christians
know that Jesus is the only perfect human being ever to have walked the earth,
and it is Jesus that we should all endeavor to be like. This is especially
important because Jesus is God, and “God Became Man so that Man might become God”
(Saint Athanasius). Still, there remains the question: what is perfection? We know
Jesus never sinned, that he loved unconditionally, and that there were no
exceptions or conditions to his love.
So how can we strive to be like
Jesus? First things first: believing everything we see in the media is not the
answer; materialistic things will not bring true happiness; beauty does not
come from following the crowd, and especially not from breast implants or other
exterior changes. When looking at Psalms 118 and 119, it is easy to notice that
the speakers are praising God, thanking him for his mercy and his unconditional
love, and one even says, “though belittled and despised, I do not forget your
precepts” (Psalm 118/119, verse 141). Even if we are criticized by our peers,
as Jesus was, we must be strong in our faith. Second, we must try to love as
Jesus did. In the Bible, John writes, “A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another.
As I have loved you, so you
also
should love one another”
(John 13:34).
Although we cannot be perfect like
Jesus was, we can get closer to perfection if we continuously try to improve
ourselves. Jesus loved everyone, even the people who were ostracized by
society. If we make the effort to show compassion for everyone put in front of
us, we can become closer to God. Loving everyone in front of us is very
important because we are all creations of God. Therefore, what we do to others
is, ultimately, what we have done to God. In the story of The Judgment of
the Nations, the king says, “'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). It is
extremely difficult to do this, but we bring ourselves closer to God just by
making the effort. In order to love others, though, we must first love
ourselves. In order to love ourselves, we must cease seeking to look more
“beautiful” and we must stop acting like something else just to please others.
When we love ourselves for who we are, we can love others for who they are, as
well. And eventually, we can find people who will love us for who we are, too.
God’s love has no conditions or exceptions,
and neither should our love. “Give thanks to the Lord, who is good, whose love
endures forever” (Psalm 118, verse 1). When someone commits a sin, God still
loves him/her. S/he has the chance to redeem him/herself. We should also try to
forgive people who do wrong against us and love them. “If you forgive others
their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not
forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions” (Matthew
6:14-15). Pray for those who do wrong and do not condemn them for their
wrongdoings, because they need God’s help. We are all made in the image of God,
and therefore are originally like Him [and still have the chance to be like
him]. When someone does something sinful, do not hate the sinner, but continue
to love him/her. Jesus said that a person is not as bad as their own worst
deed. This is true because that person can repent, and if they are sincere,
they can be accepted into Heaven. Therefore, do not hold grudges against people
who hurt you, because you only distance yourself from God. When Jesus was on
the cross, he said these words which are now well known, “Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
Forgiveness is very important in
getting closer to God. However, this can be hard: especially when it is
yourself you must forgive. It is important to understand that we are all
learning and will not always make the right choices. Praying and asking God for
guidance can help us in understanding, forgiving, and overall spiritual peace.
It is imperative that we remind ourselves that we are not perfect, while
simultaneously keeping in mind that God still loves us despite our
imperfections and will accept us. When we have a huge burden on our shoulders,
it is not shameful to seek help. Asking for God’s forgiveness does not have to
be done alone; there are priests for a reason, which we can go to for
Confession and for reminders of how to keep faith and how to get closer to God
without just going to Church. All of these things can help you accept yourself,
accept others, and love unconditionally. When you strive for this, you will be
beautiful and –close to- perfect in God’s eyes.
