Brave
I feel very brave posting this. Three and a half years of blogging here and I have been careful not to show pictures of myself straight on. In fact, you’ll only find two. Yet, here I am sharing a video of myself.
Why? Right now, I’m really not sure! A video of me reciting one of my poems with no makeup and no video touchup software? (That would have to be some pretty awesome touchup software…)
But… there is something to be said about showing your wounds…
Being a Christian isn’t about standing on a soapbox yelling out quotes from Scripture or pointing at people “in sin” and warning them that they better change their ways. Christianity is about Christ – and Christ is about love. Christ is love incarnate. So, if I want to share Christ with others, then I must not only love them in my heart and my actions, but also share with them my love – which includes my suffering.
When St. Thomas doubted the Resurrection, Christ came before him and showed him his wounds, let him put his fingers right into them. We all have wounds. We all have sufferings. And we shouldn’t be afraid of them or even ashamed of them. I am not proud of my defective gene (you won’t see me in any kind of SMA pride parade or whatever) but I am not ashamed to have a defective gene – or to even call part of me defective. For that is the truth.
By sharing the truth of who I am – all of me – I hope that you may come to better know my love and, through that love, to know Christ. God doesn’t make junk. Everybody is sacred – every body is sacred. And, sometimes, it is through our wounds that the glory of who we are is made known.
Now, remember mercy…
© 2017 Christina Chase
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Christina Chase View All
Although crippled by disease, I'm fully alive in love. I write about the terrible beauty and sacred wonder of life, while living with physical disability and severe dependency. A revert to the Catholic faith through atheism, I'm not afraid to ask life's big questions. I explore what it means to be fully human through my weekly blog and have written a book: It's Good to Be Here, published by Sophia Institute Press.
Christina Chase 
Thank you for the brave witness.
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Hello There, Christina!
I see you are reading Will Turnstone and his friends at Agnellus Mirror. What you see every day in the mirror would be more than acceptable viewing across the family dining table, and your words are not lacking in wisdom! Keep up the good work, for that’s what ‘Divine Incarnate’ is. Will.
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Thank you for your encouragement and for sitting across the table with me! 🙂
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Thank you for sharing this Christina! I’ve sometimes second-guessed exposing vulnerabilities and getting too personal, but you’ve inspired a renewed conviction and courage to love enough to do just that. And in that Christ’s light will shine the brightest! May God bless you and continue to use you!
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Others have inspired me to be brave – happy to pass it on. Thank you for reflecting with me and for your encouraging words!
Pax Christi
Christina
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Hi Christina! Thanks so much for sharing this….it’s such a blessing to meet you! 😀
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I was nervous to share this – but I’m very glad that I did. God is good.
Thank you for visiting and reflecting with me!
Pax Christi
Christina
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Hello Christina my dear wonderful beautiful friend … you know I am not talking about your looks my dear… it is what inside that matters right on sistah… I am so glad to see you vlogging stepping out and doing it .. is wonderful I will not compliment you on your looks … you did a great job and we all have to start somewhere … somehow and you are finding and working through your abilities to do it… pushing ourselves beyond stretches and strengthens us. you are a strong lady… blessings take care… talk soon your friend donna maria
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Thank you, Donna Marie! You and your videos on Rosary and Red Sox inspired me to be brave and put myself visibly out there. “Better done than perfect” as you say! Blessings and gratitude,
Pax Christi
Christina
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Thank you Christina her recognizing my work and you do great work also you are an inspiration to me we need each other you go girl or should I say you go lady he he he he ha take care blessings to you and yours
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Hi Christina, it was so nice to finally meet you. I would have greeted you, even interrupting politely at times, if that were possible. Anyway, I feel closer to you now, and am grateful for your presence in my life. I read somewhere that Jesus probably had a less-than-perfect” body (well, he didn’t “have”a body, he is one. Anyway…) because he was fully human and experienced expverything human except you-know-what: i.e., both sin and our tendencies that way. So in that sense you make me think of Him. It’s not accurate to say you represent Him to me, as an icon might, although even there the meaning is mysterious in that icons, I am told, are like windows rather than images. I’m getting lost in my words her,e, but my meaning is simple. Seeing you in person and hearing your words is . . . a kind of three-way meeting, Jesus present now in you. In each of us, as I believe. It is a moment outside of time. And I am so honored. So thankful.
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I am honored and thankful for your words that speak of God in all of us. I like the idea of Icons like windows, thank you for sharing that. And it is said that the eyes are like the windows to the soul, so, perhaps, sometimes, when we meet someone face-to-face, when we are able to look into someone’s eyes, we may glimpse the reality of who that person is and of who each of us are: divine images. No matter what size or shape we may be, we are all created in the image of God. Many thanks and blessings to you in Christ.
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