thoughts and ways were never anything like mine? But each year I know love and belonging—a love that doesn’t require sacrifice at the altar of acceptance—I become more of who I already am. I am liberated into what Merton calls my “true self.” I believe this is my deepest calling.

In another place he speaks of both ourselves and God, carrying a “united witness” (Romans 8:16) to our divine identity—as “children of God,” “heirs,” and “coheirs with Christ” (8:17).2 When we stopped trusting this inner and united witness, we had no support in believing the central Gospel message itself—that we share in the same identity as Jesus

meaningful identity, belonging, and purpose found in materialism (I am what I have), consumerism (I am meant to acquire), perfectionism (I am what I do), rationalism (I am the final word), stoicism (I am unaffected by you), romanticism (I am my emotions), hedonism (I am my greatest pleasure), or postmodernism (I am what I say I am).