As I reflect on a Eucharistic Church, I believe we have “missed the mark,” as a church, in teaching and living the truth of ourselves in light of the gift of life and the reality of who we are in Christ. So many of our brothers and sisters, who are utterly empty of hope and belonging, are turning to violent means of ending their own lives and sometimes taking the lives of others. We say we are children of God and we have dignity because of this truth. Yet, so many of us walk on the road to Emmaus with our heads down, lost in our own worlds, not recognizing our fellow humans with Christ within and in our midst.

We often question our worthiness and whether we need to earn God’s love and belonging. The movie, “Encanto,” helps us to look closely at what it takes to feel worthy of the gifts we are given and the people who love us. In time, we can realize that no one can earn what is already within us.