by Joelle Maryn

“You are beautiful in every way my friend, there is no flaw in you”  ~ Song of Songs 4:7

MIRROR, MIRROR 

I don’t know many women who look in the mirror and see no flaws. That would be great, but most of the time, what we focus on is perceived imperfections that no one else would even notice. We often point them out to others and obsess over them rather than see the whole picture of who we truly are.

The culture doesn’t help the matter either as it bombards us with images that confuse what true beauty really is. Products are marketed to point out things we didn’t even know we had a problem with until they offer a solution – ”Wear this and you’ll be desirable,” “Do this and you’ll find love,” “This color is the must-have of the season.” These are just a few of the things that can begin to ensnare us because we all long to be seen, to be known, and to be loved.

The messaging begins to translate to the feeling of being inadequate or like we’re missing something but the truth is, as Pope Saint John Paul II said—God made us all “unique and unrepeatable.” These words mean that we can’t put beauty in a box. Our different shapes, sizes, personalities, and features are part of what makes us beautiful, and God doesn’t make mistakes; He makes masterpieces.

SHATTERED 

As St. Jerome says, “The face is the mirror of the mind and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart.” Our face shows it all. No matter what we put on the outside, it can’t hide how we are feeling inside. When I look back at my old modeling photos, I see such emptiness in my eyes. I see a girl who was lost and bought into the lies of the culture.

It got to the point that in 2012 when I was looking into a compact mirror during a photoshoot, I didn’t recognize the person looking back at me. It looked glamorous to the world, but inside I was broken into pieces. It was at that moment I realized how shattered I really was. It didn’t happen overnight, but my identity was chipped away little by little, and I was far from The Truth. By the grace of God, He held a mirror up to my soul and showed me what matters most in life is how much we love. As St. Augustine says, “Love IS the beauty of the soul.” While I still wear makeup and like to dress nice, it is no longer my idol and is not what defines me. I am a beloved child of God, and so are you!

REALITY CHECK

If you look at the newsstands and start studying the faces on the covers, you will begin to notice the sadness and unhappiness of many people because true beauty can’t be faked or retouched or man-made. True beauty and love in the heart have no counterfeit. As Venerable Fulton Sheen said, “The beauty on the outside can never get into the soul, but the beauty of the soul reflects itself on the face.”

WE ARE BEAUTY

Since we are made in the image and likeness of God who IS beauty, then that means we ARE too! We ARE beauty, and our true identity can never be taken away from us. The deeper we are in a relationship with the Lord, the more ourselves we will be able to be. Through that inner freedom and peace, our beauty will evangelize and bring others to Christ. They will see our joy and our security in being rooted and grounded in Love and Truth.

Today let us look in the mirror and into the eyes of those around us and see the beauty within. We all have different gifts, graces, talents, and missions and complement each other. When we choose to unify in Christ, we will begin to increase in beauty and start to understand it more.

P.S. Just in case no one has told you yet today, you ARE beautiful, you ARE desirable, and you ARE infinitely loved!!!

P.S.S. Feel free to share these powerful words with someone you know that needs to hear them too…God bless you!!!

 

About the author:

Joelle Maryn is a Catholic Speaker and Evangelist. Joelle was a model and founder/CEO of a luxury line of anti-aging makeup. In 2012, she had major reversion back to the faith and now spreads a message of God’s healing love that has radiated hope and purpose in life to many around the world. Learn more at JoelleMaryn.com.