During the month of February and into the month of March, BeLoved Revealed conducted a "BeLoved" interview series. This series appeared on the new "BeLoved Revealed" podcast and YouTube channel and featured four incredibly compassionate, intelligent, and fun-loving people to discuss the concept of "Beloved" and what it means to them. Owner and content creator, Katy Stalter, welcomed Brother Tim, Sophia McDevitt, Sister Desiré Findlay, and Shane Jenkins onto the series and intentionally asked all of them similar questions including, "How would you define Beloved/What does Beloved mean to you?", "How do you live out your Belovedness?", and "What is some advice that you would give to those struggling to understand or accept their identity of Beloved?" Although it appeared to be very simple and standard questions, the interview series left Katy and the rest of the BeLoved Revealed community with various definitions, themes, and lived experiences of this identity of 'Beloved.'
Head over to the BeLoved Revealed podcast (Spotify, Apple, Google, and other streaming services) to listen to the interviews or to the YouTube channel to watch the interview in action.
In the first interview of the series, Brother Tim, a young Conventual Franciscan Friar, offered an active, theological approach in defining this concept of "Beloved," as he stated that "yes, Beloved is our title, but it is also a mission statement." He referenced Jesus Christ, who, as Katy likes to call "the original Beloved," set an example of how we are to love others. His words emphasized that because Christ loved US first, our mission is to love like Christ who "always made the first move." As Katy and Brother Tim pondered the thought of HOW to make this "first move" of loving our own brothers and sisters, Brother Tim offered the simple yet intricate advice of "becoming prayer." He spoke of how it is one thing to pray, but it is another to BECOME prayer. In prayer we sit with the 'OG' Beloved to give love and to receive love ourselves. We sit in the presence of Belovedness and are reminded of our own. As Brother Tim said, "everything must flow from a lived experience and relationship with love Incarnate, with God Himself." What better way to engage with love Incarnate than through prayer? When we welcome the Beloved into our hearts through prayer, when we are reminded of how Beloved we are in that space, we can then become a witness of prayer, of goodness, grace, and love for all whom we encounter.
To watch Brother Tim's interview: click here (YouTube)
To listen to Brother Tim's interview: click here (Podcast)
A very important point that was emphasized in all four interviews was that no one can EARN the identity of Beloved. In our second interview, Sophia McDevitt stated this as soon as the question, "how would you define Beloved," rolled off of Katy's tongue. Her quick wit and engaging storytelling immediately pulled us into her understanding of "Beloved" that she sees as deeply rooted in the Biblical creation story. From the beginning of time, we are labeled as good and are deeply loved. Isn't that the simple definition of Beloved to begin with? To be seen as good and deeply loved? At the root of all things, we are Beloved, we are good, we are loved, but "how do we act upon it and make it our mission?" as Brother Tim suggested? Sophie, who is recently engaged to be married, so graciously offers advice in how to act upon our Belovedness in an area that we all share in common: in relationship with others. Romantic or not, relationships are challenging. Every human offers and receives love differently. Sophie discusses the importance of getting to know the differences and unique qualities of other human beings whether that be by comparing personality test results with one another or by sitting and speaking with someone and getting to know the aspects of their being. No matter the mistakes, the successes, the sins, the struggles of another individual, Sophie makes it known that "at the end of the day, none of us have done anything to be worthy." We are called to do good works, but "at no point does anyone earn or lose their Belovedness." This interview leaves us with a call to recognize the Belovedness in those who we share in personal relationship with, but also in the human beings that we may differ from, that may have made mistakes, and that we may not fully know or understand.
To watch Sophie McDevitt's interview: click here
To listen to Sophie McDevitt's interview: click here
As we turn to the third interview with a Felician Sister, Sister Desiré Findlay, we are enveloped by her humbling and kind spirit. Similarly to the conversations held with Sophie, Sister Desiré mentions that to her, being Beloved is knowing that we are loved, no matter who we are and what mistakes we make. In order to know and believe this for herself, Desiré gives credit to those who have helped her to understand this in her own journey: spiritual directors, therapists, family, friends, and God. Her mention of the importance of human relationship reiterates that this journey of Belovedness is meant to be shared with others. We are not meant to embark on this journey alone. It is important to act upon our Belovedness and to make "Beloved" our mission statement, but it is equally as important to allow ourselves to be loved by others. In order to do this, she suggests always being attentive to our feelings, what we need, who we are, and allowing others (especially God) to step into these elements of ourselves to know them, to love them, and to guide them. Something she mentioned as she spoke about how to love others "better" was to "never stop wondering about somebody" because "eventually we will see what got them where they are." She so wisely said, "if we stop wondering, we stop living out our humanity." Yes, let's never stop wondering about others and what they feel, need, and/or desire, but let's also never stop wondering about ourselves and what we feel, need, and/or desire. Sister Desiré created a reflective space for us to wonder about our own unique Belovedness. Perhaps we must wonder about ourselves first, love ourselves first, before we can truly wonder about and love others.
To watch Sister Desiré's interview: click here
To listen to Sister Desiré's interview: click here
For the final interview, Katy welcomed Shane Jenkins into the Zoom call series. Shane's approach to defining Beloved 1) affirmed that there are parts of living that are unsatisfactory and 2) showed that these unsatisfied "holes" are capable of being filled by God if we become more aware of God's abundance in our every day living. Shane suggested the practice of "looking towards God" rather than "looking to other things to fill the void." Look to the Beloved first in all things, not last. In addition to his wisdom in defining Beloved, Shane was able to attest to what "Beloved" meant to him as a lay man of the Catholic Church. Katy mentioned to Shane that the term, "Beloved," most prominently appears in women's ministry settings and the two were able to have a fruitful conversation about why this may be and why Beloved is applicable to humanity as a whole - not based on gender. It is not only women who want to be affirmed as "good" and as "deeply loved," although media and fairytales may portray otherwise. All human beings are deserving of this reminder and have an intrinsic desire to be told, "you are valued," "you are Beloved." Being told this can not only remind us of our worth in our weaknesses as human beings, but it can also push us to live out this identity to the best of our abilities -- to share love with our Beloved peers. As mentioned in the interview, Shane's confidence in his Belovedness and worth carries forth into his work in homeless ministry and in his personal relationships with others. How can you put your Belovedness into action? How you can value others as you want to be valued?
To watch Shane Jenkin's interview: click here
To listen to Shane Jenkin's interview: click here
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