In this year of faith we are reminded once again of the articles of our faith and one of these is our firm conviction in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Our gospel today deepens more the identity of Jesus, the Son of God, and not only that, he will “suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Jesus' question to his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” is the same question he is asking to each of us here present. Who is Jesus in your life? What has he to do with each of us? What is his mission? Many of those who encounter Jesus had wrong impression about him. And Peter, when ask by Jesus, “who do you say that I am?” responded correctly that Jesus was the Christ, but his understanding of what that meant was mostly wrong. For Peter, the concept of a Messiah connoted earthly power, a political power, and especially earthly privilege, whereas for Jesus it meant suffering and dying. Peter had the right answer, but the wrong understanding of that answer.
Perhaps, this is the real reason behind the so-called "messianic secret" in the Gospels, where Jesus repeatedly asks his disciples to not reveal his identity. His reluctance to have his disciples broadcast publicly who he is was based upon his fear that they could not, before the resurrection and Pentecost, properly understand his identity and would invariably preach a false message.
Again, Jesus way of liberating Israel from slavery is by conquering it with love. Jesus sees the “slavery” of the his people from the Roman rule but more so, he saw the slavery of his people from sin, from evil. And to liberate them, he has to show them how to conquer all evils and that is by sacrificing his life for each of us.
Christian love is total offering of life to others so that evil will be replaced by love. Love is self-denial, and sacrificing for others, giving one's life for others. This is the way Jesus loves us. And those who wish to follow this way of loving will suffer greatly but the reward is enormously immeasurable. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Our selfishness will ultimately bring damnation to us and our sacrifice for Christ will surely gain more life in us and in others. The greater the evil the greater the love to conquer it.
I have been talking to many working students at NDMC as their coordinator and I have been hearing their stories, their struggles and their difficulties. But despite all of these, they still see the brighter side of their life. Some express their willingness to sacrifice so that they could be of help to their parents, or their younger sibling. Others wanted to be of help in the development of our society. It shows therefore that, indeed, in our love for others, we offer our sacrifices to conquer the reality of evil in us and around us.
This Sunday, may we be more and more loving to others and that we may have the courage to follow more closely the loving way of Jesus.
Jesus' question to his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” is the same question he is asking to each of us here present. Who is Jesus in your life? What has he to do with each of us? What is his mission? Many of those who encounter Jesus had wrong impression about him. And Peter, when ask by Jesus, “who do you say that I am?” responded correctly that Jesus was the Christ, but his understanding of what that meant was mostly wrong. For Peter, the concept of a Messiah connoted earthly power, a political power, and especially earthly privilege, whereas for Jesus it meant suffering and dying. Peter had the right answer, but the wrong understanding of that answer.
Perhaps, this is the real reason behind the so-called "messianic secret" in the Gospels, where Jesus repeatedly asks his disciples to not reveal his identity. His reluctance to have his disciples broadcast publicly who he is was based upon his fear that they could not, before the resurrection and Pentecost, properly understand his identity and would invariably preach a false message.
Again, Jesus way of liberating Israel from slavery is by conquering it with love. Jesus sees the “slavery” of the his people from the Roman rule but more so, he saw the slavery of his people from sin, from evil. And to liberate them, he has to show them how to conquer all evils and that is by sacrificing his life for each of us.
Christian love is total offering of life to others so that evil will be replaced by love. Love is self-denial, and sacrificing for others, giving one's life for others. This is the way Jesus loves us. And those who wish to follow this way of loving will suffer greatly but the reward is enormously immeasurable. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Our selfishness will ultimately bring damnation to us and our sacrifice for Christ will surely gain more life in us and in others. The greater the evil the greater the love to conquer it.
I have been talking to many working students at NDMC as their coordinator and I have been hearing their stories, their struggles and their difficulties. But despite all of these, they still see the brighter side of their life. Some express their willingness to sacrifice so that they could be of help to their parents, or their younger sibling. Others wanted to be of help in the development of our society. It shows therefore that, indeed, in our love for others, we offer our sacrifices to conquer the reality of evil in us and around us.
This Sunday, may we be more and more loving to others and that we may have the courage to follow more closely the loving way of Jesus.
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