Isa 50:4-9; Ps 116; Jas 2:14-18; Mk 8:27-35
Do I really know Jesus?
Dear friends, today is the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time. In our lives, we talk of knowing people and things. However, if we are asked to say a little bit more about them, we realize how little we really know about them. You will recognize that many things you know about others are not directly from them but from a third party. Many of them are negative and cannot even be verified. Every day we talk about others and what we say about them is highly influenced by our relationship with them or our attitude toward them. Jealousy, envy, competition, anger, and propaganda often form the ingredients of our talk about others. We regard or hate others because of what they have done to us but mostly because of what we have been told about them. How many times do I say good things about others?
The person of interest today is Jesus Christ himself. Do I really know who Jesus is? Can I explain and convince another person about Jesus? Who told you about Jesus? Who expounded the Scripture for you? In Mark 1:34 we read that Jesus cast out many demons but did not allow them to speak because they knew him. Why did Jesus not allow the demons to reveal him to the people?
Knowing a person is not an easy thing but requires a lot of effort. Many Christians take it for granted that by their baptism, they automatically know who Jesus is. However, when confronted with questions about him, we tremble and become mute because we have not studied him well. Either we did not pay attention to our catechists or were baptized with little or no catechesis. Worse even is when we claim to know him, yet our actions tell the opposite. Many preach on the streets and in the marketplace about the power they have in the name of Jesus to heal all diseases and solve all human problems, but they do not really tell us who Jesus is. Maybe they assume we know him or they have no idea at all?
When Jesus asked the disciples about the public opinion about him, there were many answers. The crowd had not known who Jesus was but had heard here and there that he was Elija, John the Baptist who had come back to life, or one of the prophets. Later the same crowd would shout “crucify him” instigated by their leaders who had their own agenda to eliminate Jesus. When Jesus asked his own disciples whom they said, he was, Peter quickly responded, “You are the Christ”.
Having revealed that Jesus went ahead to explain to them about the suffering and death he had to undergo to redeem humanity. However, Peter, in his own judgment, found it not fitting for Jesus to die. Speaking on behalf of the majority of us, he had a lot of human expectations from Jesus. “Get behind me Satan because the way you think is not God’s but man’s”, Jesus rebuked him. Remember it was the same Peter who, at the mountain when Jesus was transfigured, suggested building three tents so that Jesus, Moses, and Elijah could remain there for him and others to behold that moment permanently.
Many of us, like Peter, prefer the glorious Christ who performs miracles to make us rich, prosperous, and famous even if we know very little about him. No one wants to be even close to a messiah who suffers. Many Christian preachers today do not preach anymore about the Cross but rather prefer to preach Jesus who brings prosperity even to lazy believers while they sleep. They forget that by the cross only was salvation wrought to us. The suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus are realities that cannot be separated. Without the cross, there is no messiah, no salvation, and no hope for eternal life. True and lasting prosperity comes only from hard work and perseverance and not streets and marketplace miracles. Ask those who pay for them if they become prosperous at all and for how long?
The challenges of life are the crosses that we must carry behind Jesus if we want to be with him in heaven. There is no shortcut to this. Our families, mission, and daily responsibilities are our crosses. We do not become Christians to escape suffering but rather to find strength and consolation in Christ who suffered for us as we battle them. When my ministry becomes tough, I remind myself that this is the potion I freely and knowingly chose. Instead of lamenting, I ask God to strengthen me to soldier on.
When we comprehend the cost of our discipleship to Christ, we will be confident like the Prophet Isaiah, who did not run away from the persecution that he faced for speaking against the evil and injustices committed by the powerful class. We say we know, love, and live for Christ but when we are challenged, like Peter, we deny him outrightly. We are afraid to embrace the cross and because of this, we deny Jesus with our words and actions.
St. James today challenges us “Faith without action is dead”. When I preach and take action against child marriage, female genital mutilation, polygamy that is discriminatory against women, and suppression of the young men in the community that I minister, I believe it is what Jesus would have done. I believe as a shepherd, I must make the people be more like Jesus rather than make Jesus look more like them. Evil is evil no matter who does it or what those who practice it feel about it. The salvation of every nation and tribe comes when it is redeemed from traditions and customs that discriminate against some of its members. Anyone who claims to preach Jesus but does not condemn and act against discrimination is a liar and a merchant of falsehood for selfish gains.
Dear friends, I invite us to introspect and see if we truly know who Jesus is and whether we faithfully carry our cross behind him or if we prefer “we think only of our interests”. Does our action demonstrate our faith in Jesus? Do we live our Christian values confidently like Isaiah without minding those who persecute or talk ill about us?
Have a blessed Sunday.
Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD
SVD JAMBO KENTAN 