Knowing Jesus: An Awe-Inspiring Privilege

𝐌𝐀𝐘 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: 𝐒𝐈𝐗𝐓𝐇 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑

𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐀𝐜 𝟏𝟖:𝟗-𝟏𝟖

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟒𝟕:𝟐-𝟕 “𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡.”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐉𝐍 𝟏𝟔:𝟐𝟎-𝟐𝟑

𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆: “𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖.” (𝒗.22) 

         In today’s Gospel reading Jesus presents a glaring contrast between what the world represents and the kind of situation the disciples will find themselves in when he leaves them albeit temporarily. And for the disciples and even for some of us including the learned, this is probably one of the greatest yet perplexing paradoxes coming from the teachings of Jesus and only those who are deep in their faith can decipher the meaning of this passage.

         Sounding prophetic, Jesus in very clear terms said his disciples will weep and will be stricken with sorrow even if this will be for a little while and during this time that they will be wailing and weeping the world, on the other hand, will be rejoicing.

         Jesus is giving his disciples a preview of what will happen when he is finally handed over to the Sanhedrin so that they will not be caught by surprise and we very well know what happened. The disciples except for John hid in the Upper Room for fear they would be next in line to be crucified. Notwithstanding the teachings and on on-the-job training they received from Jesus, to be gripped with fear was a natural consequence of the fact that it was their leader no less who would be arrested and crucified.

         In contrast, the Sanhedrin, Pharisees and, Scribes who were opposed to Jesus out of envy because Jesus not only spoke with authority but more so because Jesus was able to feed 5,000 people with only five pieces of bread and two fish, raised the dead to life, gave sight to the blind and, drove demons out of those possessed by the evil one would be rejoicing because no longer will they have to fear the growing influence of Jesus.

         If it was natural for the disciples to weep and wail, so too it was for the religious leaders who would rejoice when Jesus was finally removed from their midst as they no longer have to worry about the increasing number of Jews whose eyes have been to the truth about God.

         Indeed, the values and priorities of the world will always be opposed to the values of Christ, and we see this in the inner struggle being experienced by those who have responded to the call of Jesus. Spiritual growth differs in each person. While there are some whose transformation may be immediate, some will take a longer time before they can finally gather the courage to place their lives in the hands of Jesus.

         This again is understandable because for those who have been basking in the glitter of the worldly life, giving up all the perks the world offers would not be that easy because the force pull of the worldly life is so great that it creates an imaginary vision of paradise.

         In contrast, those who have become slaves to their consciences and who try to live exemplary lives are at times faced with tremendous financial burdens and difficulties to make ends meet but we see them live on whatever fruits their labor will bring.

         Let’s use as an example the usual scene in some sensitive income-generating government agencies where we see icons and statues of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saints adorning the desks and or altar tables of officials whose graft and corrupt-ridden life are known to all. Ordinary office clerks have been caught owning a high-end Porsche SUV while middle-level officials own houses in plush subdivisions.

         There also was the case of a Senator who ran in the last 2013 mid-term polls who failed to declare a property worth millions of pesos. The Filipino electorate need not conduct a lifestyle check on those who are seeking elective positions because all they need to do is wait at the driveway of the House of Representatives building and check who steps out of a flashy SUV escorted by a phalanx of security aides also on board high-end SUVs.

         With the mid-term polls just ended, we will once again go to the polls a little less than three years from now to elect our national leader. The Filipino people will once again be asked to elect a new President and a new set of legislators in both houses of Congress who will sit in the 21st Congress and we pray and hope will display a higher level of decency and integrity than the present set of legislators that we have today.

         As in the case of other elections, there are only two choices we can make in 2028. We can either elect those who are committed to defend the sacredness of life and the sanctity of the family regardless of the consequences and or, we can choose to keep the status quo and see our moral foundations reduced to smithereens with graft and corruption becoming more institutionalized.

         What the Filipino people will be looking at in 2028 will be the question of which road they would want to take. Will it be the road that leads to eternal life or the road that leads to perdition. Between now and 2028, every Filipino who love his country will need to search deep into their hearts and bank on their consciences to guide them through.

         This is important because what you see in the façade of political leaders who may look honest and sincere is not what they seem to be in real life since the true character of a person is something you don’t easily see.

         We can’t and we shouldn’t make the same mistake over and over again as we did in 2022 when we chose a hypocrite to lead us since the future of our young generation is on the line. And today we can be likened to the people who mourn but since we are in Christ we can go through life with the joyful expectation that God will not let us down. Life may prove difficult for us now, but we know that somewhere along the way, God will appear in our lives and there will be cause for rejoicing. 

         Jesus likened this contrast between the time the disciples will weep and lament and the time they will rejoice to the mother who labors for nine months and forgets the pain when the child comes. This is also the same with those who suffered death for their faith as they forget the agony of martyrdom for the glory in heaven.

         This is the same with those who had to give up everything they may have acquired in the world. The cost of giving up on the world and turning your life around to Jesus will soon be forgotten when we look with hope at the joy of being with Christ through eternity.

         The underlying message that can only be seen by those with an spiritual vision is that Jesus is inviting us to a new level of relationship with God that is rooted in sharing in the suffering and mourning with Jesus because it is only then that we can identify ourselves with Him and, thus be given the privilege and authority to use His Name whenever we come to ask anything of the Father in prayer (𝐯.𝟐𝟑).

         This new relationship with God is possible only through Jesus and the fact that He allows us to use His Name means that we are united with Him and it is this unity forged by the Holy Spirit that will bring us unsurpassed joy and the knowledge that the heart of God has been made open for us but only if we can say “Thy Will be done in my life.” (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 – 𝘔𝘢𝘺 30, 2025)