Phillip and Andrew do a very ordinary thing when they tell Jesus some Greeks want to see him. We are not told why they want to see Jesus or whether they ever do. Even so, the expected response to such an ordinary request is to say, sure, tell them to come on in. Once again, however, Jesus does not give the expected response. Instead, he uses this opportunity to explain what it means to see him.
In essence Jesus says to Phillip and Andrew, I am in Jerusalem at this moment to fulfill the purpose for which I came into the world. Therefore, seeing me is not a matter of satisfying an idle curiosity. Seeing me is an encounter that is transformative because seeing me demands a choice. When you see me, you must decide whether to follow my way or to follow the way of the world.
Like those who first encountered Jesus long ago, we know that following the way of the world puts us at odds with following Jesus. The world focuses on competition, status, control, power, and wealth. Everything the world offers is temporary. Following Jesus, on the other hand, is to embrace a life of service born of love—love of God above all, love of neighbor, and love of his creation, our earthly home. Love endures forever (1 Cor 13-13).
The choice to follow Jesus by imitating his love can be a challenge at times, especially when it comes to love of neighbor. For one, who “neighbor” includes is not always clear. We know, however, that Jesus means more by neighbor than just family, friends, and benefactors. He makes it plain that neighbor also includes those who oppose our interests, our enemies, and those who are least in God’s kingdom (Mt 5:44).
More than once, Jesus identifies the least in terms of the poor, the hungry, the orphan, the widow, the foreigner, the naked, the ill, the imprisoned. In modern terms, the least are those who are disadvantaged because they lack the necessities of life—those who have no healthcare, or nothing to eat, or inadequate housing, or inferior educational opportunities, or are denied a living wage. To ignore others in these essential ways is to turn our backs on Jesus himself (Is 58:7; Mt 25:40).
Jesus urges us to go one better by imitating the Good Samaritan who went out of his way to care for the stranger beaten and robbed. The response of the Good Samaritan reveals the everlasting bond between love and mercy. This connection is the basis for the observation that Jesus himself made—blessed are those who show mercy, for mercy shall be theirs (Mt 5:7).
In fact, the phrase “Forgive us our sins” is the beginning of a plea for mercy that we condition on the mercy that we show others. This plea is a stark reminder that we ask God to forgive us in the same way that we forgive others. Jesus gives emphasis to this point when he says, “as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you” (Mt 7:2).
This is the foundation of the new covenant that Jeremiah calls attention to in the first reading: “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel.” We know in our hearts what this means. Throughout his life and mission, Jesus describes this new covenant in terms of three virtues: love, mercy, and fidelity. These are covenant words with special meaning.
The covenant word “love” refers to the steadfast love of God. God is unwavering in his love for us. The covenant word “mercy” comes from the Hebrew word for womb. This suggests that God has an intimate relationship with us as a mother with her child. The covenant word “fidelity” means that God remains faithful to his covenant with us, no matter how unfaithful we may be in that respect.
The new covenant with God compels a similar response on our part (Ps 103:4;8). To that end, love is the hand that shapes and guides our character and actions in living out our covenant with God. God pours his love into our hearts, so that we can love him and love others. God’s love for us inspires us and empowers us to honor our relationship with Him and with our neighbor. Indeed, following the path of love is the only way to follow Jesus.
Lent is a reminder that when we fail to follow the way of love and mercy, we can call upon our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to mend our ways. The abiding Spirit of Jesus helps us restore and renew our covenant with God. The Holy Spirit enables us to love, to be merciful and gracious as God himself is merciful and gracious; kind and faithful as God is kind and faithful. We love God more than we know about God. In all things, we pray that our love will be like the love of Jesus—creating, redeeming, renewing. If we aim to be like Jesus in these ways, we shall indeed see Jesus, both in ourselves and in others.
No comments:
Post a Comment