Who is Jesus for me?

Reading: While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? Mark 12:35.

Good morning, happy Friday, and many blessings.

The Gospels of the past few days have all been about truth in one way or another. The truth, as Jesus once said, will make us free. In today’s Gospel (Mark 12:35-37), we see another effect of the truth - it brings us joy - “the large crowd was listening to him with delight”. Jesus was telling them the truth about who he was, and they were delighted. Do I delight in the truth? Does it bring me joy? Do I taste its freedom?

Jesus provoked people to think about who he really was. He did not have an identity crisis himself! God who was revealed in mysterious ways in the past is now being made known by the incarnate Word. Jesus reveals to us what God is truly like.

Who is Jesus for me? How would I introduce him to someone else? All titles are inadequate for him. Above all, he is the Son of God. Spending time with him is a means to knowing him more fully. There is an on-going invitation to form a deeper relationship with him.

These comments of Jesus on the opening words of Psalm 10 (composed by David) are meant to show us that the Messiah is more than ‘son of David’, - he is ‘Lord’. “Jesus, my Lord and my God” could be a simple mantra for my prayer.

The crowd in the temple listened to Jesus with delight. Let me be quiet for a moment in my prayer to let Jesus speak to me.

Jesus is more than the son of David. The arguments throughout the gospel about the identity of Jesus may not help or nourish prayer too much. Suffice from this passage to express our faith in prayer that Jesus is Lord, the beloved son ‘in whom the Father was well pleased.' He is Son of God, human and divine. In his love and to him we pray. "They listened with delight." Lord, may I listen to you in this way, relish your goodness and insight, and nourish myself daily on your words.

This style of argument delights Jesus' original audience although it may seem strange to us. When the scribes teach that the Messiah is the son of David, they seem to imply that he is inferior to David. Jesus argues that Psalm 110 (used during the coronation of a king) shows that the opposite is the case. In its opening verse David (its presumed author) writes that "The Lord" (God) speaks to "my lord" (the king). "My lord", or the Messiah, is therefore superior to David.

There is even a hint of divine status, or at least of a divine relationship, in what follows: "Sit on my right hand".  I wonder; Does this episode deepen your understanding of who Jesus is?

Blessings,

Fr. Luis+