Jesus’ Identity

Message from Fr. Jose Koluthara, C.M.I.

Lord Jesus, help me prove my identity as your disciple through the way I handle suffering Amen.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is appropriate that we begin this long stretch of Ordinary Time with what is perhaps the central question of Christianity: “Who do you say that I am?” (Lk. 9:18-24). This of course is the question that Jesus poses to his disciples toward the end of his Galilean ministry and just prior to his embarking upon his journey to Jerusalem.

This question posed by Jesus is perhaps best understood within the cultural context of the first century Mediterranean world. The question of identity to ancient Mediterraneans is not the question of identity to contemporary Catholic Christians. We think of personal identity in terms of individuality; ancients think of personal identity in terms of collectivism. Whereas we Catholics have our own personal, individual identity of self, ancients have a much more powerful sense of collective or group identity. What one’s kinship group says about one’s identity is far more important to ancients than most of those in the contemporary Western world realize.

We see this concept of group identity in the second reading (Gal. 3:26-29) when Paul tells the Galatians not to see oneself as a Jew or a Greek, as a slave or a free person, not even as a male or a female; but rather realize that “you all are one in Christ Jesus”.

Ancients would have seen Jesus’ questions to his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” and “Who do you all say that I am?” as logical questions for group-oriented people. For Jesus to understand himself, he would need to know what others think of him. Notice that both the crowds (in identifying Jesus as a prophet) and the disciples (in identifying Jesus as the Christ of God) have come to only a partial sense of Jesus’ true identity. The crowds and the disciples have yet to understand Jesus’ identity in light of his suffering, death and resurrection. While it is true that Jesus is a prophet, he is far more than that. And while it is true that Jesus is Christ of God it cannot be separated or isolated from his passion and resurrection. This is an aspect of Jesus’ identity that the disciples themselves found very difficult to grasp: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Lk. 9:23).

BECOME MY FOLLOWER… “If anyone wants to become my follower, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” If God is calling you, contact Fr. Hansoo Park 416-968-0997 Email vocations@vocations.ca or visit www.vocationstoronto.ca