WHO IS JESUS TO YOU? Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 

WONDERING GURU

Isaiah 22:19-23; Rom 11:33-36; Mt 16:13-20

 

Although Jesus Christ did not come to please people like the politicians; we find Jesus in Mat 16:13 taking a poll amongst His disciples. At this point in Jesus ministry, the news of His preaching and miracles had spread all around. The religious leaders had also heard about Jesus Christ and they didn’t like what they had heard. He was a threat to their power and prestige amongst the Jews. The Pharisees had accused Jesus of getting His power from Satan. He had been rejected by His home town. So in the midst of growing opposition and surrounded by crowds of people who liked Him but did not understand Him, He took his disciples and left Israel. He went north out of Israel into Gentile territory, to a place called Caesarea Philippi. Jesus knew that it would not be long before He would be crucified. He knew that He would be leaving this earth. This was the time that Jesus was going to find out where the disciples stood. Jesus asked His disciples 2 questions. The first question is in verse 13, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" Jesus wanted His disciples to acknowledge what other people were saying. So they gave him the four most popular answers about who Jesus is. "Some say John the Baptist (that was Herod’s answer); others say Elijah (that was very popular because the Jews expected Elijah to return); and still others, Jeremiah (he was the greatest of the later prophets) or one of the prophets (that is, he was a spokesman for God)."

Jesus then asked His disciples a more important question. "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?". Peter¡¦s answer is very specific. Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  This is a very important statement for us to catch. Peter did not figure Jesus identity out on his own. This was revealed to him by God.

The church is made up of men and women who confess this truth. Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God. Things haven’t changed much. Some people today still think Jesus was just a prophet – non-Christian religions for example recognize that He was a good teacher and a fine religious leader, but surely not the only begotten Son of God. Some think He’s just a myth, a figment of our imagination. He’s a crutch for weak-minded people.

Others think that He was a great historical figure, certainly a good man, a good teacher, a man of character and integrity but not God. He can be any number of things to an endless number of people, and it is easy to become appalled at what many think about Jesus. He was hated and ridiculed then and He is hated and ridiculed today.  People always have and always will be confused about who Jesus is.

The name Christ is the official title of our Lord, occurring 514 times in the New Testament. It means that He was anointed or consecrated to His great redemptive work as Prophet, Priest, and King of his people.  To Abraham He was the ram. To Israel He was the lamb. To Ruth He was a Redeemer. To Nehemiah He was a Master Builder. To David He was the Tender Shepherd. To Solomon He is the Wise and All-Knowing God. To Amos He was the Burden Bearer. To Malachi He was the Sun of Righteousness with healing in His wings. To Mark He was the Suffering Servant. To John He was the Light of the world. To Paul He was a Wonderful Savior.

The Bible says that Jesus is… our Lord, our Comforter, our Advisor, our Mediator, our Strength, our Inspiration, our Protector, our Provider, our Shepherd, our Master·

If you really want to know who Jesus is, then you need to get into the book that identifies who He is! We’ve considered who other people say Jesus is, and more importantly we’ve considered who the Bible says Jesus is, but now let’s consider the third and most important question of them all.

 

WHO DO YOU SAY HE IS?

· He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life.

· Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.

· Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest.

· Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King.

· Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.

· Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears. Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.

· Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.

· Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.

Conclusion: A lot of people name the name of Jesus, but what does that really mean for you? The devil names the name of Jesus, but what does that mean? The devil is not an atheist. He knows that Jesus is real. He knows there is a God, but operates as if there were no God. He believes in God, but he doesn’t love Him.  He acknowledges God, but he doesn’t glorify Him. Jesus wants to be real in your life but it’s up to you whether He will be or not. You see, Jesus already knows who you think He is – He is asking you this question today so you might recognize whether He has the pre-eminence in your life like He deserves! Who is Jesus to you? Is He your magic genie or is He the Christ, the Son of the living God in your life? Is He your sugar daddy in the sky? Or is He God, the Lord and Master of your life?

👉21st Sunday in Ordinary Time; 27th August 2023

My House Shall be called a House of Prayer for all Nations by Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 WONDERING GURU

Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Rom 11:13-15, 29-32; Mt 15:21-28

Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 

FIRST READING: R. Scott Richards wrote in his book, “Myths the World Taught Me” that every one of us starts life as a little savage, selfish and self-centered. We want what we want when we want it. Deny us these once, and we seethe with rage which would be murderous were we not so helpless. We are, in fact, dirty; no morals, no knowledge, no skills; children born delinquent. And if permitted to continue every one of us would grow up a criminal - a thief, a swindler, or a rapist. That’s what we all are except that God, by his grace and mercy, intervenes in our life by the power of His word for help and salvation, for positive change.

The first reading tells us “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” It’s part of the joy of the Gospel. None of us are excluded – not for our past, not for our family history, not because of our caste or creed or culture. God’s promise is that we’re all welcome, that we all belong, by virtue of our faith. Sinners all, made righteous in Christ’s blood; and in this gracious righteousness we look at others in new ways. We see them as we are, another sinner for whom Christ died, another one lost who needs God’s grace, a potential brother or sister in God’s house forever.

God’s plan is to gather still more besides us whom he already has gathered. And the joy of it is that he would use you; once lost but now found and fashioned into tools of the Spirit to gather even more – people of every walk-in life, peoples of every nation in the world – He would use to gather them all to the joys of knowing Christ Jesus and the eternal blessings that spill forth from His Church, His House of prayer.

SECOND READING: The church at Rome had some inter-cultural and inter-racial difficulties between the Jews and the Gentiles.  Some of the Jews looked down on the Gentiles because their ancestors had not been part of covenant God had with His people in the Old Testament. So, a major part of the Letter to Rome focused on this conflict. In the first few chapters Paul addresses to the Jews saying they sinned just like the Gentiles had. And they needed God’s grace and mercy just as much as the Gentiles did.  Paul addresses a ticklish question that some might have asked: “Did God reject his people?” “Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery?” Paul says – NO! God hasn’t rejected His people. No – they haven’t stumbled so far that they can’t be restored. God Never Forgets His People! That’s the MAIN MESSAGE of this chapter.

 GOSPEL: An unnamed Syro-phoenican woman/mother came to Jesus pleading for help.  Her situation was quite complicated and delicate. She had a problem-her daughter was demon possessed. She had great pain - she was grievously vexed - both mother and daughter. She was dealing with a power beyond herself - it was supernatural, suppressive, and satanic. But she has a plan. She heard about the power of Jesus.  She is going to meet Jesus no matter what. In her desire for healing her daughter she has a simple cry - to catch the Lord’s attention and a sincere cry from the heart.  But she encounters unexpected hurdles:

(a) The silence of the Saviour - her test - do you really know who I am?

(b) The selfishness of the disciples v. 23 "send her away, for she crieth after us"

(c) The sinfulness of her past v. 24 "the lost sheep of the house of Israel".  Paul says Ephesians 2 v. 12, she was without hope, without promise, and without God in the world

Inspite of her hurdles she decided not to give up.  Continued to pray and plead. Her pleading was short, humble, fervent, desperate, rational, respectful, worshipful, persevering, determined, and full of faith and humility.  This impressed the Lord.  The Lord answered her prayer. Her request was granted. Her daughter was healed.

CONCLUSION: Prayer is the umbilical cord of intimacy with the Father. Prayer is the lifeblood of the believer. Robert Murray McCheyne once said, "What a man is on his knees before God, that he is, and nothing more." The father of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther, wrote, "If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith."  God invites all to his house to pray and to worship.  Let’s forget our differences and our backgrounds and pray and worship the Lord as one people of faith. Amen! 

👉20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 20th August 2023

Peace in times of Fear & Depression by Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 WONDERING GURU

1 Kings 19:9A, 11-13A: Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33

Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 

FIRST READING:   Depression is very real part of life for many people. It is a very real problem. Depression is marked by a sense of being pressed down, weighed down, or burdened, which affects a person physically, mentally, spiritually, and relationally.  Many Biblical characters faced DEPRESSION such as Moses, Elijah, Paul, Psalmist and even Jesus. John 12:27 "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ’Father, save Me from this hour’?

God gives us a case study in clinical depression in todays first reading. From this text we find that Elijah experienced many of the classic symptoms…

Fear - “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life….” (1 Kings 19:3). Suicidal tendencies – “I have had enough, LORD, Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ (1 Kings 19:4).  Excessive tiredness – “Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep…” (1 Kings 19:5).  Feelings of rejection – “The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (1 Kings 19:10).

What does this tell us? It tells us that even God’s most dynamic servants can suffer from depression. It’s not necessarily a mark of a lack of faith.  Elijah was THE man of God in his day. And now he’s so far down in the depths of despair. But that’s not where God left him. God didn’t say: “well sorry Elijah – you have a chemical imbalance in your brain– so I can’t help you!” God recognized that Elijah’s depression was not an imaginary problem. Elijah’s depression was real. And God did not say – “get a hold of yourself Elijah. This is a SINFUL attitude … where’s your faith man???”  God didn’t treat Elijah roughly. Infact God understood his depression and provided for his physical needs. In answer to Elijah’s prayer to die, God just lets him sleep. Then God sends him down to the desert in the South for 40 days and nights.  God sent him to a place of worship – God sent him to Mt. Horeb, the Mt. of God (where the Law given to Moses). Church is one of the best places to deal with Depression. The Church is a place where we listen to each other and help one another. “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:2)

 SECOND READING: One very unique thing about Paul’s anguish over the lost and rebellious state of his Jewish brethren was his impossible desire to be cut off from Christ for the sake of his brothers. So burdened and anguished over the Jews rejection of Christ and their being on their way to Hell is Paul that he makes it clear that he wishes he could trade his salvation and very life for the salvation of the Jews that he would. What Paul says finds a parallel in Exodus 32:32. When Moses came down from the mountain after receiving the 10 commandments, he found the people dancing around the golden calf and worshiping it as their god. In response to such Moses said “Lord, if it be possible, blot this sin from their lives, but if not, blot me out of your book” The tragic mistake, the mistake which we see Paul deeply grieved over, is that the Jews have put their confidence in these blessings for their salvation- rather than in Jesus Christ to whom these things point.

 GOSPEL: The Gospel says “when evening came…” and it refers to the “fourth watch of the night “. This gives us a time frame to work with. Feeding 5,000 people took all day! By evening disciples were dispatched, crowd dismissed, Jesus begins climbing slope of a mountain to find a place to pray. Storm arises while they are in “the middle of the sea” [Mark 6.47] – i.e., about four miles from shore. How long does it take to row four miles? Why did Jesus wait until the fourth watch of the night (after 3:00 am) to respond to their prayers? Why didn’t he go to them immediately? Surely, they were praying. He knew that they were in the storm.

Apparently, Jesus’ delay in coming to them was intentional. Why does the Lord often delay in answering prayer? The Lord had a lesson he wanted to teach them. But they were not ready. They had abandoned hope. Their faith had crashed. When they saw something coming toward them on the water, they had by then given up on the possibility that Christ would save them. But Jesus had sent them into the storm in the first place.

Do not feel abandoned when your prayers seem unanswered. Jesus’ prayer that the cup of suffering be removed was not answered. Paul’s prayer that his thorn in the flesh be eased was not answered. Remember their words, “Not my will but your’s be done” and “My grace is sufficient.” Unanswered or delayed prayer are for a reason and we must discover that reason.

Very often you can expect Jesus to come to your rescue only after all other means of rescue are gone. The Fourth Watch represents those times of hopelessness and helplessness we all feel from time to time. The Disciples on the storm-ravaged Sea that night, by the fourth watch, were exhausted. They were physically exhausted. Their prayers were exhausted. Surely, they had fervently prayed throughout their ordeal. Their expectations were exhausted. Certainly, they had expected a prompter response to their emergency. Their hope was exhausted. If Christ was coming, he would have come before now. Their faith was exhausted. When Christ finally appeared, they thought he was a ghost, a hallucination.

We all face our Fourth Watches. These are times of despair when Jesus often comes to us.  So in your problems and depressions, fears and anxieties don’t give up. Continue trusting in the Lord for He is the Lord of heaven and earth. Amen !

19th Sunday in ordinary time, 13 August 2023