2nd Sunday Ordinary Time: Who is Jesus?

Character development, in literature or movies, character development is essential. Literature and movies will introduce main characters by setting a stage for them, setting up the “why”. It will hook us into the story that needs to be told.

Think of Luke, in the first Star Wars movie. We first see him on that desert planet, working for his uncle and aunt, but then looking off to a sunset. Brilliant way of saying this “small town”boy is destined for something.  We can think of "Pride and Prejudice"; Lizzie’s character we learn is an intelligent and strong woman; maybe a bit too headstrong, but we are charmed by her and follow her narrative.

We learn the characters by their interaction or even introduction by others.

Sacred Scripture uses this too. We follow a narrative, a story line to get to know the character. In the Old Testament, the story of David begins decades before he comes onto the scene. It begins with the prophet Samuel’s conception and childhood, then progresses to Saul’s story, and then David comes onto the scene. And we read his meteoric rise and the falls of him and his family.

John’s Gospel does this too. We have that brilliant poetic prologue; maybe even imagine a Star Wars like scroll, then the scene moves to the Jordan river and John the Baptist. We may think John is our hero, but he is just pointing to the main character; Jesus. It takes a few scenes for Jesus to appear, let alone speak.

The major theme of John’s Gospel will be: Who is Jesus?

We may think we know Jesus. Years of religious education, homilies, et al, but…there is more to grasp?

To understand Jesus we need to go back further than John Gospel or any of the Gospels. It is the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, that sets the stage for the person of Jesus.

We have read Isaiah this week and last week. No mention of Jesus per se, but do we see God preparing the people, us, for what God will do.  It is incredible language: Isaiah sees God restoring a people, Israel. Israel, exiled in a foreign land. Their city and more importantly their Temple is gone, destroyed by a conquering nation. Yet God never gives up on them, even though they gave up on God.  God’s will remains the same. God wants Israel to be in relationship, in a covenantal relationship. Yet not just for themselves, but for the whole world. God wants all nations, all people to know of God and God’s mercy, love and forgiveness; the freedom that comes with God.

God wants Israel returned and re-formed, not as a political entity, but as a special people united in love. So that by their covenant, their life with God others will be drawn to God

Now we can begin to see Jesus’ identity, his reason for being.

What will Jesus do after this scene in John’s Gospel? He will begin to form a community, to gather the 12 disciples around him. Jesus’ symbolically re-forms Israel into community so as to truly know and experience God, in him Jesus. They will experience God through Jesus’ healing, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, generosity…

Jesus will open their minds to the fullness of God and they will be transformed. We are their descendants 20 some centuries after.

Jesus too wants our minds open to the fullness of God, to be restored, to be transformed.

Jesus too invites us to participate in the great story of God and creation; a story of love and compassion, of harmony and peace.

Jesus too wants us to know who he is, so that we can know God and be amazed by God, and learn to trust in God more and more.

Jesus wants us to know that God always wants to lift us up; to set us onto the path of life. God has no interest or will nor desire to punish.

Jesus’ own death and Resurrection reveals this.  

Jesus remains with us now; in Spirit and in Sacrament. Summoning us to that deeper wisdom.

Let’s continue that story.