Our All Powerful Brother

Jesus refers to himself as “Son of Man.” What could he mean? And then in the famous passage that follows, Peter calls him “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” 

‘Jesus of Nazareth understood himself – however incompletely or gradually to be the savior and his resurrection established and manifested that he is. Jesus is himself the Kingdom’. (Richard P McBrien Catholicism p499) He is both! This Sunday’s reading (Mt16:13-20) is the exhilarating statement of our salvation, the incarnation of God - Jesus, who is fully human and fully divine. 

If Jesus was only human, even a very good or inspired human, then the whole basis of Christianity is meaningless. Similarly, if he was “only” God, unable to enter into our pain, loss, loneliness, confusion, doubt, suffering and the temptations we face, then his cross is meaningless.

Only Jesus, both Son of the Living God and Son of Man can be, not our distant judge, but the source of both divine love and human love, affection and empathy. 

 “How tempting it is to live correctly within the church without worrying about the one thing Jesus sought; the Kingdom of God and its justice.” (Pagola, J. Jesus-An Historical Approximation. https://www.scribd.com/book/466793741) But what is this “Kingdom” he is always on about? The Kingdom is in evidence wherever the weak and marginalised are at the centre. Jesus discloses a compassionate God, caring more about people’s lives than the finer points of law or high theology. In God’s reign, the neighbour takes the place of the law. The reign of God draws us beyond the law to become like little children (simple, sincere and spontaneous). The Kingdom of God is not a metaphor. It simply means living compassionately in every situation. (Pagola, J. Jesus-An Historical Approximation) Yet this mighty being invites us to pray to him as to a brother, “Lord, you know how I struggle ……” We are truly blessed!

Deacon Mark Kelly