Jesus is God; does this matter to you?: 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

(Listen to this homily here).

            The opening of our reading from Mark—from the first chapter of his account—seems innocent enough: “After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: ‘This is the time of fulfillment.  The kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel.’”  While we note that this is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, a more intense understanding at a deeper level is probably lost on us.  It was sure lost on me until I listened to a talk given by Fr. Robert Barron on a Lighthouse Media CD.

            In ancient Rome, military victories would be announced by a messenger who proclaimed the good news for the empire.  This is the same word that Mark uses when he states, “Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel [good news] of God…”  This word would not have been lost on a first century Jew!  These were fighting words.  It was like Mark was saying, “Hey Romans, your good news which features an earthly kingdom and military victory pales in comparison to our Good News about God!”

            This is a sort of taunt by Mark!  Plus, Mark wrote his gospel account while in Rome.  He was writing the Good News of Jesus Christ in the belly of the beast.  And first century Jews would have understood this clearly.

            Jesus once asked his disciples a question.  He asks us the same question throughout the ages: “Who do you say that I am?”  C.S. Lewis argued that you could only answer this question in three ways; Jesus was either Lord, a liar or a lunatic.

            Yet today, the most common answers to this question are the only answers that are logically impossible—a good man, a good teacher or a prophet.  These are impossible answers if we understand that Jesus claimed to be God—which he did!  This leaves us with only two choices: Jesus was really God, or Jesus was something else.  But he could not have simply been a good man.

            I have heard in secular our critical circles people claiming that Jesus did not ever claim to be God.  This is false, especially when we get into the mind of a first century Jew.

            For example, remember when Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”?  The temple was the most important place for Jews because it contained God’s very presence.  Now Jesus was saying that he was replacing the temple!  Only God could do this.

            Or consider when Jesus said to a paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”  The crowd which gathered rightly asked, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  Jesus healed this paralytic, showing that he was in fact God.

            The fishermen in the Gospel encountered Jesus and their lives were never the same.  Simon, Andrew, James and John left everything to follow Jesus.  They left their business, families and daily lives to follow Christ.  Do you think they would have done this for a mere man, even if he was good?  Would they have followed a mere prophet?

            Paul also proclaimed a definite change in the world after Christ.  Those who had wives should live as if they did not.  Those who wept should stop weeping.  Those who rejoiced should stop rejoicing.  Those buying stuff should quit.  Those using the world should cease.  Paul’s intention was to explain how Jesus Christ—the God-man—has changed everything.

            My question to you today: does Jesus make a difference in your life?