Knowing Christ: By Doings or By Being?

Fernando, R. (2024, December 16). Knowing Christ: By doings or beings? Online Ministries: Creighton University. https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/121624 

Reading 1, Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Gospel, Matthew 21:23-27

In the gospel text of today, the question of authority takes center stage. Jesus’ works bore the unmistakable fruit of love, healing, and justice—testaments to divine authority. Yet, the chief priests and elders, caught in their own web of worldly authority, power, positions, and privileges, hesitated to confront the truth, the truth of who Jesus is. Hence, they questioned him, saying: “By what authority are you doing these things?” seeking to trap him based on His doings rather than to understand him for who He is. 

Perhaps, it is this reluctance on their part to accept Him at least for what He does—let alone for who He is—that leads Jesus to respond with a question of His own, exposing his opponents’ inability to answer honestly. While the elders’ evasion illustrates the danger of ignorance often masked as neutrality, like them, we too often resist acknowledging truth because it challenges our preconceived notions or compels us to change. This indecision exposes a key Advent theme: the readiness of our hearts to recognize and embrace God, at least for His divine work at work, in us, in the people we encounter, and in the creation.

In contrast, consider Jesus’ question to his disciples, the ones He closely associated with and cherished as His own: “Who do you say I am?” Found elsewhere in the gospel, this question shifts the emphasis from doing (as the chief priests and elders focused on) to being (as Jesus desired His disciples to understood Him). In other words, it moves beyond recognizing Christ by what He does (His outward actions) to knowing Him for who He is—Emmanuel, the Word made flesh, God with us. It requires vulnerability, faith, and love, while it also invites us into deeper commitment. 

As we anticipate the celebration of Christ’s birth, we are invited to reflect on the difference between knowing Christ by His doings v/s knowing Him for who He is, and what that reveals about our own faith journey. In this season of preparation, Jesus asks each of us: “Who am I to you—today, this Christmas, and in your life at this precise moment?” In answering this question, let us keep in mind what Saint Ignatius has to say in this regard: it is by knowing Christ more intimately that we can love Him more ardently; and it is by loving Him more ardently that we can follow Him more closely. 

Can we come to know Christ a little more deeply during this blessed season—if not for who He is but at least for what He has done and continues to do in our lives? May this Advent be a time of honest reflection, allowing us to answer this question with faith, not just in words but in the way we live, work, and carry our being. 

Are we ready? Homily on the 1st Sunday of Advent...

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A Treasured Moment

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 Homily 

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‘Milestone’ & ‘Seven Times’

 Fernando, R. (2024, November 11). ‘Milestone’ & ‘Seven Times’. Online Ministries: Creighton University. https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/111124.html 

Reading 1, Titus 1:1-9

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Gospel, Luke 17:1-6

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us two powerful lessons: the responsibility we have in our actions toward others and the boundless power of forgiveness rooted in faith. His words remind us of the profound impact our choices can have on those around us, especially the “little ones,” those who may be vulnerable or easily influenced. We live in a world filled with negativity, stumbling blocks, and temptations, yet Jesus warns us to be cautious not only of sin but of leading others into it. He uses the image of a millstone—an impossibly heavy weight around the neck—to emphasize the gravity of causing another to fall. This vivid warning is a call to each of us to be vigilant about the example we set and the way we influence others, especially those who look up to us.

This passage also calls us to reflect on forgiveness, a topic that resonates deeply in our personal lives and our communities. Recently, a devout woman shared a personal struggle that speaks to this very challenge. She came to me and said, “Father, we have issues with our son and his family. We don’t talk. For what happened, I can and have already forgiven him. But I can’t forget.” I replied, “Everyone, no matter how good or bad we are, goes through transformations. We change all the time for better or for worse. What if your child comes to you one day and says he is sorry for what he has done? What is the point of holding on to your grudges? Does it help him? Does it help you? Why do you want to hold on to the memories, especially when you say you have already forgiven?”

Jesus doesn’t offer an easy forgiveness; he offers a radical one. He speaks of forgiving not just once, but repeatedly—even if a person wrongs us multiple times in the same day. The instruction to forgive “seven times” signifies completeness and abundance, challenging us to forgive with a limitless heart. This is not an act of weakness but one of immense strength and compassion. Forgiveness, as Jesus teaches, is not about keeping score or setting limits; it is about freeing ourselves, allowing reconciliation to heal both the forgiver and the forgiven, and creating space for others to grow, change, and even find their way back to us. This openness requires faith—faith in others’ potential to transform and faith in our own ability to welcome them back. 

Jesus reassures his disciples, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed….” Even the smallest measure of faith, he tells us, holds power beyond our imagining. It is enough to help us overcome grudges, embrace forgiveness, and trust in the possibilities of grace. As the disciples did, therefore, let us ask the Lord to increase our faith, so that we may be empowered to forgive, to influence others with love and mercy, and to face life’s challenges with a heart open to transformation.

The courage to repent and the power to forgive come from the love of God...

 Homily at the Sacred Heart School Mass, Omaha

"Are you ready to be baptized with the baptism of Christ?" | Homily on the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time @ Sacred Heart Parish, Omaha | 20th October 2024

 

“Blessed the Womb that Bore You and the Breasts that Fed You!"

Fernando, R. (2024, October 12). Online Ministries: Creighton University. https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/101224

Reading 1, Galatians 3:22-29

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

Gospel, Luke 11:27-28

Two weeks ago, I wrote a newspaper article, an open letter to the newly elected president of Sri Lanka, entitled "Dear Mr. President..." In this letter, I reminded him that while his responsibilities to the nation are enormous, he should also prioritize his personal life, particularly his relationship with his aged mother. I wrote, “Your mother, like the rest of the nation, deserves your time. Because she was once first is why today you stand as the first citizen of our motherland.” Two close friends commented on the piece remarking, “Loved the last part...taking care of mother and the motherland,” and “Your mother should be so proud.” It got me thinking about what the president would have said.

I recalled that experience reflecting on the moment in today’s Gospel passage where a woman in the crowd praises Jesus' mother by saying, "Blessed the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you!" But instead of simply accepting this praise of His mother, Jesus redirects the focus. He says, “More blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Jesus does not disregard the importance of His mother; instead, He seizes the opportunity to point to something greater—our relationship with God and our duty to live out His Word—the mission God has for each one of us. For Jesus, it was an opportunity to awaken the crowd to the idea that the greatest form of blessedness lies in obedience to God’s word, rather than in mere biological or social ties. He acknowledges the role of His mother, but He emphasizes that hearing and keeping God’s word is the true path to blessedness.

Just as Jesus moves from his personal relationship with his mother to his doing the will of God, in First Reading, Paul moves from the law to the faith revealed in Jesus Christ. This faith is what justifies believers, freeing them from the Law's constraints. Paul is clear that faith supersedes the Law, reflecting how individuals fundamentally relate to God, no longer through strict adherence to rules but through faith in Christ. This way, Paul declares that all who have faith in Christ are children of God, regardless of their backgrounds or social divisions–there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, or any other distinction whatsoever. This statement is revolutionary in its assertion that faith in Jesus Christ transcends all human distinctions, calling us to embrace the all-inclusive love of God that breaks down all barriers that divide us.

Put together, the readings of today invite us to examine our own lives and ask whether we are living out our mission, the Word of God, the Logos, or the personified love of God, that our faith in Jesus Christ has revealed. In our attempt to truly listen to and keep God’s word, are we willing to transcend our differences, look beyond our personal relationships and comfort zones, breaking down the barriers that divide us? Are we ready to elevate our perspective keeping God's mission at the forefront of our lives while maintaining love and respect for those around us?

Click on the link to read the article, "Dear Mr. President" https://www.themorning.lk/articles/CyOcacaeOcdKbtzH0LOM