Who do you say that I am?
A brief reflection on Christ
As part of my Christology class, the instructor asked us to ponder two questions. He added that we answer these questions in our own words and that references to other works are okay, but he wants to know what we think. This can be a good exercise for anyone who identifies as Christian.
The questions are:
Why is it important that Jesus is God and man?
Who do you say that I (Jesus) am?
If you write your answers, don’t hesitate to tag me; I’d love to read your thoughts on this. Here are my answers.
Why is it important that Jesus is God and man?
It is important that Jesus is both God and man because, being fully human, he knows what we (as creatures) go through. We were created in His image and likeness and were meant to live in harmony with God in Eden. But because of the fall, we inherit original sin from Adam and Eve. Luckily for us, at that very time, God already had planned to give us a redeemer, His only begotten son.
Through the Incarnation, the Word became flesh and dwelled among us. God set aside the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the one who would become the Theotokos, the mother of God. Her fiat shows how God extends an invitation; he doesn’t force himself on anyone and wants us to choose Him out of love.
The fact that Jesus has human and divine natures and wills that don’t mix or compete is a source of consolation for me. Jesus shows us how to be humble, meek, and obedient by making his entrance into the world as one of the most vulnerable creatures, a baby. God the Father entrusted His only begotten son to St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Jesus learned from them how to live in family, work, and, most importantly, pray. The more we strive to imitate Jesus, the more human we become.
Jesus, being God, allows us to start our heaven here on earth. The more we conform ourselves to Jesus, the more we will advance in our process of divinization—not by our merits but by allowing God to work in us. If we are to spend eternity with God, where we are perfectly united to Him, it makes sense to get a head start here. The more we allow grace, the life of God, to act in us, the easier it is for us to become who God wants us to become. Doing God’s will is easier said than done, but it is a noble thing to aspire to.
Who do you say that I am?
Borrowing words from St. Thomas, I would say Jesus is my Lord and my God. Since I received my sonship through baptism, Jesus is my brother. He is my savior and redeemer. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
He is the one who extended His hand and invited me to know Him better, the one who wants to show me how much He loves me by revealing His plans for my life. He is the one who repeatedly extends mercy when I ask for forgiveness with a contrite heart.
He is the one who strengthens my soul by feeding me His body and blood whenever I’m ready to receive Him.
He is the one who gave me purpose in this life, to become a saint. He is the one who showed me my vocation and entrusted me with leading a domestic Church. He is the one who loves where I am but loves me too much to leave me there. He is the one who loves recklessly. He is the one who gave me His mother so that I may ask for her maternal protection. He is the one who gave me His foster father as an intercessor and guardian.
He is the Good Shepherd who went out to find me when I went astray. He is the Father who rejoiced and ran with open arms when I returned to Him, gave me a robe, a ring, and sandals, and slaughtered the fattened calf for a feast. He is the one who brought me out of darkness into His light. He is the one who keeps me in existence because He can’t stop thinking about me; if He were to stop thinking about me, I would cease to exist.
He is the one who came into the world and hasn’t left. He disguises himself under the appearance of a small piece of bread so that I won’t be afraid to approach the creator of the universe. He is the one who is waiting for me every time I go to adore Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament. He is the beginning and the end. He is the one who was, who is, and who is to come.
He is the one who gave me the intellect to know Him and the free will to choose Him over everything else. He is the one who asked me to pick up my cross and follow Him. He is the one who makes the yoke easy and the burden light. He is the one who makes sense of suffering and makes it redemptive. He is the one who inspired those who went to their death singing. He is the prince of peace, the one who makes us whole.
Paraphrasing St. Thomas Aquinas, He is the one who heals our sickness, washes away our defilement, enlightens our blindness, enriches our poverty, and clothes our nakedness. He’s the one we hope to see face to face in glory one day.
He is the only one that will suffice.
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Before you go
Have you seen the original Christ Pantocrator icon?
Have you read any of Pope Benedict XVI's Jesus of Nazareth books?
What has helped you grow closer to Christ?
“What has helped you to grow closer to christ?”
Not to be dramatic, but suffering. I learned ABOUT Jesus when i was becoming Catholic, I was awed by his deeds and miracles the way I might read a superhero story or a chivalry tale. But I didnt understand what it meant, I didnt empathize, I didnt RELATE until I went through suffering myself. Christ came to the world to experience all that humans experience, but I can’t say that I have experience all that Christ experienced. Only drinking from a bitter cup has given me the remotest sense of His suffering, and forced me to rely on Him more and more.
The question “who do YOU say I am?” is THE question if engaging with non-Christians. I am shocked at how many questions Jesus asked and we seem to like to parade answers versus listening.