Jessel Pradeep Cutinha csc –
Readings: Acts 11: 19-26; Jn 10:22-30
Jews gathered around Jesus and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Is this the same doubt we have about Jesus when we go through difficulties and troubles?
At the time of Jesus, the Jews already knew the answer for the above question. Jesus walked with them, He taught them with authority and power, He healed people from their physical and spiritual sickness, He performed miracles and He also restored life by raising the dead. Then why is that they fail to recognize Jesus as messiah? That is because they lacked faith.
The image of Messiah that Israelites had was a military and political leader. But Jesus was an ordinary man for them. Therefore, they did not believe in Him and failed to recognize who Jesus really was.
The first reading of today from the Acts of Apostles tells us what will happen if we believe in Jesus. It tells that the disciples were scattered because of the persecution yet great number of people turned to the Lord and believed. They believed that Jesus is the Messiah because they had faith in Him, they received Holy Spirit and they were constantly in prayer.
When we believe Jesus as the Messiah then we will be able to listen to His voice like the sheep that hears the voice of the shepherd. When we are convinced that Jesus takes care of us in times of danger, difficulties, and persecution then we are one with Him. If we have faith in Jesus then no one can snatch us away from Him, because Jesus holds us always closer to His heart.