Homily for the Presentation of the Lord

Mother And Child United By One Fate

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Presentation of the Lord

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Rush City, MN

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Today we celebrate the Fourth Joyful Mystery— the Presentation of the infant Jesus at the Temple. In fulfillment of the law, Joseph and Mary took the infant Jesus to Jerusalem. On entering the temple, they met two godly and prophetic persons, Simeon and Anna, who had been praying and waiting for the Messiah for many years as every good Jew did. The Jews were expecting a political messiah that would deliver them from Roman domination. They were expecting a messiah that would make all their political problems go away. Back then, Israel was under the political control of Rome. Now, being controlled and governed by a foreign government was not new to Israel. They had experienced it before in Egypt. But, this particular submission was uniquely terrible and painful for them because they were governed by a pagan government in Rome. So, they were expecting a Messiah who would come in on a war-horse and liberate them. But instead he came in riding on a donkey. As the Son of God, he could have come with legions of Angels, with power and might. But he came humbly. He rode into the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey. And guess what? He continues to do so till today. 

So, when Mary and Joseph came into the temple to perform the custom of the law in regard to the infant Jesus, the upright and devout Simeon was on hand to receive them. He was in the temple at the rightest time. Of all the times and hours he had been in the temple to pray and worship, this particular one is the most signifiant. He had been promised by God that he would not see death until he had seen “the Christ of the Lord.” That promise was fulfilled at this event. Simeon was in the Spirit when Mary and Joseph brought in the child Jesus, and it seems he did not even wait for the parents to do what brought them all the way from Nazareth to Jerusalem before he took the child into his arms and began to bless God and say, “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples; a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” 

Friends, in the words of his prayers, Simeon, presents Jesus to Jews and Gentiles alike. He also presents him to all the people of the world. In his prayer, Simeon testifies that what he has seen will bring light to Gentiles and glory to Israel. The child is a manifestation of the glory of God and a visible sign of God’s saving presence. However, shortly after those joyful words, Simeon turns to Mary and foretells of a future sorrow: “Behold this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and a sign that will be contradicted— and you yourself a sword will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” In those words, the holy man, Simeon, speaks about the fierce opposition that Jesus will face. He tells the child’s mother that the grief she will undergo will be so great that it will pierce her very being. As if to soothe Simeon’s prophecy, prophetess Anna walks in and begins to thank God and speaks to all who have been waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem about the child. After Mary and Joseph had fulfilled the prescriptions of the Law of the Lord, they returned to their own town of Nazareth in Galilee where Jesus “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.” 

Mary and Joseph understood that their baby, Jesus, had to be brought to the Temple, not to be redeemed like every other male child that opens the womb, but to be offered to God as a true sacrifice. It was in the process of offering her Son to God that Mary learned that she too will share closely in Jesus’ redemptive mission. She learned that her fate and that of her son are tied together. The good news is that this Jesus is also presented to us as our Savior and salvation. He is the Light of the world, the manifestation of the glory of God, and the visible sign of God’s saving presence. He is God in the flesh, Yahweh moving among his people. He is the Lamb of God who would redeem all people from their sins.  

When Jesus Calls

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St. Alphonsus Catholic Catholic, Brooklyn Center, MN

Sunday, January 26, 2020

After Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist and his temptations in the desert, he began his public ministry in Galilee, a region occasionally called “Galilee of the Gentiles” due to the large Gentile population in the area. Back then, it was under the political control of Herod Antipas, who got John the Baptist arrested. Upon hearing of John’s arrest, Jesus left Nazareth, a Jewish town in Galilee where he was mostly raised, and headed to live Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’s arrival to this territory fulfills the prophesy of Isaiah, which we heard in today’s first reading. Isaiah called the territory, “a place of darkness” because during his time, it was populated primarily by pagans, and the few remaining Jews had difficulty holding onto their ancestral faith and tradition. So, with the relocation of Jesus to this region, those who once dwelt in darkness for long centuries have at last seen a great light, Jesus Christ, the Light of the world himself. 

The town of Capernaum is mentioned in all the four gospels. It was the center of Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee. Although Jesus was born in Bethlehem, brought up in Nazareth, and preached in Jerusalem, it was the amount of time he spent in Capernaum from where he performed many of his miracles and teachings, that made Matthew call Capernaum his “own town” (Matthew 9:1). Mark calls Capernaum home for Jesus (Mark 2:1). In 2019, I was in the Holy Land for pilgrimage. When my group and I visited Capernaum, the first thing that our tour guide said to us was, “Brothers and sisters, this is the town of Jesus.” Capernaum is reported to also be the hometown of Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John and the tax collector, Matthew. It is believed that either Jesus owned a home in Capernaum or he stayed in the house of one his followers. 

So, from Capernaum, a fishing village on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus began to preach. To the mixed population of Jews and Gentiles he preached and called everyone to repentance because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Did you notice that his message is the same message preached by John the Baptist in Matthew 3:2? Both John’s and Jesus’ call to repentance requires a turning away from sin, reforming of one’s life, and linking and wiring one’s life to God. The call to repent is a call to “Seek the Lord while he may be found, to call upon him while he is near.” It is a call for the wicked to forsake their way, for sinners to change their thoughts, to return to the Lord and find mercy, to return to the God of Israel who is generous in forgiving” (Isaiah 55:6-7). 

As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew casting their net into the sea because they were fishermen and he said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Without making any excuses, they left everything they were doing and followed him. Walking away from there, he saw two other brothers, James and John in the boat with their father, Zebedee mending their nets. The moment he called them, they left their father, boat, nets, livelihood and followed him. Right from there he went round Galilee, teaching, preaching and healing many of their diseases. 

Sisters and brothers, today’s Gospel does three things— one, it calls our attention to the power of Jesus’ word (Rhema); two, the response of Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John shows us the ideal response when it comes to God and God’s matters. When God calls, drop everything for nothing is more important. Three, Jesus wants each one of us to become fishers of men. None of us should be contented with merely being a disciple; we should make disciples for the Lord as well. If you have found the Lord, what about others in your family? If you have found peace and rest in God, are you talking to others about your experience? Use every opportunity to share your faith. Talk about the blessings and benefits of your faith. Don’t be timid about sharing your faith. When you hear the assertion that smart people do not believe in God, that it is only dumb ones who do, do not be cowed or even get upset. Talk about how your faith in Jesus has changed your life. If you have seen the light, what about others who still live in darkness? 

Now, do not let the cost discipleship scare you. Do not allow your inadequacies, weaknesses and imperfections discourage you from making this commitment totally. Do not be frightened by the thought of making mistakes. Do not heed to the voice of the Devil telling you that you cannot make it, that you are prone to fall and disappoint the Lord. Jesus himself has already indicated that he came to call the unrighteous, the weak and sinners. Look at St. Peter. The same one we read in today’s Gospel, who left everything to follow Jesus denied him thrice after Jesus was arrested (Matt. 26: 69-75). In the gospel of John 20:24, Apostle Thomas doubted the resurrection of the Lord: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” In the gospel of John 14:5, Thomas again did not understand where his Master’s house is: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” In the same gospel of John 14, verse 8, Philip failed to understand who Jesus’ Father is: “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” In the gospel of Luke 22:24, there was a dispute among the disciples of Jesus as to which of them was considered the greatest. In Luke 22:45, the disciples of Jesus were not able to stay awake and keep watch with Jesus at Gethsemane. In the gospel of Mark chapters 14 and 15 Jesus was abandoned by virtually all his disciples shortly after his arrest; and during his trail before the Council and Pilate he was all alone. All those who called him “Master,” “Lord,” “Rabbi” were no where to be found. In the Gospel of Mark 15: 42-46, the man who came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus was not one of his 12 disciples; the man who brought down the lifeless body of Jesus from the cross is not Peter or James. The man who wrapped his body with a linen cloth and laid him in the tomb is not Andrew or John. In fact, none of them was even present. They all disappeared in fear. Mark 15: 47 says, “Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus were watching and saw where the body of Jesus was placed.” None of the Twelve was present. No wonder it was Mary Magdalene who saw the Resurrected Jesus first. No wonder she was the first to visit the tomb. Of course she knew where he was buried.

From all these references, we can see that the disciples were not always blameless. But their abiding and unyielding faith in Jesus was unquestionable. Their devotion and commitment to their Master and his mission came first in their lives. Some of them later shed their blood for their faith in him. This should be our attitude too. Do not worry about making a mistake; do not be discouraged by your weaknesses. Psalm 138: 8 says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose and plans for you and me.” Philippians 1: 6 says, “…he who started the good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Though Peter denied Jesus thrice but he ended up as the first pope, the first leader of the church, the man Jesus handed the keys of heaven. Instead of getting scared, think of what the Lord can do for you, with you, in you and through you. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the Lord assures us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Jesus called ordinary men to follow him. Following the Lord requires ordinariness, it requires being ordinary and simple. And following Jesus is an ordinary thing too. It is not an esoteric thing. It means leaving everything behind in the fourth position and letting the Lord’s agenda comes first, second and third in our lives. I want to assure you that by following the Lord faithfully and everyday, you do not loose anything, instead you gain everything. Walking in the footsteps of the Master makes you a master as well. You become a master of yourself, your emotions and your passions. Walking in the shoes of the Master insures your life here and hereafter. Remember John 14:1-3!

“Behold the Lamb of God”

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Brooklyn Center, MN

Sunday, January 19, 2020

The prophetic ministry of John the Baptist started with a bang. His revolutionary message got the attention of the public so much so that many thought he was the Christ. Even though he preached from the desert, a place far away from home, people against all odds, traveled to the desert to listen to him. When Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him whether he was the Christ, his response was, “I am not the Messiah” (John 1:20). As today’s Gospel (John 1:29-34) tells us, when John later saw Jesus coming towards him, he declared: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” Now, when John said of Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God…” what did he mean? In the Book of Exodus 12, the lamb was a crucial part of the story of the Passover, when its blood applied on the doorposts preserved the homes of the Israelites as the family shared the passover meal. The blood of the slaughtered lamb applied on doorposts symbolized God’s mark of ownership over the members of the family. In fact, when God was speaking to Moses and Aaron, God said, “When I see the blood of the lamb on your doorpost, I will pass over you…” and will not punish you together with the Egyptians for their injustice and godlessness. Additionally, the lamb is a symbol of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah who endured the sufferings of others, and was led like lamb to the slaughter (Is. 53:7,11).  In the Jewish traditions, the lamb will offer its life for the people. No first-century Israelite would have missed the meaning of John’s declaration. So, “Behold the Lamb of God…” means behold the one who has come to be sacrificed. As one of my heroes, Bishop Robert Barron puts it,  “Behold the sacrifice, which will sum up, complete, and perfect the temple.”  

Two Sundays ago, we celebrated the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. On that day, the Magi, guided by the star led us to Baby Jesus—Yahweh in human nature. After the Magi offered Jesus three important and symbolic gifts- gold, frankincense and myrrh, nothing was said about them again. We are not sure they narrated their experiences to others, just as the shepherds did. So, when Jesus entered the stage, he was virtually unknown. It was John the Baptist, whose popularity had spread far and wide, that introduced him to the people. With the weight of his popularity and integrity, he witnessed and testified for Jesus. He refused to let pride and arrogance get in the way. He refused to let the temptation to upstage Jesus overtake him. He refused to contest the center-stage with Jesus. When the moment was right, he reveals the identity of Jesus, shines a spotlight on his mission, and turned the attention of his audience who were already thinking he was the Messiah to Jesus. So, the epiphany of the Divine Son of God to all the nations of the world continues. And to an extent, each of us is or should be an epiphany of the Lord. Having accomplished his mission, John deliberately exited the stage, and never did anything that undermined the ministry, message and mission of Jesus. Amazing!

Friends, John the Baptist is a shinning example, a perfect exemplar, and a perfect role model for us all, especially those who have a problem with pride; who cannot work under another person, who think they are larger than life, and who always want to be, stay and remain in the spotlight. He is an epitome of example for us all, especially those who often claim to be what they are not. He’s a good example for those of us who are constantly craving for recognition, and who will do anything to always be in the news, etc. John was a highly placed and respectable prophet, but he did not let his popularity and fame get into his head. He did not forget who he was and what his mission was about. He knew the role he was to play, and he performed it with distinction. No wonder Jesus said of him, “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women,  there has been none greater than John the Baptist…” Like John the Baptist, are we willing to witness and manifest Jesus to everyone we meet? Are we ready to decrease and then allow the Lord to increase in us? Letting the self decrease, and allowing the Lord to increase in us is what holiness is all about. 

To Those Who Say, “I Am Spiritual, But Not Religious”

I grew up in a small town in Nigeria where most people went to church on Sunday, where religious faith (Christianity) was so central in the lives of so many. In my own family, going to Catholic Mass on Sunday was compulsory. Of course, not everyone was Christian. There were a few who were adherents of African Traditional religion, whom Christians often target to evangelize. This minority of non-Christians were not at all atheists. They believed in a supreme being whom they worshipped through the ancestors and other divinities. The case I am making here is that virtually everyone in the community believed in the existence of a greater Reality and were actively seeking to be in relationship with this greater Reality, although through different means. So, I grew up with the mentality that everyone believed in God. But much later in life, I realized that’s not really the case. To my shock, I discovered there are people who completely insist that there is no God. As a curious fellow, I began to learn about this “new” phenomenon called atheism or atheist. As would be expected, I wasn’t in any way fascinated by their reasons for denying God’s existence. So, I moved on. Now, after twelve years a priest in America, I have encountered people who say, “I am spiritual, but not religious.” Majority of them unfortunately are young people. This “Spiritual but not religious” group are not essentially atheists. A good number of them argue that although they don’t see affiliation with organized religion as necessary or important, that they do believe in God’s existence. Some of them blame organized religions for being too violent, divisive, and therefore unnecessary. They maintain that what underlies all of the religions is a basic set of spiritual convictions and intuitions; that once they grasp and follow them, they are spiritually awakened and also avoid falling victims to the arrogance of particular traditions or revelations that claim to be absolute. The proponents of “I am spiritual, but not religious” aver that it is much better to follow the fundamental spiritual intuition behind all these religions than to cling to any particular religion. Some of them would point to their work or their relation to nature or art as their religion since they find God there. 

God is indeed present everywhere by his Essence and in all things by reason of his Immensity. He can indeed be found by those who diligently and sincerely search for him in everyday life, in nature, through the sciences and arts. Adherents of traditional religions can indeed have an enlightening and helpful experience as he uses his Ofor stick to invoke his ancestors to intervene in his life and family. From Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufi, mysticisms, African Traditional Religions, Judaism and to Christianity, we can find some things that are a lot in common. Science, mathematics, history, psychology, philosophy, other social sciences could be vehicles of spiritual attainment and insight. But check this out! In none of these spiritualities is one addressed by the personal and living God. In this other means, the human person is the one doing the seeking; the human person, as it appears is in the active role. God is only discovered at the end of this long and sometimes tortuous journey. God is turned into a distant and abstract force who remains at the background of life and who makes no special and personal appeal or demand. The of God spirituality, the God of the “I am spiritual but not religious” is only found by us and in our own terms. 

Does it mean that this approach is entirely wrong? Not really! But what it does mean is that those who opt for spirituality rather than faith will never reach into God’s mind and God’s purposes. The unique biblical conviction is that God is not a distant force, but a person who speaks and acts in history. God is someone who reveals his mind and purpose to humanity. Although each of us is a spiritual seeker, but let’s not forget that God is a seeker as well. Even before we think of this quest for God, he was already seeking us out and speaking the word of truth. Although you might have drawn your conclusion about God from your own external observations, conditioned by your expectations, your conclusion of him can always be adjusted once God speaks and opens his heart. This is why spirituality, as good as it is, is never going to be enough. Spirituality must give way to something higher, richer, and deeper.  

It is against this background that I want us to examine afresh the story of the Magi. First and foremost, who were these men? It is not very clear who they were. Probably, they were a combination of what we astrologers or astronomers. They were part of star-gazing culture that was especially strong in Babylon or Persia. The culture and purpose was to measure the planet and stars, but more importantly to discern in them the will of God. So, on their terms, using their own skills, these dedicated men sought out the will of God. The magi, to my mind symbolize the best of the spiritual traditions of the human race, from the ancient times to the present day. They are very good models of the spiritual quest. Look at it closely! These men were seeking for God, but didn't know precisely where to go until they met with the representatives of the Israelite religion who told them on the basis of revelation where the Messiah is to be born. Remember that they followed the star. They followed their own calculation, used their own intuition and so on. However, it was when they finally came to Holy Land, and spoke to the experts of divine revelation did they know precisely where to go and precisely whom they were seeking. The experts told them that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem of Judea. 

Do not be upset by what I am going to say. But truth must be told.  The biblical view is that there is a people that was chosen by God, chosen to be the unique bearers of his revelation to the world. They were chosen not for themselves, but precisely for the nations and for all the seekers of the world. Israel is chosen for the seekers that all who seek for God might find him through the focused revelation that was given to this people, Israel. It is not going to serve our purpose if we simply reduce Israel to one nation among the many and if we reduce the revelation given to Israel to one more spiritual program among the many. There is something unique about Israel. It is God speaking his own mind and heart. Check this out! God gave Israel the Law, Covenant, Patriarchs, Temple, the long tradition of worship, and the prophets. By these means he shaped the people according to his heart and at the culminating moment in this revelation, he sent his only Son for the Savior of the world. Once the wise men knew where to go, they went and found what all along they have been seeking. They would not have found it without the specificity of Israelite revelation. 

So, to all those who say, “I am spiritual, but not religious,” to all spiritual seekers out there today who want God, especially the young people, it is good that you are following the yearnings of your heart. But I want you to know that you won’t find him in his specificity and in his own self-revelation apart from the great people, Israel, which bears that revelation. To young people out there, you can learn as much as you can from philosophy and mythology. Seek with all your heart. Learn the spiritual wisdom of all the great traditions. But I want you to realize that your search will remain incomplete until it draws you to the God of Israel revealed in that BABY born in abject poverty. Who is that baby? His name is Jesus Christ. He is the manifestation of the divine love, which makes the whole universe and seeks us out with the passion of a mother or father.

Who is Jesus?

In recent years, there has been a tendency to reduce Jesus to the level of a great teacher or a great prophet or guru. Some Christian theologians even describe him as someone who is like all men in virtue of his identity with human nature but distinguished by them all by the constant potency of his God consciousness. They describe him as someone who has a super God’s consciousness. They try to understand Jesus not on ontological term but in psychological or relational term. This shift has had a negative consequences on how we teach and preach and evangelize. This approach to Christology (commonly called the immanent approach), even though it is more accessible to modern people, turns Jesus into a super saint. It’s like saying, “Mr. A has God consciousness; Mrs. B has a higher one, and Jesus has the best and more potent of God consciousness. Check this out! Saints are people who have the awareness of God. They are in constant relation with God. To insist that Jesus has more of what the saint has is to turn him into a super saint. But the problem here is this, if Jesus is simply a super saint, the question then is “Is he really the Savior and Redeemer?” The saints are saints because they are in relation to Christ the Redeemer. But if Christ himself is merely a super saint, then is he really himself the Redeemer? It seems he too would need a redeemer as well. If what we are talking about is God’s consciousness, then what really distinguishes Jesus from the Buddha, or Mohammed, or from a great Hindu or mystic, or sage, or even from Socrates or any great figure who had a heightened religious consciousness? What really made Jesus distinct from these and other figures? This would be very difficult to articulate or teach. If you even press it further, one can also ask what distinguishes Jesus from someone like St. Francis of Assisi who had a powerful God consciousness. What makes him different from any of the great saints? If Jesus has God’s consciousness even if it is to the highest degree, why do we particularly focus on him? Why do we evangelize him in particular? If someone reads a great book written by a great Sufi mystic and thereafter experiences a heightened religious awareness, why then should a Christian insist that the person follow Jesus or to say that Jesus has some superiority? Like I said before, the problem that this Christological view presents is that it gives room to question like why should this Christ be uniquely emphasized? The shift from the ontological to more psychological or relational Christology has lots of bad consequences to the way we teach and preach.

But this view of Jesus is not what we find in the New Testament. The most fundamental thing to know about Jesus is that he is God. Jesus is the God man.  Although, there’s a hyper stress on his humanity, and yes, Jesus is human, but the most important thing to also know about him is that he's divine as well. The gospel of John tells us that “In the beginning was the Word…” The same Word, by the way, that made the whole universe, that grounds the intelligibility of the world, that is behind all the science of the world, the same Word who is God became flesh in Jesus Christ. Furthermore, in John's Gospel Jesus says, “Before Abraham was I am.” His “I am”  echoes the “I am who I am” of Exodus 3: 14 when Moses asked God what's your name and God says “I am who I am.” Jesus echoes the same thing: I am the bread of life; I am the Good Shepherd; before Abraham was I am. 

In the Gospel of John 14:8, Philip says, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Responding to his request, Jesus says, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? (John 14:9-10a). In John's Gospel, it  is explicitly laid out that Jesus is divine. But John is not the only one that stressed the divinity of Jesus. The same is true in the other Gospels as well, although they use somewhat different symbol system. Take for instance the healing of the paralytic. When four men lowered from the roof of a house a paralyzed man before Jesus, he was impressed by their faith. Then turning to the paralyzed man, Jesus said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” After hearing Jesus utter those words, some of the infuriated scribes questioned, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God alone? (Mark 2:1-12) The precise and clear point that Mark is making is  that this Jesus is God.  

In the synoptic Gospels (Luke 14: 26; Matthew 10:37; and Mark 8:35) Jesus declares  unless you love me more than your mother and father, more than your very life, you are not worthy of me. That’s an extraordinary thing to say. It’s a breathtaking comment! We can imagine a religious teacher say, “unless you love my teaching more than your mother and father… unless you love God…. “ I can imagine any prophet or guru or teacher say that unless you love his teaching more than your folks. But in the case of Jesus, he says unless you love me more than the greatest good in the world, you are not worthy of me. Who could possibly say that coherently and boldly except the one who is himself the highest good? I make bold to say that only the one who is God can make such a bold claim.

When laying out a series of new teaching about the law, about anger, about adultery, about divorce, about oat taking, about retaliation, and about love of enemies (Matt. 5:17-48), Jesus keeps saying over and over again, “You have heard that it was said… But now I say to you…” The question is, where was it said? When Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors…” where is what was said to the Jewish ancestors recorded? It’s in the Torah! For the first century Jew, the Torah is the highest authority in the land because the Torah was seen as the word of God. But who is this Galilean prophet claiming authority even over the Torah? Who could do that except the one who is himself the author of the Torah?  When we read all this in the Gospel, we take it for granted, but it is a breathtaking declaration that Jesus made. And throughout the gospels we hear of this affirmation that Jesus is God. In St. Paul’s letters which of course  precede the Gospel, written probably in the first century, he asserts repeatedly Iesous Kyrios— Jesus is the Lord. Paul who was previously Saul studied at the feet of the Gamaliel, the greatest rabbi at the time. He knew the Old Testament through and through, and what is basic in the Old Testament is Adonai, which means Lord, a term used exclusively for God. So, when Paul who knew that tradition in and out said that Jesus is Lord, he knew exactly what he was saying and he knew how strange and radical it was, that this Jesus is God. 

Now, it is because Jesus is God that's why he compels a choice in the way that no other founder does. Mohammad, to his credit, never claimed to be God. He only said that he was a messenger, that he received a message from God. Moses to his credit never claimed to be divine. He said he received the law from God and wants to give it to the people. The Buddha, to his credit never claimed to be divine. He only said he found a way and wants people to follow it. Here now is Jesus. He doesn't say I found a way; he says “I am the way.” He doesn't say I found the truth I want to share with you. He says, “I am the truth.” He doesn’t say there is a new mode of life that I discovered I want to share with you. He says, “I am the life.” These claims are the unique treasure of Christianity. They compel a choice. As Jesus himself said, either you're with me or you're against me.  If Jesus is what he says he is, then I must give my whole life to him. He is God. He is the Highest Good. It is either you gather with him or you scatter. Either you are with Jesus or you are against him. The gospel is the good news about this Jesus; it compels on those who hear it a decision and choice.