Among you stands one whom you do not know; although he comes after me

Gospel text (Jn 1,19-28): This was the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, «Who are you?». John recognized the truth and did not deny it. He said, «I am not the Messiah». And they asked him, «Then who are you? Elijah?». He answered, «I am not». They said, «Are you the Prophet?». And he answered, «No». Then they said to him, «Tell us who you are, so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. How do you see yourself?». And John said, quoting the prophet Isaiah, «I am the voice crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord».
Those who had been sent were Pharisees; so they put a further question to John: «Then why are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?». John answered, «I baptize you with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know; although he comes after me, I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal». This happened in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Comments

When God is offended, should we become violent?

Our God is all love and truth, who asks from us humility and forgiveness. Our God is the only living God. He has the word of eternal life. Observing the process of the current protests in the Middle East and many other places in the world by the so called followers of Islam, presumably outraged because they do not like what is being presented in a film about their prophet; it is interesting to distinguish that factual truth, about what is missing in the whole staging of these protests and it is precisely, truth, love, humility and forgiveness and it is not precisely from the ignorant mobs perpetrating the assaults under the direction of their evil leaders, but from the ones supposedly protecting the basic and fundamental freedoms we all in the western civilization which is founded in Christianity, have for granted.

Common Good

It is often found commentaries that describe common good as extremes of anarchy, as expressions that on one end present a justification for system interference and on the other as an idea of omnipotence over the people who is typically labeled as mediocre and incapable of deciding on their own about their matters and circumstances. However, common good is divine a mandate we all have as individuals; to aim for and to work towards. It is what defines the relationship between science and reason, because a science where its object is to benefit only the self or to enhance the egos of the recipients is what defies reason and so it segregates itself from faith which is what make us creatures of God with dignity, identity and individuality because care exists for our neighbor and peer. Common good cannot be taking or confiscating from some to give to others or to pretend that by robbing from the ones that have to presumably give to the have not, the issue is fairly addressed. On the contra...

He said this to test Philip, for He himself knew what He was going to do

Gospel text ( Jn 6,1-15) : Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, near Tiberias, and large crowds followed him because of the miraculous signs they saw when He healed the sick. So He went up into the hills and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Then lifting up his eyes, Jesus saw the crowds that were coming to him and said to Philip, «Where shall we buy bread so that these people may eat ?». He said this to test Philip, for He himself knew what He was going to do. Philip answered him, «Two hundred silver coins would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a piece». Then one of Jesus' disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said, «There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?». Jesus said, «Make the people sit down». There was plenty of grass there so the people, about five thousand men, sat down to rest. Jesus then took the loaves, ga...

Cesar Fernandez-Stoll

Search This Blog