In today’s Gospel (Matthew 11:2-11) John was in his prison and questioned
Jesus about who he really was - didn’t John the Baptist have faith in Jesus?
It seems fairly clear today that even John the Baptist did not have a
perfectly clear idea of who the Messiah would be or what the Messiah would look like. Since John himself was a sort of fire-and-brimstone kind of preacher, he probably expected the Messiah to be the same kind of prophet. There was no question about whether John the Baptist believed that the Messiah was coming – and almost immediately; John had no doubts about this event. Instead, there was only a lingering question in his mind about what kind of Messiah the “promised one” would be. Could it be his cousin?
Jesus sort of takes John and his followers by surprise. Certainly the power of God was present in the miracles of Jesus and in his teachings about truth and the Father’s will. But was he just another holy man, or was he the expected Messiah? John had to know; so he sent a couple of his followers to ask Jesus the question:” Are you the One?”
Jesus had a simple answer. He told John’s followers, to: Look at the fruits of my work, the external signs. No, I do not preach fire and brimstone like John. Instead I preach repentance, mercy and forgiveness. My Father loves the world so much that he sent me to speak of His love, and to invite everyone to accept His love and mercy. Our Father is kind and merciful, and he gives you still another opportunity to accept His love by accepting me. Whether you choose to accept or reject His love will determine your final destiny.
The gift of Faith does not erase our desire and need to ask questions, just like John the Baptist needed to have answers. Jesus tells us through his affirmation of John that it is all right to ask the serious questions. We can always look to the Catholic Church Magisterium for serious answers to these serious questions when we remain puzzled.
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM!
Articles # CCC #2443 and #548 remind us that God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those
who turn away from them: 232 It is by what they have done for the poor that Jesus Christ will recognize his chosen ones.233 When “the poor have the good news preached to them,” it is the sign of Christ’s presence. So, we know Christ
is present when the poor recognise that they are receiving the Good News. The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him.269 To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask.270 So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father’s works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God.271 So, signs of power invite belief in Jesus who said “Blessed are you if you believe without seeing signs of power (John 20:29b)!”
Jesus about who he really was - didn’t John the Baptist have faith in Jesus?
It seems fairly clear today that even John the Baptist did not have a
perfectly clear idea of who the Messiah would be or what the Messiah would look like. Since John himself was a sort of fire-and-brimstone kind of preacher, he probably expected the Messiah to be the same kind of prophet. There was no question about whether John the Baptist believed that the Messiah was coming – and almost immediately; John had no doubts about this event. Instead, there was only a lingering question in his mind about what kind of Messiah the “promised one” would be. Could it be his cousin?
Jesus sort of takes John and his followers by surprise. Certainly the power of God was present in the miracles of Jesus and in his teachings about truth and the Father’s will. But was he just another holy man, or was he the expected Messiah? John had to know; so he sent a couple of his followers to ask Jesus the question:” Are you the One?”
Jesus had a simple answer. He told John’s followers, to: Look at the fruits of my work, the external signs. No, I do not preach fire and brimstone like John. Instead I preach repentance, mercy and forgiveness. My Father loves the world so much that he sent me to speak of His love, and to invite everyone to accept His love and mercy. Our Father is kind and merciful, and he gives you still another opportunity to accept His love by accepting me. Whether you choose to accept or reject His love will determine your final destiny.
The gift of Faith does not erase our desire and need to ask questions, just like John the Baptist needed to have answers. Jesus tells us through his affirmation of John that it is all right to ask the serious questions. We can always look to the Catholic Church Magisterium for serious answers to these serious questions when we remain puzzled.
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM!
Articles # CCC #2443 and #548 remind us that God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those
who turn away from them: 232 It is by what they have done for the poor that Jesus Christ will recognize his chosen ones.233 When “the poor have the good news preached to them,” it is the sign of Christ’s presence. So, we know Christ
is present when the poor recognise that they are receiving the Good News. The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him.269 To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask.270 So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father’s works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God.271 So, signs of power invite belief in Jesus who said “Blessed are you if you believe without seeing signs of power (John 20:29b)!”
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