December 16, 2015 Wednesday 3rdWeek of Advent
1st Reading: Is 45:6-8,18,21-25 Gospel: Luke 7:18-23
The disciples of John gave him all this news. So he called two of them and sent them to the Lord with this message, “Are you the one we are expecting, or should we wait for another?” These men came to Jesus and said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you: Are you the one we are to expect, or should we wait for another?”
At that time Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses or diseases; he freed them from evil spirits and he gave sight to the blind. Then he answered the messengers, “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the poor are given good news. Now, listen: Fortunate are those who encounter me, but not for their downfall.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
John’s disciples found Jesus immersed in pastoral work, giving back sight to the blind, making the lame walk, cleansing lepers, and bringing the dead back to life. When they asked him if indeed he was the Messiah, all he had to do was point to what he was doing. After all, his works were those of the Messiah as described in Scriptures. Was it mere coincidence that John’s disciples “caught Jesus in the act”? No, Jesus was not doing a scripted outreach program. John’s disciples came on a very ordinary day in the life of a Messiah.
If people should investigate what we do to find out if indeed we are Christians, would our works reflect our identity? Would we have works to show instead of words that flow from an empty heart? Words must lean on concrete actions because human utterances have no backbone. In our courts of law, rules require words to be verified. The phrase “Yes I am a Christian” becomes a verified statement if backed up by deeds associated with Christianity. These deeds need not be as spectacular as bringing the dead back to life. Improving lives by feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked and comforting the sorrowing would be enough. We are not talking of dole outs here, for dole outs can condemn more than free people from the quagmire of misery. The works that authenticate a Christian are those done out of love – those that restore dignity to the needy, bring back life to the lonely and bring rest to the weary.
Advent is an opportune time to intensify our works of charity so that should a group inquire if indeed we are Christians, words would not even be necessary as they find us dong acts of charity on a very ordinary day in our life as Christians.- Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email:dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website:www.frdan.org.
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