Commentary on the Gospel of

NOVICE MASTER Fr. Johnson Joseph, cmf

 

Jesus was announcing his passion and death for a second time to his disciples. But people of his time and his own disciples kept alive the idea of a royal Messiah, a king who would overthrow his enemies and establish his kingdom. Therefore, the words about the cross did not make any sense to them as well as a Messiah who would serve and die for others. They continued to dream about a glorious Messiah and were still concerned about their places in his kingdom craving for greatness. But the identity of Messiah rejected, suffering and dying that Jesus revealed to his disciples was a huge disappointment and contrary to their expectation. Yet, finally when the disciples witnessed these things happen to Jesus, they would understand the true nature of Messiah. Jesus the Messiah is not the conqueror of the nations by force, but the conqueror of hearts by a love manifested in his suffering.

When they encountered the glorious resurrection of Jesus after his humiliating defeat and death, they understood the mission of the Son of Man, that, he is here to establish a Kingdom of love and service, a Kingdom at the service of life and human dignity. This experience enabled the disciples to preach the Messiah of love and service, and win the hearts of the people. This mission now belongs to all of us. The liberating and humanizing power of the Gospel has to resound to the ends of the earth. Jesus has great hopes in all of us to realize his dream of the Kingdom in this world of our times.

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