There is a wonderful movie out in the movie theaters right
now called “Risen”. The movie centers on a Roman military official who
witnessed the execution of Jesus on Good Friday. When the body of Jesus goes missing on Easter
Sunday, the Roman Tribune is ordered by Pontius Pilate to investigate the rumors
of Jesus’ resurrection.
As the military tribune is investigating rumors of Jesus’
resurrection, he also seeks to understand who Jesus was, who is his apostles’
claim him to be: who was this man, whom he saw crucified?
As we grow closer to Holy Week, the scriptures take up the
topic of Jesus’ identity: “Who is this man Jesus, whom his followers call,
Messiah?” In the Gospel today, Jesus
says, "do you want to know who I am? Here are 5 witnesses who can testify to my
real identity."
John the Baptist can testify to my identity, my heavenly
father can testify to my identity, my works and deeds can testify to my
identity, the scriptures, the old testament, can testify to my identity, and
Moses testifies to my identity.
In Jesus’ times, in a court case, to prove something you
needed simply two witnesses, well Jesus lists five witnesses all who testify to
his identity. And each of us should be
familiar with these five witnesses, so that if anyone ever asked us why we believe
Jesus to be the saving son of God, we too could explain our faith, by pointing
to these witnesses.
How did John the Baptist testify to Jesus? John the Baptist
called Jesus the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” John said,
“I must decrease so that Jesus may increase”
How did the father testify to Jesus’ identity? Twice, the
voice from heaven said, “this is my beloved Son.” Once at Jesus’ baptism and
again on the Mount of Transfiguration.
The works of Jesus testify to his identity: the miraculous
healings of blind, lame, leprous, paralyzed, possessed, his changing water into
wine, walking on water, calming storms, and of course rising from the dead. Why do we believe in Jesus? Look at his
works!
Fourthly, Jesus says the scriptures testify to his
identity. When Jesus spoke the New
Testament had not yet been written, so he is speaking about the Old
Testament. Through the course of their
lives, many Catholics watch thousands of hours of television, but have never
read the Old Testament. St. Jerome
taught: “To be ignorant of Scripture is to be ignorant of Christ.” Each of us
do well to read and study the Hebrew Scriptures, because they point to Jesus
and testify to Jesus; Jesus is in every book of the Bible, we just have to look for Him.
Finally, Jesus says, Moses testifies: all of Moses’ life
testifies to Jesus, the better we know the life and teachings of Moses the
better we will know Christ. Not only did
Moses speak of a great prophet who would come after him, but Moses’ life is in
a way, fulfilled by Jesus. After 40 days
and 40 nights, Moses from the mountain gave the Old Law; after 40 days and 40
nights in the desert, Jesus climbed the mountain of beatitudes and gave the new
law; Moses led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery through the waters of the
Red Sea to the promised land; Jesus leads us out of the slavery of sin through
the waters of baptism to the promised land of heaven.
These mighty witnesses help to strengthen our faith this
Lent. The better we know these testimonies, the better we will understand
Jesus. This Lent Jesus invites us to be purified of our ignorance by the light
of truth. May we accept his invitation, to learn of him, that we may more
deeply love Him, and lead others to Him for the glory of God and salvation of
souls.
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