December 14, 2022

Luke 7:18-23

When asked by the disciples of John the Baptist if he was the one whom they were expecting to come, Jesus did not give a direct affirmative or negative response. Rather, he presented to them his actions: the blind regained their sight; the lame walked; lepers were cleansed; the deaf were able to hear; the dead were raised; the good news was proclaimed to the poor.

The healing, miracles, and wonders which Jesus had done can and would testify on his behalf. Jesus did not need to respond to the question. His actions were proof that he is the long-awaited messiah, the one who is to come. No need for long and flowery speeches.

Moreover, Jesus did not need to present everything since his actions were publicly done; hence the reputation of Jesus as a miracle/wonder-worker.

Jesus’ actions were all signs of the coming of the Messiah; that He is indeed, the Messiah. His actions were sure signs of God’s love and compassion for the people. In Jesus’ actions, we see God liberating his people from anything that makes them suffer.

Indeed, it is true that when we look at Jesus, we are actually looking at the face of the Father, of the loving and merciful God whom we do not see.

However, this is not always the case with us Christians. Some of our actions do not always reveal God to the people around us. Every now and then, our actions betray who we are. This happens when instead of liberation, we bring heavier burdens upon our neighbors; when instead of healing, we cause them wounds and pains; when instead of bringing the people together, we sow seeds of division and disunity.

Now more than ever, we need Christians who, in their actions, could show the world the face of the Father; we need Christians who, more than words, can make people feel God’s love and concern for them; we need witnesses who would make the love of God concrete enough to be palpable to people.

May our actions reveal the face of God to others, so that through our deeds, people around us may recognize the God whom Jesus introduced to us.

Reflection guide

Had there been instances when you may identify yourself with John the Baptist because you also needed confirmation if Jesus was really the one who could help you with a difficult situation?
Had there been instances when you looked for Jesus in the idolatries of the world?
Would you feel confident that your actions validated your being a Christian?

FR. AMIEL ALVAREZ, OSA