CLOTHED IN CHRIST

XII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Galatians 3:26-29

Jesus liked to speak of himself as the Son of Man. The title can mean simply “human”. Indeed, we can look at Jesus as the Man, the one who is wholly human and who can be put forward as the role model for all human beings. 

The title “Son of Man” had been used before, by the prophets Ezekiel and Daniel. In Ezekiel,  God addresses the prophet, calling him “son of man” (Ez 28:12). In Daniel, the “son of man” is a heavenly figure (Dan 7:13-14), and to him power and dominion are given:

“And to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

 his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed” (Dan 7:14).

However, many times, when Jesus uses the expression, he is speaking about his suffering, his passion and his death. 

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus asked the disciples about people’s opinion: What were they saying about him?  There were very different ideas about Jesus, as there are today. It was common belief that he was a prophet. The Muslims also believe that. However, Jesus was not satisfied with that answer. And so he asked the apostles about their own opinion: But you, who do you say I am?’

He is asking the same question to each one of us. Who is Jesus for me? What is my relationship with him? What place he has in my life?

Peter answered for all the apostles: You are the Christ of God. You are the Anointed One, sent by God to liberate us. This is the answer of the Church: Jesus is the Christ. He is the Son of Man, spoken of by Daniel. However, Jesus did not come to exercise dominion or to impose his rule in the manner of the earthly rulers. His way to liberation and salvation is completely different from our human ways. And he was very clear about it. In order to avoid confusions, he prohibited his disciples to tell the people that he is the Christ, and then told them that he was going to suffer, to be rejected and to be killed. His way to life passes through suffering and death. The disciples could not understand; that was the shattering of their earthly dreams.

Jesus’ way is not an easy way. That’s why nowadays there are many people who preach in his name a gospel of wealth, promising a life without pain and suffering, full of bliss already here on earth. Such a life is no more than a dream, which will soon come to an end. Wealth on itself does not bring bliss; instead, it becomes an idol that oppresses us as we worship it. This is not the way of Jesus Christ. In fact, he invites us to carry the cross:

“If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it.” (Lk 9:23-24).

The cross is rejected my many, but willingly or not all have to carry it; and without Christ, that cross will crush us. We cannot enter life without passing through suffering and death, walking on the way of Jesus Christ. This does not mean that we find pleasure in suffering, or that we look for suffering; but suffering will come our way whenever we choose faithfulness to God and to God’s ways. Jesus did not look for suffering, but he knew where his faithfulness would take him. We are able to surrender to God and to accept suffering, because we feel loved by him and we are sure that he is there welcoming us to share his life with us.

Paul tells us that all baptised are “clothed” in Christ (Gal 3:27), meaning that we become one with Christ and must be like him. It is in Christ that we become children of God.