Qualitative Response!

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Rv 4:1-11; Lk 19:11-28

Today’s Gospel highlights the kinds of response to be given to Jesus, the King. 

Our love for Jesus, the King, is manifested by the quality of our response. 

Through Fidelity: The text that shows Jesus nearing Jerusalem holds that there is to be no spectacular manifestation of the Kingdom of God in Jerusalem. Instead, what the world would witness in Jerusalem is the steadfastness and fidelity of Jesus, the King. Yes, Jesus’ passion and death in Jerusalem would demonstrate his obedience and fidelity to his Father’s will. 

Through Suffering: The demands of discipleship that Jesus places flow from his own life. Through his life, Jesus showed what it means to take the risk of faith, undergo suffering on the cross, and die for a cause. Discipleship involves our suffering for Jesus, the King if needed. But before he placed suffering as a condition for following him, Jesus turned himself into an example through his own suffering. 

Through Materiality: Interestingly, it is shown in the parable that even our materiality can be employed to make our response meaningful. Hence, we can prove our worth as disciples of Jesus, not by clinging to our material possessions but by making use of them to win credit from our King. In this way, materiality can serve our purposes of discipleship. 

In sum, our response to Jesus, the King, should be a response in love. 

Let us pray that our qualitative response may manifest our love for Jesus, the King.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar