Gospel

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Jesus, our Lord, never changes. He is the same today as he was yesterday. He will be the same tomorrow. When we know that Jesus never changes, do we have the same unchanging perception towards him in our life? Was the image and perception of Jesus the same when it led the Crusades during the middle age? Or was it the same when it led the anti-slavery movements in the recent centuries? Was it the same when it inspired thousands of others to lay down their lives for him? Of course, Jesus was the same. But the way we interact with him changes constantly.

Through our limitations we glorify our Lord
We are human beings limited in so many ways. When we interact with the divinity of Jesus, we simply emphasize our own humanity. It is through this changing and limited understanding that we bring glory to our Lord.

How do we view our Lord in this modern era?
By proposing about viewing our Lord, I do not mean to say about the physical appearance that changes often. The pictures painted throughout these centuries can be an example for this. Recently I saw a picture of Jesus looking like a farmer in the Indian rural dress. Another picture depicted Jesus with ear-rings and other paraphernalia of an Indian tribal man. What I mean to say is what kind of person would be Jesus if we interact with him today.

Six images of modern Jesus

1) Jesus in action, not in preaching

Our Jesus today is a person of action. Talk and plan have become something of the past. Now it is the time of action. Jesus of today says, “Get off your butts and go into the streets. Minister my people. Stop all your talking just planning how to minister.” People of today just jump into action rather than wasting time in talking and making things worse.

2) Jesus a visionary, not a dreamer

A visionary sees the destination in the light of the day. But a dreamer just sleeps and dreams. Jesus has a wonderful vision on the kingdom of God. His vision sees all people, from all backgrounds, coming together and worship.
A vision centers on others. A dream is centered on the person dreaming. Jesus has a vision and not a dream. But modern people tend to dream of the possibilities with them in the center, and not moving aside in glorifying God.

3) Jesus a servant, not a leader

Jesus never said, I have come to lead,” but he only said, “I have come to serve.” But who can bear him to be seen as a servant? We want to sit on the chair of rule and not to serve. We want to be boss of others and control as many as possible. Are we ready to wash the feet of others?
4) Jesus as compassion, not as tough love
Tough love is not the love prescribed by scriptures. It is purely human with no scriptural base. It disconnects us from those who are in need. It never thinks of going to gutters in search of thrown out humans and getting dirty. It hesitates to extend hand and cover it with mud. But Jesus is compassion whom Mother Teresa could find in streets.

5) Jesus is personal, not private

Jesus is personal to every one. But it is not a private relationship. I see Jesus personally. You may also see him personally. We are called to share that relationship with others since he is not our private property. We have to share him with others, speak about him what he means to us. We have to share our faith in him.

6) Jesus is real, not mystical

We have to see as a reality in our daily life. If we view Jesus as a mystic, he will have no value in our life today. He expects us to have him as a real person, having real pain, with real hopes, with real temptations and with real emotions. He wants to be connected in our life in everything. He is not a mystic of definitions and dogmas, but a simple Samaritan who jumps into action “moved by compassion” (Luke 10:33)

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