Posted by The WORD in other words (2023) by Fr Jong Biton SVD – Divine Word Seminary Tagaytay
Friday 9th Week in Ordinary Time
That the Messiah will come from the line of David is a common belief among the Jews. The prophets foretold this, and Jesus does not intend to negate this claim. However, such a view is incomplete because the Messiah is not only the son of David but also the Son of God.
To support his view, Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1, “The Lord said to my (David’s) Lord,” where David himself calls the Messiah, Lord. So, the Messiah is both David’s son and Lord at the same time.
But why did Jesus raise this question? It is because the Jews fail or refuse to acknowledge his identity despite the signs and his deeds. The question was a veiled yet obvious reference to his identity as truly human and truly God.
Therefore, the Gospel today invites us to accept Jesus in the same manner, as truly human and truly God, without undermining one or the other. With this understanding, we also hope to appreciate our own humanity and capacity for holiness.
To accept Jesus’ humanity is to accept our own human capacity to be channels of goodness, compassion, mercy, etc., towards others. Similarly, to accept Jesus’ divinity is to accept our capacity to be channels of his grace.
We can live holy lives, where holiness does not mean perfection; rather, it reflects “God’s patience; being good and loving parents, becoming a good neighbor…(Gaudete et Exultate).” What Pope Francis calls “the saints next door” are us living our true identity as a reflection of Jesus’ image: truly human yet truly God.
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