OUR image of Jesus may often be the nice and sweet person who does not cause troubles in our lives.
That’s far from the totality of Jesus that we hear in the Scriptures.
He was not always nice and sweet. He didn’t keep quiet when he saw things in disorder. He didn’t always appease people. He gave impassioned speeches against any hypocrisy and scandal.
He challenged people to speak up. He challenged worldviews and attitudes, such as biases, exclusiveness, arrogance, and self-righteousness. He made the leaders of his time accountable for their responsibility to establish fairness in society. He spoke against unjust systems and structures. Just recall the parables he taught, and you would know what I mean.
His remarks surprised people, even us in this present age. He said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
When I look at my own life, I see that I may not have been faithful to the challenge of Jesus. I may have been timid or quiet when seeing injustices around us. I may have ignored the poverty and homelessness around us. I may have run away from confronting the societal ills.
As I also reflect on how we “do” church, I realize that we have to be more courageous in speaking up against racism, injustice, and other systems of inequality and unfairness, even though these conversations are unsettling.
Indeed, should we not be a church that engages in these difficult conversations, keeping in mind the need for respectful dialogue?
As we approach the Solemnity of Pentecost, let’s ask us for the power of the Holy Spirit to make us courageous missionary disciples, like Peter and the other disciples. We also try to imitate the Good Shepherd to lay down our lives for others, especially the poor, the unchurched, and other “sheep that do not belong to this fold.”
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
