INTRODUCING JESUS

Tuesday in the 10th Week of the Ordinary Time
Mt 5:13-16

One day a catechist started teaching his students. His lesson plan said that he was to teach them about Jesus that day. He began by saying, “Today, I want to you to meet Someone you all should get to know. He loves you more than you know. He is always smiling at you and wants only the best for you. He is kind, generous, and forgiving. He is very thoughtful and is always concerned about how He can be of any help to you.” As the catechist continued his introduction of the day’s lesson, a little boy could hardly contain himself in his seat. Just before the catechist mentioned the name of Jesus, the little boy excitedly raised his hand and shouted, “I know who he is! He lives next to our house across the river. He is our neighbor, Mr. de la Cruz!”

O, how I envy Mr. de la Cruz! But envy him, I should not. I should rather emulate him. He indeed served as light that shone across that river. He was what it means to be the kind of Christian Jesus wants us all to be.

When we introduce Jesus to those who do not know Him yet, we cannot convince them that we know Him unless they see Him in us. This is perhaps what Mohandas K. Gandhi meant when he gave this comment: “I believe in Christ but not in you, Christians. If you were like Him, I would have been a Christian myself.”