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‘The Son of Man’ is the name
preferred by Jesus Christ for Himself.
He will groom and husband mankind
for the end-times. “He who follows
me will never live in darkness but will
have the light of life (Jn 8: 12) and
with it the fullness of life (Jn 10:10).
His demands were absolute: he
must be loved more than father and
mother or anyone else; “unless you
eat my flesh and drink my blood, no
life for you (Mt 10:37; Jn 6:53). His
credentials: miracles of all kinds and
then his own rising from the dead.
familiarly of God’s Kingdom and the
blessings and happiness (Beatitudes) in
store for them in God’s special plan for
them. For others the rich, learned and
self-righteous he had warnings (Mt 23),
since they were devoid of compassion
(Lk 6: 36).
We can meet the groom in Nature, the lilies of the field and
the birds of the air; in the discoveries and applications of
science- space travel, god–particle, the genetic code and the
marvels of medicine.
Through his “I am” statements: he
claims to be the Light of the world, the
Bread of Life, the Way (to happiness),
the Truth, Resurrection and Life
(10:9,6:35,14:6,11:25). “I have come”
to give life in abundance; to serve; to
sacrifice my life for you (10:10, Mt
20:28).
Although he called himself the
Son of Man, he revealed he was the
Son of God too. “Father and I are one;
who sees me, has seen the Father” (Jn
10:30, 14:9). “They took up stones to
kill him for that; and the High priest
tore his garment to mark blasphemy”
(Jn 8:51,10:31, Mt 26:65). “If you do
not believe me, at least for the works I
do believe that I am in the Father and
the Father is in me” (Jn 10: 38).
Proof? He revived the utterly deflated
disciples so marvellously, they were
ready to die for him, which they did.
Down the centuries, countless men, like
St John de Britto, who was martyred
here at Oriyur in 1693, and women
were ready to die for him.
Greatest lover
This Bridegroom is the greatest
Lover who walked this earth. He loved
us with a total love; and to the end (Jn
13;1; 1Jn 3:16). He loved Nature -sun
and rain, seeds and trees, birds and
animals figured in his teachings. He
loved mankind of all types, gender and
age and status with a special love for
the sinner, the sick and the oppressed
and marginalized. He preferred to sit
at table with these and talked to them
Following the Groom
The ways (values) of Jesus are the
basis of true and lasting happiness: the
Blessed attitudes (Mt 5:2-8). He called
for poverty in spirit, total detachment
and freedom from earthly goods meant
for all, chastity of pure, selfless love and
compassion, and seeking God’s will in
obedience, “My food is to do the will
of my Father” (Jn 4:34, 5:30, 6:38,
8:29 etc). So for his followers prayer
is complete only in asking, seeking and
knocking out obstacles (Mt 7:7). They
abide in his love (Jn 15:9) and love
one another “as I have loved you” (Jn
13:34). Therefore following Jesus will
involve carrying the Cross of love daily
(Mt 16: 24) in the service of others.
JIVAN: News and Views of Jesuits in India NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012 6