3 ways to be like Jesus

We are all called to be like Christ to the world. It may seem overwhelming or even impossible at times since Jesus was God incarnate. It does not mean we cannot be His hands and feet to the world. If we look at how Jesus lived His life prior to His crucifixion then we will see how we can be the light of the world.

“He (Jesus) went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23)

Jesus did three things while he walked among us on earth. St. Matthew tells us that Jesus:

1.)    Teaching in synagogues

2.)    Proclaims the Gospel

3.)    Meets the needs of people

Now, let's take a look at each of these and examine how we can apply them to our own lives so that we may fulfill our calling as children of God.

1.) Jesus taught in the synagogues. We see this truth even when Jesus was a boy. He was 12-years old when he remained behind in Jerusalem and missed the caravan on the way home from the family’s pilgrimage. He was 12-years old when his parents found him sitting among some of the greatest Jewish teachers in the synagogue and, apparently, shocking even the wisest and educated with his answers (and perhaps questions for which they did not know the answers but he seemed to know). (Luke 21:42-51)

When Jesus was an adult, he did not stop teaching in the synagogue. In fact, he became bolder. “He said to them, ‘Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.’” (Luke 4:21) He dared to tell them, as he read scripture much like our lectors and deacons do during our Masses today, that he concluded with telling them the scripture had been fulfilled that same day. Imagine if one of the lectors at Mass stood and read a reading from the Old Testament and then concluded with “today, this scripture passage is fulfilled”. I suspect the lector would never be allowed to read again.

But I want to remind you of something. Jesus was teaching IN the synagogue. This may not seem too important at the moment, but remember the synagogue was a crucial place for Judaism. It was a vital place of not only worship, but education, for the religious and those seeking to know God. It was, to say the least, impressive. It was a place of ritual sacrifice, prayer, religious study, and the center of an incredible network of Jewish schools and synagogues stretching across Rome. It drew people to the God of Israel. It drew worshippers to the temple for sacrifices. It was the core of Judaism for those wanting to draw nearer to the God of Israel.

Jesus went directly to the hub of faith. He intentionally sought opportunities to teach the “religious” about truth and the God of Israel. He specifically included them, as to opposing them and only telling the Gentiles to repent and come to God, because he knew they needed repentance as well. Do not assume that someone does not need to hear about Christ and the faith just because they are taking up a spot in a pew on Sunday.

If we are to be like Jesus, we must first also acknowledge that we have a responsibility to serve in our parishes. We have a responsibility to participate in the education of others in the parish. We need to realize that we, ourselves, need a deeper faith and a truer understanding of the Lord. We should seek the Lord where He shall be found…in the tabernacle. He calls to you from the adoration chapel to come and stay with him for an hour. He has his ear turned to you and waiting to hear your voice and the cries of your heart in prayer.

2.) Jesus proclaimed the Gospel. It is difficult for us to proclaim the Gospel to others when we, ourselves, are uneducated about the Gospel. One of our priorities as Christians and Catholics should be to know Sacred Scripture. It should be to know the Gospel and be able to tell others about it. Jesus proclaimed the Gospel to Gentiles. He spoke about the truth of the Gospel to both Jew and Gentile. He did not discriminate or assume that because one went to the synagogue that the individual knew God and had a relationship with God. Additionally, Christ did not write someone off and not proclaim the Gospel to them because of their lifestyle and thinking they would not listen. (St. Matthew certainly has a testimony regarding this)

St. Jerome said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” We cannot tell others about something we do not know ourselves. We cannot be like Christ if we do not know Christ. We cannot be Christ to the world if we are unaware of what Christ did when He walked on this same earth.

If we are to be like Jesus then we must be willing to actively proclaim the Gospel to others without fear of their judgments or glares. We must love their souls enough to tell them the truth despite their decision. In order to be like Jesus we must talk about our faith rather than keep it hidden within the walls of our homes and parishes. We must take it to the people outside our homes and parishes. We must share with them our faith, our prayers, and the source of our encouragement. We must tell them about Jesus when we are given opportunities. It does not mean we should be pounding someone over the head with religion. It does mean, on the other hand, that we must be able to effectively communicate our faith by words and deeds to all those around us. We must walk the walk before we can talk the talk to others.

3.) Jesus cured diseases and healed the sick. We are to reach out and meet the needs of all those for which we are able to help. We know that Christ strengthened the legs of the lame, opened the ears of the deaf, and gave sight to the blind. He breathed life into the dead and cast out demons. We may not be able to perform the miracles that Jesus did with those who were struggling. However, we can meet the needs of those around us. We can invite someone hungry over for dinner. Even if we are unable to purchase groceries for them or do anything grand, we can have them over for dinner and help alleviate their hunger for at least one meal. We can stay with someone who is ill in the hospital and encourage them. You can give someone a ride to a doctor’s appointment or to work if they are having trouble with transportation. There are so many ways we may be able to serve others and meet their needs. You just need to look around and ask yourself what you can do for someone else.

The Lord tells us in Matthew 5:14-16, “you are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Catholics, we must not rely exclusively on the priests and deacons to share the Gospel and the faith. We must not depend solely on those with holy orders to be the ones teaching about the Lord. It is not meant for you to be only a warm body in the pew on Sunday or a spectator in the crowd while others do the work. It is your responsibility, your job, your calling, and your mission by the Lord to go teach, preach, and reach.