know Jesus

How Do We Come To Know Jesus?

24th Sunday Ordinary Time

Fr. Mark Gatto

Preached: September 15, 2024

Think of someone that you love deeply. One person who you have really loved. How did you come to know that person. Conversations, speaking with and listening to them. Sharing thoughts and feelings. Often these conversations probably took place during shared meals. Then there were experiences you shared together in life, good and bad. We also learn about someone we love by what others say about them and by watching them in life.

Jesus confronts his disciples, “who do you say that I am?” Each of us who are called Christians, as disciples of Jesus we need to be ready to answer that question. If someone asked you, who is Jesus? How would you answer? We have official dogmas and teachings of the church. The Council of Chalcedon in the early centuries taught that Jesus is truly God and truly human. Jesus is truly human in all ways like us. God’s presence entering our human history and reality. So, we can say that Jesus is the face of God. As we come to know Jesus we are coming to know something of the mystery of God.

But the question of Jesus is very personal, “who do you say that I am?” It is not an abstract theological question. It is very personal. How would you answer that question? First of all, how do we come to know Jesus today?

Read and pray with the Gospels. As we read the Gospels, we should feel that we are spending time with Jesus. We are with him, watching him, listening to him. Read the Gospels in this very personal way.
Read the rest of the Bible, in particular, I want to highlight the Psalms. These Scriptures of the Old Testament were the Scriptures that Jesus prayed with and studied. Jesus probably knew all the Psalms by heart, they were his prayer book. So, when we pray with and study the Psalms we are learning about Jesus.
Coming to this Mass is a way of getting to know Jesus. Here we are with him at a Sacred Meal. We share meals with loved ones in our life, here we share this meal, the Holy Eucharist with Jesus.
We also learn about Jesus by reading the Saints. The Saints were friends of Jesus through the ages. When we listen to what they had to say about Jesus, we are learning more about Jesus.
We find Jesus in the poor, the marginalized, those who are considered unimportant or even a nuisance. Jesus is found in the face, in the suffering of the poor. When we have contact with them we are in contact with Jesus. Do you think that you will find out more about Jesus with the rich, the famous, the powerful than with the poor, the ignored, the weak?

Who do you say that I am? It is the question that each of us Christians need to be ready to answer. Keep striving to know Jesus more deeply. Spend time with him in the Gospels, read the Scriptures that he read, especially the Psalms, share this Sacred Meal with Jesus in the Eucharist, read about Jesus in the Saints, see Jesus in the poor and marginalized.

“Who do you say that I am?” Each of us needs to keep coming to know Jesus more deeply.

What Do You Still Want To Learn About Jesus?

2nd Sunday Ordinary Time

Fr. Mark Gatto

Preached: Jan. 15, 2023

Years ago I heard a story about a young woman who was preparing to become Catholic. She was so excited about all that she was learning about Jesus. One day she turned to the priest and excitedly asked him, “what do you still want to learn about Jesus?”

What do you still want to learn about Jesus?

John the Baptist sees Jesus coming to him in the gospel today. People do not yet know anything much about Jesus. John uses images to describe him, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” something we sing each Mass before Holy Communion. John then speaks of how at his baptism, the Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove and the Father says that he is “the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” Finally, John calls Jesus “the Son of God.”

How do you and I come to know Jesus more deeply?

In each Sacrament it is possible to encounter Jesus. especially in the Eucharist in which we experience the presence of Jesus in the Presider, in the Assembly of the People of God gathered together as the body of Christ, in the Word proclaimed and especially in the real presence of Christ in the bread and wine consecrated that becomes for us the body and blood of Christ.

Also, we come to know Jesus more deeply in the people we encounter each day. Especially in the poor, the sick, the children, the lonely, for Jesus says that whatever we do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to him.

Of course, a special place in which we can come to know Jesus more deeply is in the Scriptures, especially in the Gospels. We should read and pray with the Gospels, watching and listening to Jesus. Each time we read or listen to the Gospels it is possible to learn about Jesus.

We are now beginning the Ordinary time in the church’s year. Each Sunday we have Gospel readings in which we have the opportunity to learn more about Jesus. Our Lectionary has a three year cycle. Each year focus on a different Gospel, Matthew, Mark or Luke.

This year is Year A and the focus is the Gospel of Matthew. These Gospels give us an opportunity to learn more about Jesus. One recommendation is that you may want to take out your Bible and plan to read the Gospel of Matthew as you prepare to hear the Sunday Gospels this year.

By the way, when that woman asked the priest what he still wanted to learn about Jesus, what do you think he answered? He said, “I want to learn what is in the heart of Jesus.” As you read or listen to the Gospels, look for what is in the heart of Jesus.

Well, what do you still want to learn about Jesus?