Capturing Jesus on YouTube
Capturing Jesus on YouTube
Have you ever wondered why Jesus chose to come to Earth during the time of Herod rather than now? Wouldn’t it have been better if his sermons were recorded so all of us could see and hear Him on television and the Internet? Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to convince others to become believers if we could show them online videos of our Lord’s miracles? And wouldn’t we benefit from watching before-and-after videos of individuals who were mentally and physically healed by Jesus?
Why did our Lord decide to come live among us at a time when there were no video recorders, cameras, cell phones, movie theaters, televisions, copiers, or Internet? He knew there was going to be a time in the future when all these devices and technology would be available and in use. Why did he come then rather than now?
Consider this: There are two virtues that we as baptized Catholics have that our Lord did not need or have. Do you know which two virtues I’m referring to? One of the virtues is faith. Our Lord did not need the virtue of faith because He had the beatific vision.
The Modern Catholic Dictionary defines “faith” as follows:
The acceptance of the word of another, trusting that one knows what the other is saying and is honest in telling the truth. The basic motive of all faith is the authority (or right to be believed) of someone who is speaking. This authority is an adequate knowledge of what he or she is talking about, and integrity in not wanting to deceive. It is called divine faith when the one believed is God, and human faith when the persons believed are human beings.
When Thomas refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead, he told his fellow apostles, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25). When Jesus later appeared to Thomas, He said, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing” (John 20:27). Jesus then said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:29).
Maybe that’s one of the reasons our Lord came to this Earth at a time when there were no cameras or other gadgets that could be used to record Him. He wanted us to be able to prove to Him through our own faith that we believe in Him without having first seen Him.
Next week we’ll consider the other virtue that our Lord did not need or have.
2 Comments
Dear Harry and Georgette –
What wonderful thoughts to ponder this week – Jesus wants us to believe in Him without any proof or vision. Just our Faith – we believe He came “just because”…we know He loves us.
I’m sending this now from Nazareth Living Center, my new Home, where God lives in the faces of each of my Sisters (about 80 here!) and each of the care givers and staff… I am truely blessed.
Love, Sister Roberta, CSJ
Hello Sister.
It’s good to hear that you made it safely to your new home. Would you be willing to write a one to one-and-a-half page description of the residents at Nazareth Living Center and email it to me? Here’s what I would like covered in the description: What are their concerns and challenges? What do you like most about them? What do you like least about them? What regrets do they have? What have you noticed in their behavior? If you would be willing to write something for me, I could incorporate it in an article. Would you be willing to do that? Let me know. Thanks.
God Bless,
Harry